My Houzz: Retro Charm in a Light, Bright 1930s Dublin Home
A love for midcentury style, open, airy spaces, and Dublin itself define the character of this newly renovated home
Luisa Rollenhagen
4 November 2014
Houzz Contributor. I am a passionate traveler, writer, reader, and debater. My previous haunts have included Buenos Aires, Berlin, New York, and now London. All of these places have introduced me to varied and unique styles of architecture, design, and a certain cultural standard of living, all of which I try to include in my daily work.
I've studied English Literature and Journalism at NYU in New York, and am now continuing to burrow myself into books at Kings College London. I have a socially unfortunate obsession with literature, film, and the newest shiny gadgets. I will nerd out over vintage typewriters and 3-D printers.
Houzz Contributor. I am a passionate traveler, writer, reader, and debater. My previous... More
After coming to Dublin for the first time on a student exchange in the 1990s, Dhammika Wijetunge knew she would eventually make the city her home. The city’s small but dense proportions, its friendly people, and its vibrant arts scene all appealed to her.
Dhammika had been house-hunting for two years when she finally came across this 1930s property in a cul-de-sac in the quiet Dublin area of Harold’s Cross in 2012. The house had had a hasty makeover in the 1970s and needed work before she could move in. While the main focus of the renovation was the large and airy extension at the back, the rest of the house needed a facelift, too. Dhammika took on the monumental task of project managing the entire renovation, stripping and repainting all the rooms – with some help from her boyfriend and friends – directing builders, and becoming rapidly acquainted with Dublin’s public transport system, on which she had to haul the majority of her personally sourced materials due to not owning a car.
As the founder of A Brief History, an online vintage clothing and jewellery store, her love for vintage shines through in her home’s eye-catching interior design. Her style is defined by functionality, she says, and vintage items appeal to her because ‘their utility and hard-wearingness are proof of their functionality’.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Dhammika Wijetunge and Jesse the Border collie
Location Harold’s Cross, Dublin, Ireland
Decade built 1930s
Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Dhammika had been house-hunting for two years when she finally came across this 1930s property in a cul-de-sac in the quiet Dublin area of Harold’s Cross in 2012. The house had had a hasty makeover in the 1970s and needed work before she could move in. While the main focus of the renovation was the large and airy extension at the back, the rest of the house needed a facelift, too. Dhammika took on the monumental task of project managing the entire renovation, stripping and repainting all the rooms – with some help from her boyfriend and friends – directing builders, and becoming rapidly acquainted with Dublin’s public transport system, on which she had to haul the majority of her personally sourced materials due to not owning a car.
As the founder of A Brief History, an online vintage clothing and jewellery store, her love for vintage shines through in her home’s eye-catching interior design. Her style is defined by functionality, she says, and vintage items appeal to her because ‘their utility and hard-wearingness are proof of their functionality’.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Dhammika Wijetunge and Jesse the Border collie
Location Harold’s Cross, Dublin, Ireland
Decade built 1930s
Size 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
‘The renovation process took a year, including five months of planning,’ Dhammika recalls.
Dhammika had very clear ideas when it came to choosing the colour schemes in her home, including the periwinkle on the stairs. ‘I love the colour,’ she says. The orange stripe adds a little zing to the otherwise cool, fresh space.
Dhammika’s household essentials, such as her vacuum cleaner and tools, are neatly hidden in the cupboard under the stairs.
Browse 10 ways to organise your hallway
Dhammika had very clear ideas when it came to choosing the colour schemes in her home, including the periwinkle on the stairs. ‘I love the colour,’ she says. The orange stripe adds a little zing to the otherwise cool, fresh space.
Dhammika’s household essentials, such as her vacuum cleaner and tools, are neatly hidden in the cupboard under the stairs.
Browse 10 ways to organise your hallway
She decided not to have carpet in the busy household and has instead painted the stair treads in easy-care grey floor paint.
The hall is illuminted by an eye-catching pendant light shaped like a black witch’s hat. ‘The lamp is a 1960s Danish Fog & Morup – they’re highly collectible now,’ she explains. ‘I bought it on eBay, and I got a really good deal for it.’
