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A double-fronted terraced house built in the 1820s, this Booterstown home didn’t work for its owners, a family with two young children. They approached North Design with some ideas for reconfiguring it, to adapt it for their lives.
Requirements included new flooring throughout, new bathrooms, kitchen joinery, and storage was also important. The glazing at the back of the house that looks out to the garden was replaced, and the first floor was reconfigured to create a larger main suite.
What this involved, Louise Rankin, Co-Founder of North Design explains, was gutting the entire house. “There were lots of hidden surprises beneath the walls which you can only imagine with a house this old, so we had to be very patient and quick to problem solve, but the construction team Caracon Construction and us at North really wanted to do the best job for this lovely young family.”
Storage was a priority, and Lousie says that the age of the house meant built-in was the best solution.
“The bespoke joinery throughout the house was designed by us North Design and manufactured by Conall Nolan Joinery. In a house where no walls are straight and you’re trying to maximise storage, this was the only way to go. It ultimately means that the clients get a home exactly tailored to their way of living.”
The colour palette was another important aspect of the design. Soft neutrals were chosen for the main spaces, including Foraging by Colourtrend in the living room, and Crumbling Arch by Curator on the kitchen doors.
“We then added an earthy undertone with accent pieces like the rust velvet Fredericia Swoon armchair in the kitchen from Minima,” Louise explains. “The ‘Den’ was the only room to have a darker palette to ensure a more masculine and cosy vibe.” Harley Green by Little Green was chosen for the walls in this room.
The two children’s bedrooms strike a lovely balance between fitting in with the rest of the house, and still appealing to their inhabitants.
“We wanted to complement the original part of the house with the kids rooms, particularly in the one at front of the house with the beautiful features, so the soft powder blue paint colour worked well for the woodwork there,” Louise explains.
“Offsetting that with the red circus tent above his bed added the playful element a young boy needs (something we loved doing!). The baby’s room had a soft sage green/off white palette with white and natural elements to stay in keeping with the other rooms as well.”
One of Lousie’s favourite aspects of the design is the cream sofa in the living room. “We designed it and Portmarnock Furnishings manufactured it – it appears sculptural in that room, too pretty to sit on almost. There’s an elegance and calmness to this particular room that’s quite grounding.”
Overall, the home has been transformed into a classic yet comfortable space for this family to enjoy.
Photography: PJR Visual