'My son said I can't be a celebrity because of our house' – why Dermot Bannon's home is a surprise

At interior events, his talks are always the most in demand and ratings on RTE’s Room to Improve continue to soar, so it’s only natural to assume that his Glasnevin home would be in keeping with his distinct profile.

Like most professionals, the last thing Dermot wants to do at home is speak about work – but what happens when your work is home?

“Cobblers shoes are always the worst,” he laughed. “My son the other day said to me, ‘Dad you can’t be a celebrity’. And I said, ‘Why?’ And he said, ‘Look at our house!’ So, yeah cobbler’s shoes…I keep pushing it further and further down the line because when I go home it’s the last thing I want to think about. I just want to sit on the couch and think about nothing.”

For nearly 10 years, his work as an architect has earned him his coveted status among homeowners and design lovers and it seems like nothing worth having comes easily. “I often wish I could tell someone how stressed I am. But because I’ve been doing this for so long they all know how stressed I am,” he told VIP Magazine about his family.

“They also know that I know that the solution is to let go, so , it’s a bit of a case of the boy who cried wolf. I’m my own worst enemy, but you see, I love what I do, too.”

Bannon said his style has changed over the years, having grown with confidence and experience, saying: “I think I’m more confident because I’ve done a couple hundred houses at this stage. But what has changed, maybe, is that I can read people better. I can quickly put myself in their shoes and try to live their lives so I can design for their life.

“I also think I might be more relaxed, and am not, maybe, as dogged anymore. And then I watch the show and it’s completely oppositve. So what I think of myself and what I actually am are two totally different things.”