Terrace Delight

One year ago the owner of this now stunning mid terrace property bought a derelict run down building situated near the shores of Killyleagh, County Down and with creative vision and the help of award winning architect Des Ewing, transformed it into a delightful, open-plan home.

John purchased the property as an empty shell and began renovating with a view to creating a modern dwelling. However, from the outset it was clear that the original stonework of the building should be integral to the final design. Of particular significance was the back section of the house which was a stone shed with a tin roof. ‘The lovely thing about Killyleagh is the willingness of residents to fill you in with local history,’ says John. ‘A hundred years ago the little shed attached to the back of the property would have been where the owner’s cow lived and was then walked through the house and put out to pasture for the day. With this in mind, the stone structure of the shed was just too lovely not to reuse in the build. The house just wouldn’t let us ignore the beautiful natural stone of the original building and we found ourselves naturally pushed towards a more traditional style. However Des was always keen to juxtapose this with a contemporary angle throughout the design which he has achieved perfectly.’ The entire roof was replaced and the original floor tiles in the scullery were lifted and reused to lay the patio at the back of the house.