Take a look around the traditional farmhouse in Co. Cork formerly occupied by the late Angela Lansbury

On Tuesday 11 October, TV and film star Angela Lansbury passed away peacefully at the age of 96 at her Los Angeles home. A woman whose career spanned over 75 years, Lansbury is best known for starring as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, Miss Price in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and Sibyl Vane in The Picture Of Dorian Gray.

Born to an Irish mother in London in 1925, Lansbury spent many of her years in the quiet retreat of Cork countryside, putting her career on hold in order to make sure that her teenage children got the help and recovery that they needed.

In a 2007 house tour with Architectural Digest, Lansbury opened the doors of her beautiful farmhouse — and it’s clear that the actress and her family lived an idyllic life here.

Designed with the help of close friend of the actress Stephen Pearce — whose nearby home provided the inspiration for hers — the designer told AD that every detail and proportion is inspired by farm cottages. “Every room is traditionally Irish, except for the size of the main room,” says Pearce.

Just as Angela Lansbury did in life, this home exudes an inexplicable warmth and charm. The main living space contains various areas for individual relaxation, from the fireside reading area to the bright breakfast nook.

It was said that Lansbury loved to entertain, and when joined by friends and family, wanted “something that would feel intimate but could be expanded to accommodate everybody.”

In the kitchen, a long dining table takes the spotlight, allowing meals to be made and enjoyed in the same space. An inviting space that welcomes company while the actress whips up a modest feast of vegetables from her garden or a freshly caught fish.

The serene master bedroom is drenched in light and elegant refinement. Minimalist in design and furnishing, the space is complete with a fireplace and seating area, and seems to crook its finger to come in and unwind at the end of a busy day.

The home’s exteriors are also stunning, and the courtyard space is protected with a roof so that when those coastal gales start rolling in, the space can get away relatively unscathed. It’s said that Angela Lansbury spent many’s the afternoon gardening to her heart’s content in the hum of nature.

Speaking to Newstalk in 2008, Lansbury said coming to Ireland was like starting again. “My life, in a sense, has always been kind of divided into two parts: family and career. The sad part in my mind was that I didn’t succeed particularly well. The family suffered; the career soared,” she said.

The six-time Tony and six-time Golden Globe winning actress never returned to California, dividing her time between Ireland and New York – maintaining her Irish citizenship up until her death. A beautiful soul and incredibly talented performer, may she rest in peace.

Imagery via Architectural Digest