EDEL MORGANshows how it's done
Room that shows how blue and green can be seen
WHAT BETTER to brighten up the gloom than a few bursts of vivid colour? The breakfast room of 62 Shanid Road (see page 4) is a cheerful space where the owners ignored the old adage that blue and green should never be seen and then threw in some pink for good measure.
Far from inducing headaches, the three colours – midnight blue, lime green and hot pink – work well together in a small space. The secret, according to the architect owner, is in keeping the rest of the room neutral with a brilliant white backdrop (Dulux). It’s also good to limit the colour to a few well chosen pieces.
The table came from Ikea where you can combine a table top and legs under the Vika system to create your own budget look.
The table tops range from £12.72 (€14.19) to around £76.34 (€84.23) and come in a variety of shapes, colours, in wood effect like the one in the picture, laminate or glass.
There are a variety of leg sizes and shapes to choose from, and they cost from £1.71 (€1.91) to £14.68 each (€16.39).
The blue chairs are from Ikea’s Korpo range and cost around £29.62 (€33.07).
Kitchen made from salvaged pieces is a real find
THE OWNERS of 49 Beaufield Park aren’t fans of sleek, streamlined kitchens and the fittings and furniture in their rustic country cottage kitchen/diningroom were mostly found in salvage yards and antique shops. They imaginatively adapted these to different uses: the Victorian butcher’s block – now used as a kitchen work space and plate rack store – came from a butcher’s shop in Smithfield and cost €50 at a salvage yard that has since closed. A pitch pine corner cupboard came from an old cottage in Kilkenny and encloses the washing machine and dishwasher while a pine former vestments cupboard under the hob and the sink unit, originally came from a church.
The kitchen table is another ingenious creation made from a whiskey barrel from Christy Bird (01- 475 4049) topped by an 1860s cartwheel from a salvage yard, with a glass top specially cut to fit. The pink and white chairs are a bold departure from the pine, and are old chairs spray painted.
The walls are Dulux Tir na Nóg, a colour that requires a light-filled room so as not to overpower. The owner sources most of her pieces from the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands. Useful websites are: www. wilsonsyard.com; www.antiquesatlas.com; www.lassco.co.uk; www.andythornton.com and www.sellingantiques.co.uk
Wallpaper with staying power at 170 years old
THE YELLOW wallpaper in the drawingroom at Rahanna (see page 8) was hung 170 years ago, says the owner, and it’s still in “tip top “ condition today.
Rahanna was built in the 1820s by the Ruxton family who were well known landowners of the day. The current owner’s family have lived here since 1952, changing the decor very little. To recreate the look Zoffany has a similar machine-made version in its Nijinksy range called Brocatello NIJ001004. This textured vinyl wallpaper, which costs €80.68 a roll at Brian S Nolan (01-280 0564), is based on an archive design. For an even more authentic historic look Cole Son has an Ilena wallpaper in its Damask collection which costs €110.57 a roll at Brian S Nolan. The Cole Son archive has 1,800 block print designs, 350 screenprint designs and many original drawings and wallpapers, representing styles from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries.
For variations on the wallpaper design at Rahanna check out Watts of Westminster’s Venetian hand-painted wallpaper in Hampton Yellow (www.wattsofwestminster.com) and Charles Rupert Designs’ Chelsea Damask, which is made from the original 19th century printing blocks (www.charlesruperdesigns.com).
Plenty of storage creates the perfect recipe for family living
THIS IVORY New England style kitchen at Lismore (see page 4) is understated and timeless and was custom-made by kitchen designer Peter McKiernan (01-201 1901, www.peterbernard.ie).
The room is filled with light thanks to the conservatory-style windows on one wall and this is enhanced by the bright neutral colours of the room.
Peter McKiernan says a kitchen that will cater for a large family should have lots of storage: pot drawers, magic corner units, utensil drawers and sinks in the main kitchen and the island. The hand-painted finish in Farrow Ball Pointing by specialist painters, adds character to the woodwork.
The worktop is honed Zimbabwe Black granite and the cream travertine tiles are from Regan Tile Design (01-280 0921) and tone perfectly with the press knobs. Similar tiles will cost from €130 a sq m depending on size and finish.
A similar style kitchen would cost from €30,000.
