A clever extension and some playful touches are key to this modern yet respectful renovation.
“It was an old house, very run down,” recalls Stephen Walton of Small Crane Architects. But signs of its former glory were there. Tucked away in a warren of estates in the Galway town of Salthill, this 1970s semi-d had been part of an award-winning estate designed by a German architects firm.
The new homeowners, a professional Galway couple, were keen to preserve what they could. “They wanted to respect the original architecture, and not just come in with something really modern,” explains Stephen. Existing features included the original wooden staircase and striking exposed beam ceilings. “We felt like those features were unique to the house and it wasn’t really for us to interfere with them, but rather build on them,” explains the client. The result of this brief is a stylish home infused with warmth, that both lets the house be of its era and brings something fun, fresh and new to every room.
When it came to creating more space, the homeowners didn’t want to lose any of the garden, so they chose to extend via a two-storey brick and metal-clad section inserted between the house and an existing 16-foot ivy-covered wall. The kitchen was relocated from the front of the house to the rear, complete with a sunken dining room.
“Because we weren’t extending to the rear, we weren’t lifting the height of the existing ceilings, so I felt it was important to get that sense of extra height in that room,” explains Stephen. Doing any kind of construction so close to such a large, old structure was a daunting task and no easy feat for builders Thomas Gibbons and Sons and engineering team Lally Engineering. “I discovered just how much artistry and creativity is involved in building,” says the client. “It wasn’t an easy build, and it took a huge amount of expertise and skill. But whenever you went on site, there was a great vibe about the place and huge amounts of respect for the project.”
The result is that the old exterior wall is in conversation with the interior space throughout the whole home, creating a biophilic, cocoon-like feel that’s unexpected given its decidedly suburban location. “We’ve got windows that just look straight at the wall, so no matter where you are, it almost feels like you’re in the trees,” says Stephen. “As you go through the house, you have these glimpses of it. It also means we don’t have to have any kind of window coverings and it’s still completely private.”
Adding to the treehouse feel is a cool and contemporary mezzanine. The homeowners didn’t want to lose the original exposed beam ceilings, so Stephen and his team came up with a clever solution – insulating from the outside (this helped bring the BER rating from an E2 to an A3) and installing two north-facing skylights above the beams to flood the core of the house with light. Alongside this, they added the all-white mezzanine, which is accessed via a ladder.
“It’s almost like a treehouse,” grins Stephen. “It adds an element of fun. You climb up the ladder to it and it evokes that cosy feeling of being a kid in a den. I’m happy to hear that it’s used an awful lot. The homeowners are busy people, and after a day of work they might go up there and read a book.”
“We kept the design and materials very different here, to identify it as a new piece,” he continues. It’s these modern and playful juxtapositions, in this case, the white, powder-coated perforated steel, that breathes freshness into the space.
For all these new touches, the team were mindful of doing as little internal demolition as possible and kept many of the house’s original proportions. “There was a single wall taken out,” says Stephen. Bedrooms were updated with minimal structural changes, with joinery by Handcraft Furnishings creating a luxe, bespoke feel. What was once the kitchen, at the front of the house, is now a wood-panelled library, accessible via a “secret” door.
Thoughtful design made the best use of the existing space and ensured it was tailored specifically to the couple’s needs. “I’m not somebody who believes in a spare bedroom or a spare ‘good’ sitting room,” explains the client. “We wanted a personalised home – every room in the house should be for our personal use. Stephen took that a step further, and he created little spaces within the house where you can hide away.” The home is dotted with window seats which act as invitations to pause, rest or simply admire the house from a different angle. “When you’re sitting in that big window seat up in our bedroom, it really does feel like you’re in the trees,” says the client.
From the concrete floors to the brick walls and the subtle texture of KitKat tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms, the palette throughout the home is warm and tactile, taking its inspiration from the house’s original features. “The colour of the wood that was already there inspired the finishes,” says Stephen. “It builds a sense of consistency throughout the whole house.”
And though it’s a mid-century design lover’s dream, this too was simply a case of taking the lead from the original home. “Rather than having a great understanding of mid-century design, it was more about being respectful to the house,” the homeowner says. “For us, it came down to using what was there already and building on it to create that mix of modern, comfortable living while still being surrounded by something from the past.”
Photography: Jamie Hackett
This feature originally appeared in the spring/summer 2024 issue of IMAGE Interiors. Have you thought about becoming a subscriber? Find out more, and sign up here.
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