Respecting period details without being afraid to introduce contemporary aesthetics, this home envelops you in its rich tones and sumptuous details.
This period home in Dublin was dated, although not in poor condition when she first saw it, Joanne Kelly, creative director at Think Contemporary explains. In need of an update, the owners weren’t prescriptive about what they wanted.
“Our clients were really open to our ideas but they did want something that was fun and playful,” she says. “Entertaining is really important to them so they wanted this to be a home where they could do that. They obviously wanted to honour the period details in the home, but were happy to contrast the architecture with a more contemporary interior.”
As the house was in relatively good condition, Joanne says, their work was primarily cosmetic, except for creating a consistent floor level throughout the home. “While the work was largely cosmetic, we introduced a lot of joinery, changed all of the finishes, lighting fittings, furniture and changed the layouts of the rooms.”
Some of the most significant changes were in the entertainment space, where double doors separating the rooms were removed and replaced with a tiled arch.
“We also created a half wall in the master bedroom and put the bed on that wall so that you were looking out at the beautiful views. In the living room, there were doors either side of the fireplace into the next room. We blocked these up and created bespoke bookcases to sit into these recesses,” Joanne adds.
When it came to choosing colours, each room has its own distinct identity. “We wanted each space to have its own story, so the rooms are very different in terms of the palette.” When it came to the entertaining space, it’s split into two distinct sides.
“One side is a deep green with rich wood texture, brass details and antique mirror. We wanted the bar area to have a hospitality feel with a moody palette. This is totally contrasted to the other side which has a much brighter palette. A beautiful oak herringbone runs through the two to connect them, along with dark oak joinery elements,” Joanne explains.
The living room is the most playful, with its bold, contrasting colours. “The room can certainly take it with the higher ceilings,” Joanne points out. “We brought in a terracotta colour on the ceiling and offset this with a cornflower blue on the walls. The boucle textured sofas in navy really ground the space and bring much-needed texture.”
Throughout the home, statement lighting is put to good use, adding sculptural, eye-catching detail, whilst furniture and accessories are also used to introduce a variety of shapes, adding curves and softness.
Overall, it’s a home that feels full of personality, a wonderful mix of fun, yet luxurious.
Photography Ruth Maria Murphy
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