Project Description

A RETRO MODERN HOME IN CO. CLARE

Client: Shauna and Fion Kelly, and baby Mason

The House: A detached new build in the Clare countryside

Brief: The brief was simple and specific: keep it modern, liveable and with a dose of fun.

Shauna and Fion approached Creative Director Geri O’Toole Glynn after buying their new home, as between two full time jobs and a new baby, decorating their new home proved too much of a stretch on their precious time. Straight away, Geri could see the potential in the young couples brief.

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“Here was young, fun couple who wanted to push the boundaries of design with their new home,” she says. “Sometimes it’s hard to know where these boundaries lie for each client, but with the Kellys, I started pulling some of the more eccentric samples out during our consultation, and we worked from there.”

The guest room was a blank canvas, and also a space the couple could best show off their design smarts to future visitors.

“We started with this eye catching wood effect wallpaper for the feature wall, choosing a teal blue so the space wouldn’t be too rustic,” says Geri. “The vaulted ceiling meant we had lots of space to play with, which is the ideal excuse for a four poster bed.”

But not just any four poster; this design is the Wardley by Neptune and it’s clean lines and white finish couldn’t be further from the more traditional designs the term conjures up. The statement bed is complemented by two Neptune Llarson side tables, soft textiles and a large rope orb pendant from the Browsers lighting collection.

Moving into the family room, this space is equally filled with light from the dual aspect floor to ceiling windows. The priority here is to ensure durability due to the young children in the house, which was accomplished with the sturdy twin sofas. Designed in house, each sofa boasts a solid beech frame and is upholstered in a wipeable and stain resistant fabric by Designers Guild.

Geri had recently sourced these herringbone side tables abroad, which conveniently slide under the sofa for ease of use, as well as the cowhide and oak sling chair that helps frame the inset stove. The handmade leather patchwork rug is ideal for high traffic areas.

There were some pre existing furnishings in the house that Geri would have to work with. A large wood panelled cabinet in the open plan kitchen had retro overtones so Geri decided to play on that.

“I prefer not to reproduce particular eras in my work, I find these can be faddish and date quickly,” she says. “But each decade has its charms and it can be said the 70s were certainly playful.”

The disco era had minimal influence on the interior but it can be seen if you look hard enough. The mustard colour favoured during the period, used in the dining chairs, pairs beautifully with the dark tones of the pre existing unit but is kept modern next to the crisp lines of the floor and countertops. Here, this is where the retro influence stops. The large floor tiles and muted wall colour could only be from a more modern palette.

The retro influence is more evident is the sitting room, a dark jewel toned space more suited to grown up time than the family room. Here Geri adds a touch of luxury to this adult space starting with the deep toned panelled walls as a sophisticated backdrop. The Swedish designed L shape sofa is kept simple so that accessories and lighting could do the talking.

“This is a space for mummy and daddy so we pushed the boat a bit more in terms of luxury,” says Geri. “The dark panelling creates such comfort in the evenings, and also acts as a beautiful backdrop to the richly coloured accessories.”

The hammered brass tripod occasional tables nods to the bohemian style of the 1970s, as does the teal drum table lamp, cowhide rug and the handmade feather wall art. Geri manages to modernise the boho style with a handpicked selection of industrial-chic furniture: the black linear shelving, the onyx effect side table (which lights up giving a warm amber hue) and the glass cloche pendant lights by the window.

The master bedrooms only testament to this theme is the wicker ceiling hung chair, an icon of the bohemian style. The rest of the bedroom is an antithesis of the funky sitting room: light, bright and muted in colour and accessories, the only concession to pure minimalism in this charismatic home.

Geri is available for consultation by appointment only, please call 086 814 8002 or email geri@geridesigns.ie You can follow Geri’s work on Instagram at @geri_designs