Winner Of Inverclyde's Best Home Competition Revealed

The winner of the inaugural Inverclyde’s Best Home competition sponsored by The Greener Roof Co can now be revealed.

John Thomson’s steampunk-inspired flat in Brisbane Street in Greenock has scooped the prestigious title.

John, 54, was the first person to enter the competition and becomes our first-ever winner.

The west end flat reached the final three alongside Janice and Iris Potter’s property, Castleview in Alderwood Road in Port Glasgow, and Angela and Andrew McEwan’s property, Copthorne in Eldon Street, Greenock.

As the winner, John has scooped a £500 John Lewis voucher and a painting of his home – and he has decided to donate part of his prize to charity.

John has pledged to give the £500 to Ardgowan Hospice to thank staff for looking after his wife Alexandra who passed away in 2020 after a bravely-fought battle with cancer.

John said: “Staff at the hospice really helped my wife and cared for her so well when she was going through cancer.

“They helped me as well.

"I really want to donate the voucher to them to thank them. 

“If it wasn’t for my wife, I wouldn’t have been able to do all of this with the house.

“She really inspired me and gave me the confidence I needed.”

When the Telegraph phoned John to tell him he had won, he said he felt very overwhelmed.

John said: “I’m absolutely over the moon and lost for words.

“I felt really proud to be part of the competition and to open my house up to the public.

“I’m very honoured and privileged to be part of the community and to show my work.”

John first moved into the property 40 years ago with his father Jack Thomson, a local architect who helped design the Café Continental in Gourock.

The Victorian-era home has been transformed into a spectacular 'steampunk-themed’ apartment, fitted out with unique antique treasures and handcrafted furnishings.

The home boasts amazing original features like cornices, huge bay windows, and solid oak floors, and John's creativity can be felt in the custom-made bookcase full of encyclopaedias, doorframes with an industrial feel, and exposed copper piping. 

Walls in the hallway are adorned with maps, and one of the quirkiest features is the door of the bathroom which looks just like a lift from times gone by.

John thanked everyone who encouraged him to apply for the competition, particularly Frank Smith at Belville Community Gardens.

He passed on his thanks to the Telegraph and to the team of judges.

John added: “The judges were really lovely and complimentary, and were very sincere.

“The flat is an ongoing project and I want to source more pieces and objects.”

Our three judges - Marco Rebecchi of Rebecchi Architectural, Fiona McArthur of McArthur Scott, and Mariessa Devlin of Devlin Interior Design - submitted a statement announcing John as the winner.

They said: “We are delighted to award John the coveted prize of Inverclyde’s Best Home 2025. 

“It’s hard to do this home justice with words. It really has to be seen to be believed.

“John has created his own sanctuary and has maximised all of the living space within this traditional one-bedroom flat. 

“It is quirky and is such a fine example of how to plan a space that suits how you live. 

“It has an eclectic mix of interior design and architectural planning to form the best use of spaces, and there’s a real wow factor of marketability about it. 

“There’s a historical elegance about this home that left us as judges in awe of John’s creative mind."

They added: “Each of us loved that John had taken his passion for cooking into the creation of a truly functional kitchen, which whilst a departure in design from the rest of the home, was ideally suited to preparing wonderful meals. 

“All aspects of this home had a striking impact on us and left us wanting to revisit, so that we could have more time to truly appreciate the exquisite details and ornateness which featured in each room. 

“The focus on vintage metals, showcased in very detailed copper piping, was a design feature that spanned the entire home and allowed for the creation of a particular aesthetic in the most unexpected of places. 

“We loved the impressive repurposing of antique furniture as modern day pieces.  

“The vast collection of items incorporated into the style of this home created a unique style that was loved by the judges. 

“We unanimously agreed that the time, detail and creativity that has gone into every aspect of this home has created a wonderful living space of yesteryear with modern elegance.”

This article appeared in The Greenock Telegraph.