Property porn, eh? There’s nothing better suited to that tag than C4’s Grand Designs: House of the Year 2019.

The Kevin McCloud show celebrates the best in contemporary, cutting edge houses - and they really are rather special.

One had what was described as an atrium centrepiece with double-storey library - how many homes can boast that particular double-header?

Then there was the huge house in Hampshire made from locally-sourced flint, which had a big old double-height kitchen.

Described as "a heartfelt love letter to Hampshire" and "a modernist mansion", it was hard not to be impressed.

One thing the homes in this episode all had in common - besides being houses that "respond imaginatively to their surroundings" - was exposed timber.

Even the token tiny home, a South London new build, had lashings of light wood on display.

That sauna-esque touch doesn't really do it for me, but architects designing swish new homes seem not to be able to get enough of it. Maybe I'm just jealous.

It could be argued that there's no worse time to watch a show that celebrates the nation's very best new builds than when you've just moved into an underwhelming rental.

Forget sauna-style ceilings: the standout features of my current house are magnolia woodchip wallpaper, puckery artex and lashings of laminate-effect lino. Perhaps a touch of modern exposed wood would be a blessing?

Regardless, I'm looking forward to the House of the Year winner being announced in the show's final episode on November 13.

I'll be tuning in to seek inspiration for my future dream home while making the best of my current, unspectacular reality.

After all, we never know how these things are going to pan out. One day a timber-tastic mansion could be mine.