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This redbrick interwar home in Sandymount may have once housed a famous resident in Shane McGowan, but its current owners, a young family, had decided to extend to create a larger kitchen, living and dining space. They also wanted to include aspects such as a utility room, a cloakroom and storage for toys and in the bathrooms.
Struggling with the design and getting it to fulfil all their requirements, they reached out to Emma Cooling, founder of Cooling Design, to help achieve its full potential.
“Storage was of huge importance in the design of this home. With that in mind, I designed a banquette seating and shelving unit for the dining area. They are a fantastic way of combining storage and seating. This included drawers under the seat, and shelves with a wine rack. We used a fun framed print of the client as a focal point with some nice wall lights on either side.”
Another bank of tall units by the hall door adds further storage, plus a place for the microwave and a laundry chute. “The architect had designed a laundry chute from the first floor family bathroom to the ground floor,” Emma says, “which is a fantastic idea, saving one having to go up and down the stairs with a load of washing.”
In the family bathroom another false wall was included from floor to ceiling. “Above the concealed cistern, we designed a unit for storage and that also housed the laundry chute.”
More clever design solutions are found in the main bedroom, where panelling behind the bed conceals storage – a panel to the right of the bed pushes open. Cooling Design also designed the wardrobes, and the room is painted in Perse Grey by Paint and Paper Library. In the ensuite a recessed shelf was added in the shower, as well as a bespoke mirrored cabinet.
Overall, the home now feels warm with rich colours, yet calm and clutter-free thanks to its ample storage.
Photography: Shauna Lally