Houzz Tours
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Houzz Tour: A Colourful and Fun County Kildare Home
It may match its neighbours outside, but this suburban semi surprises inside with bright colours, bold patterns and eclectic accessories
Joanne Kelly’s clients said from the start 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,’ Kelly says. ‘Although their house blends well from the outside, it could not be more different once you walk through the door.’
But before getting to the fun part of covering walls with bold paper and paint and sourcing art, 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.’
But before getting to the fun part of covering walls with bold paper and paint and sourcing art, 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.’
The stairs, typically located at the front of a house, run through the centre of this one.
Kelly’s clients also work in design, and they love her whimsical take on the traditional coatstand. ‘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. Coatstand, Swedese.
Kelly’s clients also work in design, and they love her whimsical take on the traditional coatstand. ‘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. Coatstand, Swedese.
Very subtly striped lime green vinyl wallpaper and a rug with protruding dots add texture to the living room.
Sofa; armchair, both Duff Tisdall. Coffee table, Home Couture. Siam wallpaper, Casamance. ‘Pink Polish’ artwork by Jasper Goodall, A New Space. Toppissimo rug, Nani Marquina.
Sofa; armchair, both Duff Tisdall. Coffee table, Home Couture. Siam wallpaper, Casamance. ‘Pink Polish’ artwork by Jasper Goodall, A New Space. Toppissimo rug, Nani Marquina.
‘I also love that my clients were so open to using very strong colours and bold artwork in their main living space. This is a super-cosy room in 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 – alongside a Scandinavian chair and ottoman. ‘It’s such an usual piece, because normally sideboards from this era are a little deeper in colour, and they don’t have metal legs, which is what drew me to it,’ says Kelly.
Sideboard, Wild Child Originals. Armchair; ottoman, both Swedese. Side table, Kartell.
Sideboard, Wild Child Originals. Armchair; ottoman, both Swedese. Side table, Kartell.
Kelly tweaked the Shaker-style kitchen cabinetry by replacing the large wooden knobs with chrome ones. The knobs and stainless steel appliances – as well as the lime green kitchen rug that repeats the retro colour of the living room – give the country-style kitchen a more contemporary look.
Discover how to pick the best metals for your kitchen taps and handles
Discover how to pick the best metals for your kitchen taps and handles
The home’s location, in a suburban, family-friendly neighbourhood 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, all Pedrali. Tabletop, custom-made by Joanne Kelly. Window treatments, Blind Style. Pendant light, Secto Design. Wall painted in Pinot, Colourtrend.
Dining table base; chairs, all Pedrali. Tabletop, custom-made by Joanne Kelly. Window treatments, Blind Style. Pendant light, Secto Design. Wall painted in Pinot, Colourtrend.
Kelly filled a lonely landing corner with an upcycled tallboy from a second-hand furniture shop. 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 centre stage in the master bedroom. ‘Normally, homeowners need some convincing when it comes to really graphic, adventurous wallpaper, but my clients were drawn to this paper as soon as I showed it to them,’ says Kelly.
Wallpaper, Ferm Living. Headboard, custom-made. Sideboards, Ikea. Pendant light, Le Klint. Rug, TC Matthews Carpets. Bedside lamps, Industry.
Wallpaper, Ferm Living. Headboard, custom-made. Sideboards, Ikea. Pendant light, Le Klint. Rug, TC Matthews Carpets. Bedside lamps, Industry.
Personalised 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, which the clients kept.
‘My clients commute into the city, 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,’ Kelly says.
Alice wallpaper, Mini Moderns. Walls painted in Chinese Slate, Colour Trend.
TELL US…
What do you think of this colourful home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
‘My clients commute into the city, 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,’ Kelly says.
Alice wallpaper, Mini Moderns. Walls painted in Chinese Slate, Colour Trend.
TELL US…
What do you think of this colourful home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here A professional couple in their early 30s
Location County Kildare
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Interior designer Joanne Kelly of Think Contemporary in Dublin
Most people would say their kitchen works the hardest for their family, but Kelly’s clients maxed 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 armchair and ottoman).