The designer, writer and presenter joins Tara Ward to talk odd socks, the decline of the mantelpiece and why Grand Designs is still going strong after 25 years.
Much like a cantilevered building with walls made entirely of glass, to interview Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud is to see the world in a new light. The British designer, writer and presenter is chatting about his upcoming Home Truths speaking tour of New Zealand, but frequently takes sharp tangents to discuss everything from Tupperware containers with no lids to what items sat on shelves in 500 BCE (food jars and models of your ancestors, in case you’re wondering). He even has an in-depth, well researched theory about where all our missing socks have gone.
“So the real question is in the end: have you lost a sock? Or have you gained a sock?” McCloud ponders aloud, mere minutes into our chat.
I don’t have the answers, which is probably how McCloud feels each time he finds himself standing in a pile of mud on a building site, listening to ambitious homeowners describe how they’ll turn an old swamp into a four bedroom house by Christmas. As host of Grand Designs for the past 24 seasons, McCloud has seen it all: astonishing water tower conversions, unbelievable tree houses and impressive eco homes, as well as endless budget blowouts, marriage breakdowns, unexpected disasters and British weather at its worst.
It’s the unpredictable human journey that makes Grand Designs relatable and compelling, but it’s McCloud who lifts the show far above your standard home reno series. With the raise of one cynical eyebrow or the disappointed shake of his head, McLeod tells us exactly what we need to know about each intriguing build: the budget’s too small, you never should have sacked your architect, you’ll be living in that caravan a lot longer than you think. He’s the voice of reason, and often, the harbinger of doom. There’s even an Instagram account dedicated to his more iconic moments.
And yet, McCloud’s lyrical descriptions of the finished building at the end of each episode are eternally uplifting and heartwarming. He always finds something nice to say, no matter how weird the building, and you can bet your 200-year-old historic ruin that despite whatever shitstorm has preceded it, McCloud will happily declare the building “an utter triumph”.
McCloud reckons the key to Grand Designs’ longevity is simple: the show is constantly reinventing itself. “Every programme is a different story, a different building and different people, and our job is to tell their story as we go along,” he says. Filming each build over a period of several years gives the series a quiet, comforting sense of calm, and McCloud is proud that Grand Designs is always celebratory and never aggressive. “It’s intellectually fun to do. As a result, it’s fun to watch and it’s good for viewers too.”
The show’s success has seen international versions pop up everywhere from Australia to Finland, and New Zealand loves Grand Designs so much that our own version launched in 2015. First hosted by Chris Moller and then Tom Webster – both good friends of McCloud, who affectionately describes the international Grand Design presenters as “a little club” – Grand Designs NZ consistently rates in our top ten most watched shows. McCloud believes New Zealand’s fondness for the series is closely linked to our resourceful spirit, and the way construction and design is woven into our history.
“The geographical location of New Zealand means that historically, you’ve had to basically chop down and make every material that you construct with,” he says, adding that this gives our buildings a “modesty and self knowledge” that many other countries lack.
It’s this idea of “not building excessively” that McCloud will discuss, among many other things, in his upcoming live show Home Truths. He describes the show as both a celebration of 25 years of Grand Designs and an entertaining night filled with unique “design adventures”. He’ll look back on some of the show’s most memorable projects, tackle curious design topics, and invite the audience to ask their own questions – odd socks and all. “It’s meant to be fun,” he says. “I love drawing little links, threads as it were, through design history.”
McCloud also loves talking about the wonders of design and architecture, especially the quirkier elements that make us unique. “I’m often disappointed when I visit people’s houses and they look like showrooms, rather than looking like autobiographies,” he says. “It’s the most wonderful thing to visit a house full of clutter and amazing things where you walk in and think, ‘oh, there’s a life here’.” He mentions his grandparents’ house, where the mantlepiece in the parlour held precious mementoes of their lives. “As a kid, I could read my grandparents’ lives across this mantelpiece. It was a beautiful mix of stuff, and we just don’t do that anymore.”
Grand Designs isn’t a job for McCloud; in fact, he can’t believe he gets paid to travel around the world to meet interesting people and experience incredible architecture. “I’m very lucky,” he says, a contented smile on his face. “I don’t want to stop.” His enthusiasm for the world around him shines through our conversation – although he admits that when he’s not working, the last thing he wants to talk about is people’s kitchens. He even gets mad when his mates don’t invite him over just in case he doesn’t like their style. “Are we friends because I like your taste in light switches?” he asks, incredulously.
It’s a rhetorical question, but I shake my head. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with Kevin McCloud? He might just find my missing sock.
A new season of Grand Designs UK premieres on Sunday February 3 on TVNZ1 and TVNZ+. Tickets to Kevin McCloud’s Home Truths are available here and here.
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