Coming Home

Returning home to Ireland from New Zealand in 2007, interior designer Cathy and husband Liam wanted to settle in the place that Liam has always called home, the small seaside town of Donabate in north County Dublin.

- Barbara Egan

Cathy and Liam were attracted by the location of this small ex-council cottage situated right on the green in the centre of the town, and it had a large garden so they felt confident that they could add a reasonably large extension while still retaining a generous outside space. ‘We had already completed a couple of home builds, so we were confident about tackling a refurbishment,’ says Cathy. ‘The cottages had been planned with gardens suitable for growing enough vegetables to feed a family, so they were unusually big.’

When they bought the house, the study at the front was a small sitting room and the kitchen was tiny, housed in what is now the spare bedroom. There was an older extension with a bathroom, which they knew would have to be demolished, however they lived in the house for a couple of years before tackling the refurbishment. ‘We were happy to make do with the tiny kitchen and sitting room while we decided what to do with the house. I felt that I wanted to get a good feel for the house, the light and the way our family used it before taking the plunge with a major structural project,’ says Cathy.

They consulted several architects before settling on Dermot Bannon Architects. ‘We just explained that we wanted to create a strong connection between the living areas and the garden, and to introduce as much light as possible into the house,’ says Cathy. ‘It is my conviction that you should leave an architect to work on a design without too much second-guessing; just wait and see what they come up with if left unhindered!’

The design put forward by Dermot was perfect. The couple loved it and went ahead with very little change. ‘We felt that we had a good return for letting the architect be creative, the warmth and light in the extension never fails to lift the spirits’, says Cathy.