A new BBC series exploring the world’s most beautiful and unusual homes is now available to watch on iPlayer and Netflix.

Presented by architect Piers Taylor and actress Caroline Quentin; the series visits homes in Switzerland, Portugal, America and New Zealand, to name a few. Each episode is split into themes such as Sand, Mountain and Water.

Homes featured include one property hidden in the desert, surrounded by cactus and designed to camouflage into the landscape. The roof assembled from the wings of a disused Boeing 747 plane.  A further luxury home features a glass ceiling which also serves as the floor of the swimming pool above. Slightly creepy, but I think originality is what the theme of these mansions are.

The series explores the homes and their surroundings in great detail, before we meet the owners (queue jealousy) and the architects who designed them. On a few occasions the hosts of the programme get to stay the night in the homes. On all the occasions they threaten not to leave.  At one point we watch Caroline Quentin take a shower in a bathroom that has no blinds, or privacy of any sort – I must say, I wasn’t quite prepared.

The series is well worth a watch if you’re interested in architecture and appreciate the finer attention to details and want to gain an insight into the creative process behind the structure of some truly astonishing properties. However,  I wouldn’t watch it if you’re a naturally  jealous person; it makes for uncomfortable viewing (I assume). It will definitely inspire you to…refurbish your home.