Houzz Tours
House Tours
My Houzz: A Dublin Home With a Laid-back, Eclectic Vibe
Flowing space and an ever-changing mix of vintage finds are key to this home’s cool, creative look
As an interiors blogger and owner of online store April And The Bear, Siobhan Lam finds that her home is constantly evolving. ‘The advantage and, come to think of it, disadvantage of running your own interiors store is that you inevitably buy one of everything for your house,’ says Siobhan. Luckily, her partner, Jamie Hughes, loves the pieces Siobhan brings home, which all contribute to the laid-back, urban vibe they love.
Topping the house up with treasures and displaying unique finds is the fun part of what has been three years of renovation work. Ironically, Siobhan and Jamie had not planned to take on a restoration project, but when they came across a dilapidated gem, built in 1890, on the tree-lined Grand Canal, they knew it had the potential to be their forever home. They moved into the house in 2011 and, with plenty of dedication, elbow grease and help from friends and family, have turned a warren of tiny, dark apartments into a bright, stylish home furnished with recycled, upcycled and vintage finds.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Siobhan Lam, her partner, Jamie Hughes, and their Jack Russell terrier, Gizmo
Location Portobello, Dublin, Ireland
Year built 1890
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Topping the house up with treasures and displaying unique finds is the fun part of what has been three years of renovation work. Ironically, Siobhan and Jamie had not planned to take on a restoration project, but when they came across a dilapidated gem, built in 1890, on the tree-lined Grand Canal, they knew it had the potential to be their forever home. They moved into the house in 2011 and, with plenty of dedication, elbow grease and help from friends and family, have turned a warren of tiny, dark apartments into a bright, stylish home furnished with recycled, upcycled and vintage finds.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Siobhan Lam, her partner, Jamie Hughes, and their Jack Russell terrier, Gizmo
Location Portobello, Dublin, Ireland
Year built 1890
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
With help from Jamie’s carpenter dad, the couple relaid the downstairs floorboards in a lengthways direction to give the space a sense of depth and flow. The boards’ grey colour continues into the adjoining kitchen to help link the spaces.
Vintage trunks, available at April And The Bear, make innovative storage and bring some knocked about character to the chimney alcove. They also double as a distinctive, impromptu bar when friends gather at the house.
The long dining room wall acts as a gallery for the couple’s art collection. Prints include a huge Calvin & Hobbes canvas, Siobhan’s own typographical art prints and a prized sketch of Tyrion Lannister by Game of Thrones storyboard artist William Simpson.
The couple’s design and fashion books provide ready inspiration arranged on a coffee table, rather than hidden away on a shelf. They can also easily be swapped around with other titles for a change of scene.
Siobhan and Jamie love to mix old and new, vintage and high-street buys for a unique and eclectic look. In the kitchen, they have teamed simple white cabinets from Ikea with vintage stools at the petite breakfast bar. They chose a calming white palette in here to keep the room feeling bright and open.
The entrance to the living and dining space has been cleverly framed with blackboard paint, which is both visually striking and useful. The couple chalk up reminders and messages here, all illuminated by an Ikea wall light.
See how to make your very own black board
See how to make your very own black board
The couple used a reclaimed sleeper to create this slimline shelf in the entrance hall on which they can prop pictures and favourite pieces. A wall-hung coat rack keeps the small space open.
Siobhan’s favourite place to work is in this bright studio at the top of the house. ‘When we first bought the property, this was where we lived,’ she explains. ‘It had a minuscule living room to the left and a terrifyingly tiny kitchen and dining room to the right.’ Once she and Jamie had finished renovating downstairs, they knocked through up here to create one big, airy room. ‘I love it!’ says Siobhan. The desk is constructed from Ikea table legs and an 8ft sheet of pine, painted with blackboard paint, and teamed with vintage chairs from Siobhan’s store.
Vintage treasures are dotted throughout the house, including these art prints and the glass bell jar. The couple have given a witty twist to the trend for using freestanding letters as decoration. Instead of spelling out a name or a common word such as LOVE, their letters spell NOPE!
In the studio, Siobhan and Jamie have stripped the floorboards and left them untreated. They often use this space as a backdrop for photographing products for Siobhan’s online store. Gizmo the Jack Russell always attempts to get in on a shoot. Here, he poses beautifully on a moustache rug.
Mood boards pop up all over the house. This particular one is constantly evolving, as it acts as Siobhan’s inspiration for her interiors business. ‘One month it might be full of products I intend to pick up on my next buying trip,’ she says. ‘The next it might be bursting with images and advertising campaigns I admire.’
Comic books are the dominant theme in the bedroom and an X-Men canvas takes pride of place over the bed – above the broccoli soft toy!
Comic art features throughout the bedroom, so in order to prevent the space from looking like a geeky boy’s hang-out, the couple strategically punctuated the room with splashes of bold red, a colour that links all of the graphic art and gives the room a fresh, pop-art feel. This vibrant, limited-edition Fender Deluxe speaker serves as a nifty, retro bedside table when Jamie’s band Wolftrap is not gigging.
Opposite the X-Men canvas the bedroom takes on a more feminine feel, with Siobhan’s jewellery hung from hooks. The pendants and necklaces make a striking display and add delicate decoration to the room. Hanging them up also keeps the chains from getting tangled and helps Siobhan to instantly put her hand on the one she wants to wear.
A house dressed head-to-toe in vintage furniture can lean towards the junk shop look, but here, graphic and comic book art shakes up all the pre-loved pieces in the house and gives the overall look a hipper edge.
Siobhan Lam in her bright, light Dublin home.
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