An all-singing, all-dancing architect would be stretching the imagination, but Belfast-born architect ┌na McQuillan fulfils part of that unusual title.

With 15 sizeable projects under way and a staff of five working flat out, her Rathmines architectural practice is bursting at the seams with young talent.

┌na's family, the McCoy's, are a legend in Irish dancing circles. She became all-Ireland Irish dance champion at an early age and at one time seriously considered dancing as a career.

"My aunt, Anna McCoy, ran the dancing school and my mum was the Jean Butler of her time - outstandingly good," says ┌na.

"By the time I was at my peak, Riverdance had happened and the whole tradition of the dance had changed.

"I auditioned for Michael Flatley, but was too old at 25. He wanted 16-year-olds. Still, I danced at my wedding and brought the house down."

After a post-graduate spell in Barcelona where she met husband Con Carroll, ┌na returned to Dublin, where she is beginning to make a name for herself as an architect and designer. She has worked on the revamped Connolly Station and the International Financial Services Centre.

Her company recently handled a "money no object" refurbishment of a Georgian building on Pembroke Street and is currently working on a swimming-pool extension for a dotcom millionaire.

She has landed the job of designing a flagpole for Fianna Fail's headquarters - a formidable challenge because of a planning requirement that the pole cannot intrude on the building line of the street.

┌na and Con married six months ago and the two moved into their newly-built cottage in Crumlin.

Con had just started working for a construction firm and the house was very much ┌na's project.

"It was the best thing I ever did," she says. "When I saw the advert for the site, I thought it was so cheap. I had decided to build it as an investment.

"Then house prices spiralled and we knew there was going to be a bust, so we decided to make it our home."

Looking at the simple cottage-style frontage, it is difficult to imagine how she fitted five-bedrooms and a huge living area on the tight in-fill plot. The front hall opens to a dramatic 2,000 sq ft space to rival the smartest city centre penthouse. Functions of the different areas are delineated by patterns on the oak floors.

Open to the roof, a "comfort zone " gallery overhanging the sittingroom will eventually be glassed in, to be used as a guest bedroom.

A strip of rose-coloured marble bordering the kitchen area picks up tones in the chestnut units. Drawings of ┌na's latest house restoration job are spread over a wide planked-chestnut breakfast counter.

Wedding presents of paintings are still propped against the walls, waiting for the right hanging spot. The soft neutral paint shades are easier to live with, says ┌na.

"My style of architecture is classical - all about spatial clarity. By using colour in odd things, you can pick up what's in fashion. Bone-white below dado level and a second neutral shade higher up gives the idea there could be another room above."

Despite her knowledge of architecture, ┌na did not escape the inevitable building problems - or a builder who "knew better than me - I was just a 'wee girl'.

"I was too nice, female and quite young and he saw that as a serious weakness. What do you do - cut your hair off and behave as a man?"

The finished house more than compensates for any aggravation, agrees ┌na. Lighting has been a priority, with ultra-modern steel wall-lights emphasising favourite objects. Opaque glass room separators lit from behind can be given different colours at the change of a bulb.

In contrast to the rest of the house, the main bedroom has a "decadent" oriental look. Curtain fabric from Hickey's is rich gold and apricot, walls are creamy-pink and a thick ivory carpet adds a luxurious touch. The carpenter who crafted the wardrobes measured their clothes and built the shelves and hanging space to exactly match the required storage.

Working with the craftsman to design her own fitted furniture has inspired ┌na to create a furniture-making company to complement her architectural work. "Furniture is art" is her theme and the clean modern designs in dark polished wood are already attracting a following.

"People are paying stupid money for bedroom and kitchen furniture with a rubbishy plastic finish.

"I thought, why can't someone else start to make real furniture that will last?"

She's not a typical architect, says ┌na, agreeing there's "a bit of a maverick" in her make-up".

"People say Ireland is such a country of begrudgers. But there's nothing like the positivity I've felt here.

"There are a lot of successful young people doing very well in this country, but keeping their heads down and not shouting about it."