Houzz Tour: An 18th Century Coach House is Creatively Renovated
A clever glass wall means this building’s owners can celebrate the original architecture while enjoying all mod cons
A home that looks old from the outside is often somewhat less revealing of the passage of time on the inside. Period features may be treasured, but the effects of long years are often softened or concealed. The same can’t be said of this coach house and outbuildings in the Irish countryside that architect Fintan Duffy converted into a gym and two light, modern, space-smart guest apartments.
Located near to the owners’ house, the ancient structures were probably built in the mid 1700s with additions in the early 1800s. Now, a recessed, two-storey glazed wall on the south side – essentially an exterior within an exterior – leaves the old stonework plain to see from inside as well as out and, with a minimum of restoration in other areas, it’s a building that wears its history with pride.
Located near to the owners’ house, the ancient structures were probably built in the mid 1700s with additions in the early 1800s. Now, a recessed, two-storey glazed wall on the south side – essentially an exterior within an exterior – leaves the old stonework plain to see from inside as well as out and, with a minimum of restoration in other areas, it’s a building that wears its history with pride.
Every aspect of the building has been sensitively renovated. At the entrance on the eastern side, seen here, the windows all required restoration. Based on one of the surviving windows, the two ground floor ones were given a division of four panes. “We had to guess the arched window,” says Fintan Duffy, “so we chose a simple division. It was the same with the oculus [round] window.”
The arch at the top is thought to have contained a bell to alert the agricultural workers who used to labour here, but sadly no trace of it is left.
Duffy first became involved with the property in the early 2000s, when the coach house roof was fixed to stop it deteriorating. “It was quite derelict internally and hadn’t been used for decades,” he says. The earlier intervention made this conversion easier, though, with little work to the fabric necessary.
The arch at the top is thought to have contained a bell to alert the agricultural workers who used to labour here, but sadly no trace of it is left.
Duffy first became involved with the property in the early 2000s, when the coach house roof was fixed to stop it deteriorating. “It was quite derelict internally and hadn’t been used for decades,” he says. The earlier intervention made this conversion easier, though, with little work to the fabric necessary.
Stepping through the eastern entrance reaveals a soaring space. “The hallway was left rawer than the rest of the building – it’s really just a space to house the staircase,” Duffy says.
In this area of the property the walls have been left exposed, but the ceiling is plastered. “In the next space, there was more intervention – we insulated a wall at that point – and by the time you’re into the accommodation, you’re into the fully transformed part,” he says.
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In this area of the property the walls have been left exposed, but the ceiling is plastered. “In the next space, there was more intervention – we insulated a wall at that point – and by the time you’re into the accommodation, you’re into the fully transformed part,” he says.
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The staircase design was inspired by the 18th century style of grand staircases and has a concrete ribbon balustrade and cantilevered steel stairs clad in timber. The homeowners chose the beautiful tiles that make a feature of the floor.
Tiles, Best Tile.
Tiles, Best Tile.
The coach house is a protected structure – like a listed building in the UK. The changes made had the support of the local planning authority because they respected the building’s significance and character. Inserting the two-storey glazed wall seen here allowed the south-facing façade to be left virtually unchanged.
“We insulated the north side heavily as well as the roof to justify the glazing,” says Duffy. No new openings were made on this south wall to prevent overheating of the interior.
“We insulated the north side heavily as well as the roof to justify the glazing,” says Duffy. No new openings were made on this south wall to prevent overheating of the interior.
A gap was left between the glazed wall and the existing exterior so repairs can be made to the latter as necessary over time.
There was some damage to the openings of the building, especially on this south side, but the architects did the minimum necessary to restore the integrity of the structure. “There was no re-rendering, and no replastering,” says Duffy. “Internally, it was all left as it was, apart from fungicidal treatment.”
There was some damage to the openings of the building, especially on this south side, but the architects did the minimum necessary to restore the integrity of the structure. “There was no re-rendering, and no replastering,” says Duffy. “Internally, it was all left as it was, apart from fungicidal treatment.”
The gym is off the hall – the lowest part of the stair balustrade is just visible through the doorway in this image. Look at the gym ceiling and you can see the base of a walkway that leads from the top of the staircase and crosses to the guest apartment. “It was important that it looked attractive,” says Duffy of the view from below.
Lights are fitted to the underside of the walkway. “We limited lighting so we wouldn’t have too much hanging from the ceilings,” says Duffy.
Ceramic tiles were used for the downstairs floors, with underfloor heating keeping the space warm.
Lights are fitted to the underside of the walkway. “We limited lighting so we wouldn’t have too much hanging from the ceilings,” says Duffy.
Ceramic tiles were used for the downstairs floors, with underfloor heating keeping the space warm.
Upstairs, the walkway to the apartment allows views down through the building. “We left it double-height here as we didn’t want to overfill the space,” says Duffy. “It’s a buffer zone between the entrance staircase and the apartment.”
The trusses above the walkway are finished in white. “We painted them because they were in the darker spaces of the scheme and it made sense to highlight them with colour,” says Duffy.
