St Albans’ Best House in Town winner on her hard-won victory
The Best House in Town winner Chrissie Adams during filming of the BBC1 show. Picture: Instagram/@cheeseyb1scuits - Credit: Archant
Being the owner of The Best House in Town feels “a bit strange”, according to the winner of the BBC1 show’s St Albans episodes.
Chrissie outside her Gustard Wood home. Picture: Sidney Street Productions - Credit: BBC/Sidney Street Productions
Chrissie Adams, 37, spent two years renovating her 1970s detached house in Gustard Wood, which she bought with project manager husband Paul Strang, 37, in 2014.
From the “totally indestructible” polished concrete worktop to the quirky reading nook and controversial green bedroom, Chrissie’s home is packed with eye-catching features.
The five judges voted unanimously in its favour in the ‘detached’ episode of the show, and it went on to triumph in the final with four out of five of the judges’ votes.
Chrissie doesn’t have anything to show for it however: “No, I didn’t get anything. Not even a certificate!”
St Albans judges Kuldip, Olwyn, Randa, Dean and Emma. Picture: Sidney Street Productions - Credit: BBC/Sidney Street Productions
A stay-at-home parent, Chrissie doesn’t have any interiors experience, having worked as a corporate account manager in telecoms before leaving work to have children Archie, six, and Eden, three.
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Could there be a career change ahead? “I don’t know,” Chrissie said. “I’m still a bit surprised by the win. I’d not considered myself to have a flair for it, I just spent a long time working on it because it was going to be for us. And just Pinterest, I think. Hundreds of Pinterest accounts.”
Chrissie was delighted to triumph against such stiff competition, but admits she had no idea what she was letting herself in for as far as the show was concerned.
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“To be honest I don’t think I had grasped the concept so I didn’t know what to expect when it was on TV,” she said.
The judges admiring the craftsmanship of Chrissie's kitchen worktop. Picture: Sidney Street Productions - Credit: BBC/Sidney Street Productions
“I was quite nervous about doing it because we didn’t have anything to go on. If I’d seen it before I might not have done it!
“You are letting lots of people in your house and they’re having a good poke round. The judges were quite interactive with the house, going through stuff. They were quite critical about what they didn’t like.”
Gallery Rouge owner Kuldip Chohan was especially critical – particularly where Chrissie’s green bedroom was concerned.
He felt the bold walls were “screaming way too much” and he “didn’t understand” the colour scheme.
The judges in the hallway of Chrissie's winning home. Picture: Sidney Street Productions - Credit: BBC/Sidney Street Productions
“He definitely didn’t like it,” Chrissie said. “I was kind of expecting it. We’ve had people come round and say quite mean things about the green room and they’re my friends!
“It’s just so subjective. What you love is someone else’s nightmare. But that’s OK because it’s meant to be just for you.
“I never expected our bedroom to end up on TV!”
Green bedroom-lovers are definitely out there, however – Chrissie received “about 80” messages on Instagram from fans of the room.
The Best House in Town Winner Chrissie Adams during filming of the BBC1 show. Credit: Instagram/@cheeseyb1scuits - Credit: Archant
As for future projects, it’s a case of never say never. “I loved doing it and I would love to do it again,” Chrissie said.
“But it does take ages. I feel like we only just finished so I’d quite like to just live here for now!”
Follow Chrissie on Instagram @cheeseyb1scuits.
The Best House in Town is on BBC1 at 3.45pm each weekday. The St Albans episodes can be viewed on BBC iPlayer.
Meet more of the homeowners featured on the St Albans shows in this week’s Property supplement.