Semi lamp, Fog & Morup.
The hall is illuminted by an eye-catching pendant light shaped like a black witch’s hat. ‘The lamp is a 1960s Danish Fog & Morup – they’re highly collectible now,’ she explains. ‘I bought it on eBay, and I got a really good deal for it.’
Semi lamp, Fog & Morup.
When Dhammika bought the house, the kitchen was in a little shed that had been tacked onto the back in the 1970s. The shed had to be knocked down as the roof was sagging.
‘It was literally rotting, so I thought I might as well build something new,’ she says of the now bright and airy kitchen-diner and living space.
‘It was literally rotting, so I thought I might as well build something new,’ she says of the now bright and airy kitchen-diner and living space.
‘The original 1930s house would have had a tiny kitchen, which is where the utility area is now,’ Dhammika says. ‘I designed all the kitchen units over the course of many weeks,’ she says. ‘I was measuring other people’s kitchens, as well as my own reach.’ It meant she was able to create a personalised kitchen tailored to her needs and, she admits, it was the most fun part of the entire renovation process.
The silver light fixtures in the kitchen are vintage Italian from the 1970s. She chose hard-wearing resin for the floor of this busy space.
The silver light fixtures in the kitchen are vintage Italian from the 1970s. She chose hard-wearing resin for the floor of this busy space.
‘The kitchen was really a luxury,’ Dhammika says. She employed a carpenter to realise her design, and chose and sourced the Formica herself.
‘I love the Kelly green colour of the Formica,’ says Dhammika of her vibrant cabinets. She chose the same colour for the woodwork on the outside of the extension. ‘It seemed the most flexible and easy colour to work with,’ she says, adding that it seemed appropriate since ‘there’s a lot of green in Ireland’.
‘Having a clean kitchen makes you want to treat it better,’ she says. ‘I cook about five times more than I did before I had this house.’
The blue side table in the living room is another DIY project. ‘I made it with a friend of mine from the leftover plywood from the kitchen units,’ she says. She decided to paint the table in a friendly eggshell blue and added matching cushions to her sofa.
The attention-grabbing vintage pendant lights, from Dutch designer RAAK, match the green on the extension and the kitchen units, tying the whole room together.
The addition of potted plants and cacti brings a natural element into Dhammika’s green colour scheme.‘I think the natural light and the green look really nice together,’ she explains.
The sofa and the armchairs are vintage finds from the 1970s, most likely of German origin, and retain their original wool upholstery. The table by the window is a charity shop find.
Pendant lights, RAAK Amsterdam.
The addition of potted plants and cacti brings a natural element into Dhammika’s green colour scheme.‘I think the natural light and the green look really nice together,’ she explains.
The sofa and the armchairs are vintage finds from the 1970s, most likely of German origin, and retain their original wool upholstery. The table by the window is a charity shop find.
Pendant lights, RAAK Amsterdam.
The late 1960s foldaway table in the dining area is a great space-saving addition to the extension. ‘It tucks away really well,’ Dhammika says.
Although this space represents the primary dining area, ‘we eat a lot on the sofas in the extension’, she laughs. ‘However, if I’m doing a proper meal, I’ll fold out the dining table.’ The chairs are also a late 1960s design.
The distinctive white lamp above the table is a vintage 1970s piece she bought from a Belgian vendor on eBay. The vintage sideboard in the living area is one of the earliest pieces Dhammika bought for the house. It’s from a Scottish manufacturer called McIntosh, and she purchased it from a vintage store in Dublin called Anonymous.
Sideboard, McIntosh. 1950s Tomado shelving unit, Volt Design. Vintage lamp, eBay.
Although this space represents the primary dining area, ‘we eat a lot on the sofas in the extension’, she laughs. ‘However, if I’m doing a proper meal, I’ll fold out the dining table.’ The chairs are also a late 1960s design.