The walkway flooring is timber parquet, and it’s lit at low level.
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The trusses above the walkway are finished in white. “We painted them because they were in the darker spaces of the scheme and it made sense to highlight them with colour,” says Duffy.
The walkway flooring is timber parquet, and it’s lit at low level.
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The layout of both upstairs and downstairs takes its cue from the origins of the home, with a series of rooms and no corridor. “There were three large volumes and the idea was to connect them in an 18th century way, where you move from one room to the next,” says Duffy.
Looking through the apartment – which is self-contained – the walkway and staircase beyond are visible.
Timber floors, Murphy Larkin. Steel radiator, Heiton Buckley.
Looking through the apartment – which is self-contained – the walkway and staircase beyond are visible.
Timber floors, Murphy Larkin. Steel radiator, Heiton Buckley.
Sleek, handleless units were chosen for the apartment kitchen. Here, as in the other rooms, neutral shades were used to let the old building’s character come to the fore. “It draws attention to the original colour of the trusses and the walls themselves,” says Duffy.
Kitchen cabinetry, Ryan Roche.
Kitchen cabinetry, Ryan Roche.
The new internal glazed wall can be seen alongside the dining table, with the original south-facing façade of the building beyond it.
“Looking south, the view is restricted, because you have to find an original window,” says Duffy. “It’s picturesque in the classical sense, and the openings are like picture windows.”
The landscape visible through the old window openings still has the characteristics it bore when the coach house was constructed. “A lot of Ireland’s landscape was set out in the 18th century, with mature woodland and farmland and a lot of pasture,” says Duffy. “It’s bucolic and changes with the seasons.”
A bookcase, seen at the end of the table, was positioned between the kitchen-dining area of the apartment and the seating area beyond. “It divides up the space without doors or solid partitions,” says Duffy. A radiator is behind the grill in the lower part of the shelving unit.
Milano dining table; Adelaide chairs, all BoConcept.
“Looking south, the view is restricted, because you have to find an original window,” says Duffy. “It’s picturesque in the classical sense, and the openings are like picture windows.”
The landscape visible through the old window openings still has the characteristics it bore when the coach house was constructed. “A lot of Ireland’s landscape was set out in the 18th century, with mature woodland and farmland and a lot of pasture,” says Duffy. “It’s bucolic and changes with the seasons.”
A bookcase, seen at the end of the table, was positioned between the kitchen-dining area of the apartment and the seating area beyond. “It divides up the space without doors or solid partitions,” says Duffy. A radiator is behind the grill in the lower part of the shelving unit.
Milano dining table; Adelaide chairs, all BoConcept.
Looking back through the apartment towards the other side of the bookcase, the doors to the bedrooms are on the left. “There were going to be three bedrooms, then it was reduced to two,” says Duffy. “Because it’s a narrow space of about five metres, we decided to plan it without a corridor and that’s why there are sliding doors to the bedrooms. They mean the beds can take up the full width of two metres.”
Corner sofa, BoConcept.
Corner sofa, BoConcept.
Which door a guest uses to the master bedroom depends on which side of the bed he or she needs to access.
As well as being space-saving in the linear layout, the sliding barn doors complement the coach house with their agricultural style.
Internal glazing above the doors boosts daylight in the bedrooms.
Sliding doors, Murphy Larkin. Bed linen, Meadows & Byrne.
As well as being space-saving in the linear layout, the sliding barn doors complement the coach house with their agricultural style.
Internal glazing above the doors boosts daylight in the bedrooms.
Sliding doors, Murphy Larkin. Bed linen, Meadows & Byrne.
The en suite bathroom to the master bedroom continues the neutral colour palette, with the exposed beams adding natural warmth.
Tiles, Woodpecker Floors & Tiles.
Tiles, Woodpecker Floors & Tiles.
The owners wanted to put bunk beds in the second bedroom and, like the double bed, they fully utilise the room’s dimensions.
Rugs underfoot add to the textural range within the home. “It’s very much about working with existing textures, complementing and contrasting, and leaving the old in a more textured state,” says Duffy.
What do you think of the sympathetic conversion of these centuries-old buildings? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Rugs underfoot add to the textural range within the home. “It’s very much about working with existing textures, complementing and contrasting, and leaving the old in a more textured state,” says Duffy.
What do you think of the sympathetic conversion of these centuries-old buildings? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here A couple who live nearby use it as guest accommodation
Location Southwest of Waterford, Republic of Ireland
Property 18th century former coach house and farm outhouses, converted into a gym and two apartments
Architect Fintan Duffy of dhbArchitects
Main builder Eoin Hunt of Clodagh Construction
Photos Philip Lauterbach and Sorca Duffy
The historical façade of the old coach house has ingeniously been preserved thanks to the glazed wall sitting discreetly behind it. On the ground floor is a gym used by the owners, plus a two-bedroom guest apartment (not shown in the photos), while the upper floor contains a second two-bedroom guest apartment.