Houzz Tour: Colorful Quirkiness in an Irish Home
It may match its neighbors outside, but this semidetached home surprises inside with bright colors, bold patterns and eclectic accessories
Joanne Kelly's clients said from the start that they wanted a unique and quirky home — one that strayed far from the all-beige interiors, leather sofas and oak furniture that was common in their leafy Irish suburb. "They talked a lot about wanting a home that felt creative and inspiring. Although their house blends well from the outside, it could not be more different once you walk through the door," says Kelly.
But before getting to the fun part of sourcing art, mixing old decor with new and swathing the walls with bold wallpaper and paint, Kelly faced the challenge of working around and retaining the existing kitchen cabinetry, bathroom tiles and flooring. "The style of the kitchen and bathroom tiles wouldn't have been my first choice — nor my clients'," Kelly says, "but we had to stick to their budget and work with what we had."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple in their early 30s
Location: County Kildare, Ireland
Size: 1,055 square feet
But before getting to the fun part of sourcing art, mixing old decor with new and swathing the walls with bold wallpaper and paint, Kelly faced the challenge of working around and retaining the existing kitchen cabinetry, bathroom tiles and flooring. "The style of the kitchen and bathroom tiles wouldn't have been my first choice — nor my clients'," Kelly says, "but we had to stick to their budget and work with what we had."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple in their early 30s
Location: County Kildare, Ireland
Size: 1,055 square feet
Most people say that their kitchen works the hardest for their family. But Kelly's clients max out their compact living room's flexibility. The space hosts get-togethers with friends and sitcom watching on the laptop, and even has his-and-hers reading nooks by each of the two windows (one is pictured here with the green arm chair and ottoman).
The stairs, typically located at the front of a house, run through the center of this one.
Kelly's clients also work in design, and they love her whimsical take on the traditional coatrack. "A panel of cast iron hooks just wouldn't work for them. They really wanted me to extend the quirk factor down to the last detail," she says.
Runner: TC Matthews Carpets; coatrack: Swedese
Kelly's clients also work in design, and they love her whimsical take on the traditional coatrack. "A panel of cast iron hooks just wouldn't work for them. They really wanted me to extend the quirk factor down to the last detail," she says.
Runner: TC Matthews Carpets; coatrack: Swedese
Lime-green vinyl wallpaper and a rug with protruding circular dots add texture to the living room.
Sofa, armchair: Duff Tisdall; coffee table: Home Couture; wallpaper: Siam, Casamance; art: "Pink Polish," by Jasper Goodall, A New Space; rug: Toppissimo, Nani Marquina
Sofa, armchair: Duff Tisdall; coffee table: Home Couture; wallpaper: Siam, Casamance; art: "Pink Polish," by Jasper Goodall, A New Space; rug: Toppissimo, Nani Marquina
"I also love that my client was so open to using very strong colors and bold artwork in their main living space. This is a supercozy room in the winter, with its open fireplace, and cool and relaxing in the summer," says Kelly.
The second reading corner sits across from the main sofa in a coveted spot between the fireplace and the window.
The second reading corner sits across from the main sofa in a coveted spot between the fireplace and the window.
The designer placed the quiet star of the room — a midcentury teak sideboard — by a Scandinavian chair and ottoman. "It's such an usual piece, because normally sideboards from this era are a little deeper in color, and they don't have metal legs, which is what drew me to it," says Kelly.
Sideboard: Wild Child Originals; armchair, ottoman: Swedese; side table: Kartell
Sideboard: Wild Child Originals; armchair, ottoman: Swedese; side table: Kartell
Kelly tweaked the Shaker-style kitchen cabinetry by replacing the large wooden knobs with chrome pieces. The knobs and the stainless steel appliances — as well as the lime-green kitchen rug that repeats the retro color of the living room — lend the country-style kitchen a more contemporary look.
Tiles: artificial stone
More about choosing hardware for Shaker cabinets
Tiles: artificial stone
More about choosing hardware for Shaker cabinets
The home's location, in a very suburban, family-oriented neighborhood of understated homes, pushed the designer and her clients to go bold with accent-wall hues and art. The clients' own collection of contemporary art and mixed media helped. This digital print of Charlie Chaplin with a graffiti background gives the room a playful edge.
Dining table base, chairs: Pedrali; tabletop: custom by Joanne Kelly; window treatments: Blind Style; pendant light: Secto Design; wall paint: Pinot, Color Trend
Dining table base, chairs: Pedrali; tabletop: custom by Joanne Kelly; window treatments: Blind Style; pendant light: Secto Design; wall paint: Pinot, Color Trend
Kelly filled a lonely landing corner with an upcycled tallboy from a secondhand furniture store. She and a colleague stripped it down and refinished it, keeping the original handles and adding art she found online to the drawers.
"It adds this element of surprise and makes turning that corner that much more fun," says Kelly.
"It adds this element of surprise and makes turning that corner that much more fun," says Kelly.
Repeated prints of white feathers on a teal background take center stage in the master bedroom. "Normally clients need some convincing when it comes to really graphic, adventurous wallpaper. But my clients were drawn to the wallpaper as soon as I showed it to them," says Kelly.
Wallpaper: Ferm Living; headboard: custom; sideboards: Ikea; pendant light: Le Klint; rug: TC Matthews Carpets; bedside lamps: Industry
Wallpaper: Ferm Living; headboard: custom; sideboards: Ikea; pendant light: Le Klint; rug: TC Matthews Carpets; bedside lamps: Industry
Personalized Ikea side tables with painted drawer fronts add cheerful citrine splashes.
A mirror doubles the impact of a bold wallpapered accent wall in the bathroom, distracting from the old wall and floor tiles.
"My clients commute into the city proper, so at the end of the day, they really love relaxing in the bathroom. I'm happy that we were able to revamp the room just with the addition of a wallpaper that adds a lot of punch. And we stayed within budget," she says.
Wallpaper: Alice, Mini Moderns; wall paint: Chinese Slate, Color Trend; floor and wall tiles: existing
"My clients commute into the city proper, so at the end of the day, they really love relaxing in the bathroom. I'm happy that we were able to revamp the room just with the addition of a wallpaper that adds a lot of punch. And we stayed within budget," she says.
Wallpaper: Alice, Mini Moderns; wall paint: Chinese Slate, Color Trend; floor and wall tiles: existing