A House Less Ordinary

Logline

A look at the homes of those passionate individuals who dare to be different and the fascinating lifestyles that inspire them.

Synopsis

JACK (v/o): I’d flip through a catalogue and wonder, ‘what kind of dining set defines me as a person?’ (Fight Club, 1999).

The current building boom is resulting in an urban sprawl of generic housing estates spreading out from our towns and cities. The challenge for most is to get the substantial money required, buy the shell of a house and then kit it out from the same sources, using the same skills and then finishing it off with that ‘personal’ touch, with bits and bobs from the same shops as everyone else. Within this system there is obviously room for variety, but through it all, you cant help thinking its just more of the same.

But what about those adventurous souls who decided against jumping on the band wagon, and instead go down the path of experimentation and innovation. This 8×24′ presenter led documentary series uncovers the work of those who don’t play by the rules, instead allowing their ideals, dreams and chosen lifestyles be reflected in the homes they build.

Sustainable living is a buzzword that will have a major influence on planning and development in the future. Yet many today are ahead of the posse, driven by personal ideological reasons. Eco villages like The Village in Tipperary are popping up around the country, individuals are purposefully sourcing new environmentally friendly materials and whole lives are being built around these ideologies; something reflected in each home. Companies too, like Interhab Ireland, and organisations such as the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) are heavily involved in building sustainability into the fabric of Irelands homes.

But the show is not just about sustainable living. It will showcase everything that can be defined as alternative, daring, innovative, artistic, exotic, even the seemingly out of date. It will also delve into the lifestyles that inspire such experimentation and follow the work of architects who are pushing the boundaries and following a vision.

What about all the different materials people are using - from the thatch cottages of Adare, to the timber structures and tree houses that are increasingly popping up, to the houses built of straw and hemp. With over one third of Irish houses being self-built, the Irish are hard at work constructing homes from timber, straw, earth and rendering them with clay plaster. And the nouveau riche have the time and money to realise their dream homes.

There is a range of alternative services that your average estate dwellers would find rather strange. From energy to water to heating, with various local and individual solar, wind and water schemes. There are also examples of old gadgets, tools and services long since gone from popular circulation, yet still cherished and in use around the country.

And lets not forget the three most important words - Location, Location, Location. The series will showcase the lives and homes of those artists, idealists, farmers and young professionals on the canals, in the grand old houses, and in some of the most desolate and out of the way places in Ireland. Bits and Bobs will look at the strange and wonderful things people have kitted their houses out with - the old, the new, the artistic, the practical and the.. not so practical. It will also look at where and how to get these things, from the little corner shops, to the amateur artist exhibitions to the weekly markets.

Every element in the series will have a story behind it, a personal passion and a desire to be different. It will open up a world of possibilities to the average homeowner, show people that alternatives do exist, and give them options that your average construction company and wholesaler could not.