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When deciding whether to downsize, an issue many people run into is that they’re reluctant to leave a location they’ve loved for many years. The owners of this Co Antrim home solved this issue by simply building next door.
Aisling Rusk, director at Studio Idir explains that the design was able to incorporate different aspects they wanted for this next stage of their lives. “The clients wanted to downsize from their listed, thatched cottage into a house that would be easier to maintain, and would allow them to live on one level into their old age,” she says.
This design was granted planning permission, where a design by another architect had previously been refused, which shows its sympathetic approach to its beautiful surroundings. The shingles used on the home’s exterior help it sit unobtrusively in the landscape, although as Aisling explains, they weren’t without their challenges.
“It was difficult to use shingles uniformly, and achieve minimal, simple corner junctions and eaves details. This involved lots of negotiating with the contractor, putting our heads together and looking at 1:1 details on-site to agree on the best approach.” The hard work, however, was worth it for the finished effect. “I love the tactility of the shingles – you can’t help but reach out and touch or stroke them.”
Inside, the home is similarly simple, with a neutral palette that includes a concrete floor by Remarkable Polished Concrete, concrete microcement on the en-suite bathroom walls, oak stairs and flooring upstairs, and Farrow & Ball Skimming Stone used on most of the walls. There was one exception, Aisling explains. “Our clients then chose to go off-piste in the snug, and paint walls and built-in bookcase Farrow & Ball Babouche – a very bright yellow!”
All of these design elements combine to create a serene atmosphere. “It’s a remarkably peaceful space,” Aisling says, “people always remark on that – how calming the house is, with lofty spaces, long internal views and lovely snapshots of the gardens, trees or Lough Neagh whatever way you look.”
Overall, her favourite aspect of the home is its generosity. “I think the sense of space achieved for such a small footprint of a house is remarkable.”
Photography: Donal McCann Photography