This Dublin 8 home has been given a refresh by April and the Bear

The owner of this Dublin 8 home had fallen in love with its character, but wanted it to work better for her. As well as needing it to flow for her schedule of working from home, she also wanted it to reflect her personality, and so got in touch with Rathmines-based April and the Bear.

Interior Designer Emma Delaney was excited to work with the beautiful space. “There were gorgeous sections of exposed brickwork which created an industrial element and gave the space a unique feel,” Emma explains.

“We absolutely used this to our advantage and tailored the design around this. This was also a major influence on the colour palette and materials selected for this project.”

The main living and kitchen space is a real focus of this home, especially as the owner would be spending most of her time there. Existing glass doors provide a view out to the garden, and allow morning light to flood into this room, while the layout had to work for the many functions it serves.

“We situated a suspended reading chair on the ground floor which overlooked the garden. This area was also the first spot to receive the morning sun, and so it made sense to position a resting area where our client could enjoy this,” Emma says.

Throughout the house, Emma says, “we wanted to keep the colour palette refreshing and organic, with slight vibrant nods to the client’s personality. This also married well with the beautifully exposed red brick that features throughout the entire home.”

This is also evident in the guest bedroom, with its soft shades. Paint was used here to create a feature, with a circle painted in Calamine on a backdrop of Borrowed Light, both Farrow & Ball.

Overall, the project has been really successful at creating the cool but comfortable space its owner wanted. “It’s inspiring and refreshing to walk into this space,” Emma says. “The glorious natural light alone generates a unique warmth.”

Photos: Cliodhna Prendergast