The distinctive white lamp above the table is a vintage 1970s piece she bought from a Belgian vendor on eBay. The vintage sideboard in the living area is one of the earliest pieces Dhammika bought for the house. It’s from a Scottish manufacturer called McIntosh, and she purchased it from a vintage store in Dublin called Anonymous.
Sideboard, McIntosh. 1950s Tomado shelving unit, Volt Design. Vintage lamp, eBay.
During the renovation process, Dhammika unearthed a little piece of history that helped her date the building. ‘When we were putting in the heating, I was looking for something that might indicate exactly when the house was built,’ she said. ‘But I couldn’t find records.’
However, while ripping out the original carpet, this old piece of newspaper from 1934 was revealed. ‘It disintegrated almost immediately,’ Dhammika says, but the bits of page that survived helped her date the building.
‘I presume the house wasn’t built before then,’ she says, since the house had been carpeted from its original build onwards.
However, while ripping out the original carpet, this old piece of newspaper from 1934 was revealed. ‘It disintegrated almost immediately,’ Dhammika says, but the bits of page that survived helped her date the building.
‘I presume the house wasn’t built before then,’ she says, since the house had been carpeted from its original build onwards.
Dhammika’s bedroom, which is on the ground floor, actually used to be the home’s living room, but she decided to convert it into the master bedroom instead.
The bedside table was constructed by Dhammika and her carpenter.
Akerkulla rug and bed linen set, both Ikea.
The bedside table was constructed by Dhammika and her carpenter.
Akerkulla rug and bed linen set, both Ikea.
The fireplace is the original from the 1930s, and although the hearth has been retiled, the rest has been maintained true to its form. ‘It’s completely functional,’ Dhammika says. An open fireplace was one of her few must-haves when she was searching for her perfect home.
Dhammika’s stylish light fixtures, which are a vintage Danish design, proved to be a bit trickier to install than initially assumed. ‘The light fixtures took a while to sort out,’ she says. ‘You imagine it will be really easy to rewire light fixtures, but it takes about four hours per light, you’re on a ladder, your arms are in the air…’
The upstairs bathroom was also a hands-on job. It had to be completely renovated, since the new boiler had to be vented through it. Furthermore, it was covered in tomato-soup coloured tiles. ‘It was very 1990s,’ Dhammika laughs.
She opted for a minimalist look in the bathroom, but decided to give the shower some structure – and the surrounding area some protection – by erecting a barely there glass wall.
‘I stripped the old tiles out of the bathroom myself – it was gruelling,’ Dhammika recalls. ‘It was the middle of winter, and there was no heat in the house.’
The new, vibrant turquoise floor tiles are French. Dhammika decided to add the gold accent tiles after she felt the bathroom had a bit of a hospital vibe. ‘I have a tendency to like shiny things, and I wanted to break up the hospital look,’ she says.
It also didn’t hurt that she received the sparkly gold tiles for free. After making multiple bus trips to the tile shop and back again, Dhammika assumes the owners took pity on her and let her have the gold tiles free of charge.
Tiles, Mosaic Assemblers.
Explore 10 ways to dazzle with mosaic tiles
The new, vibrant turquoise floor tiles are French. Dhammika decided to add the gold accent tiles after she felt the bathroom had a bit of a hospital vibe. ‘I have a tendency to like shiny things, and I wanted to break up the hospital look,’ she says.
It also didn’t hurt that she received the sparkly gold tiles for free. After making multiple bus trips to the tile shop and back again, Dhammika assumes the owners took pity on her and let her have the gold tiles free of charge.
Tiles, Mosaic Assemblers.
Explore 10 ways to dazzle with mosaic tiles
After all the hard work, Dhammika and her one-year-old Border collie Jesse can finally take some well-deserved breaks in their back garden.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, please send information and photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
The original sitting room, where Dhammika’s bedroom is now located, had shiny striped wallpaper and thick wall-to-wall carpeting.
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What a lovely renovation. Love the individual touches, like the use of colour and the bespoke kitchen that is much more interesting than most fitted kitchens. It's great to see a home that reflects the home owner's personality so well.