Kunle Barker

Kunle Barker: Property and Construction Expert, Writer, Broadcaster and Founder of Barker–Walsh

Property expert, writer & broadcaster Kunle Barker began his construction career whilst studying for an MA at the University of Leeds. In 2004, Kunle set up Illustrious Homes, an award-winning Construction and Design Management Company, specialising in delivering high profile projects. To date, Kunle has delivered over one thousand residential refurbishments, education and sports centre refits, and countless high-end private renovations.

Kunle & Illustrious Homes have won many awards including ‘Property Expert of the Year’ and ‘Design & Build Company of the Year’. As one of the country’s leading construction and housing experts, Kunle has also consulted with the UK Government to discuss the country’s construction challenges.

From a broadcast perspective, Kunle’s expertise has seen him co-present high profile TV formats alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Sarah Beeny. In 2023, Kunle presented and one-off property Show, ‘Project Home’ alongside Nick Grimshaw for Channel 4.

Kunle has enjoyed an extensive career, which has seen him become one of the UK’s most dynamic live event hosts and property-expert speakers. Kunle is a regular host and speaker at Grand Designs & UK Construction Week alongside Kevin McCloud and has been part of the longstanding expert line-up for the Ideal Home Show with Charlie Luxton & Phil Spencer. Kunle has presented ‘Grand Designs Live’; a studio-based Instagram Live show with over 16 Episodes. Kunle has worked extensively with renowned change makers and businesses across the world, leading challenging live audiences. Clients include Ovo Energy, Royal Institute of British Architecture, EMAP, Ocean Media, COP26, Ridgemont and Architects’ Journal.

Kunle has written regular construction and building Q&A columns for Grand Designs Magazine and monthly columns for Architects Journal.

He is also COO of Melt Property, the non-executive director of Studio Anyo and co-founded Barker–Walsh alongside James Walsh.

Kunle has most recently been officially announced as the lead Masterplan Consultant working on Brent Cross Town’s multi-billion-pound regeneration scheme; one of the biggest regeneration schemes in the history of the UK. Kunle’s role involves the creative visioning of how people will live, work and play in the edge of the city center’s Urban developments. This will be an exemplary project and will be the template for how cities around the world deliver regeneration projects for the future. As one of the most significant regeneration projects ever seen, the team will aim to set the standard on how high-density edge-of-city-center schemes can regenerate areas and help communities to flourish. Connecting people to nature and each other, whilst enabling them to live more sustainably, are central goals of the ground-breaking development.