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This article was featured in Munster Interiors magazine in the July 2010 issue. In this 10-page feature Think Contemporary discuss the interior design work required in transforming this large 4 bedroom property into a contemporary home.


Munster Interiors magazine July 2010

Cool & Chic


THE EPITOME OF CONTEMPORARY CHIC, THIS HOLIDAY HOME IN WEXFORD COMBINES CLEAN LINES AND COOL TONES WITH DELIGHTFUL SPLASHES OF COLOUR
WORDS BY AFRIC MCGLINCHEY. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN MCFEELY


Famous shipwrecks, golf courses, craft shops, pubs, a sandy beach, nearby leisure and spa centre, and fabulous views. What more would you need for the perfect holiday in Wexford?



The perfect holiday home, of course. And this is it. Large wooden gates open onto an expansive driveway, which sweeps up to the imposing double storey house with three dormer windows.



The entrance, a spacious hall, tiled with Italian travetine, features a rather unusual wood and glass staircase. The hall leads through to a light-filled open-plan kitchen and sunroom. Here, the tiles are in neutral tones, with hints of grey: clean, barely veined, contemporary.



The walls, and all the kitchen units are white, with the palest hue of green, adding to the bright atmosphere of the room. While the appliances are modern and functional, (“nothing too fussy or gadgety,” the clients requested) they are unobtrusive, except for the generous double door fridge.



Even the worktop is in a pale limestone, while the only dash of colour is in the turquoise/teal-blue breakfast stools scattered about the counter. The kitchen flows into the sunroom, which continues the green theme, featuring an L-shaped pale green and cream herringbone sofa.



French doors lead out to the decked patio, with is north-facing. “When the doors are open, this is one big room, so the colours have to blend well,” said Joanne Kelly, the designer from Think Contemporary. The rectangular-shaped fireplace is set into the wall, the epitome of contemporary chic. “The client’s brief was that it shouldn’t date,” said Joanne. “It was to be a family home. They didn’t want anything formal or contrived. So I didn’t go for anything ‘in season’. I don’t follow trends anyway, preferring individuality. But that’s why we kept to the neutral colours and tones, so that in 20 years, the house would be just as contemporary as it is now.”



One of the distinctive features of the house is the flooring. The floor in the sitting room is smoked walnut, perfectly balanced by the American walnut furniture. The TV unit and shelving in this room were designed by Joanne, who happens to be a furniture designer as well as an interior architect.



Accessories here again follow the lime green and turquoise theme that distinguishes each room on the ground floor. Just to add a dash of panache to the otherwise neutrally furnished home, Joanne has thrown in a confetti rug – one with “big splodges of colour” on it.



The Swedish coffee table is also an unusual feature, with solid, sharply angled sides rather than regular legs.



The landing features a tapered roof with skylight, bringing more light to this already light-flooded home.



The second room upstairs was designed with a teenage daughter in mind, “so it’s fun but practical”. The flooring is a very realistic-looking wooden laminate, called the quickstep. It is stratch- resistant, “so it can’t be damaged by stilettos,” laughs Joanne. The base of the bed fits into an alcove, while the other alcove features a “flying carpet”, as she calls it. “It’s a green rug with a foam wedge underneath it in the two opposite corners,” she says. “So it creates a flying carpet effect. You just throw a few cushions around at it becomes a comfortable chill-out zone for friends.” This is a very light and airy room, with a high turquoise headboard, pale curtains, duvets and throw.



The master bedroom is more plush, with rich, warm colours – a maroon feature wall, picked up by the rug, and orange throw and cushions. A skylight and recessed ceiling lights add a different ambience of light. “With the master bedroom, we wanted to say something a little different,” says Joanne. “The wallpaper is stunning, from Stereo Wallcoverings. It’s hand-woven, dyed grass paper. Very textured, beautiful.” The headboard is also textured with detail. The curtains are a pewter-gold silk. “They are hand-embroidered, really special.” The expanse of plush carpet also adds to the sense of luxury, while not only is there an en- suite bathroom, but a small gym.



The bathroom features a curved, shell-like bath, which appears to be floating on the black marble slab which forms its base. “I just fell in love with it,” says Joanne. The tap pours like a waterfall, a feature which is echoed with the basin tap. To the rear of the bathroom is a walk-in shower. The entire suite is a symphony of luxury, and a perfect escape.



“This was our first major project,” says Joanne. She has teamed up with Anthony Buggy and both have degrees in interior architecture. “We saw a gap in the market,” she says, “when we were working in a furniture showroom, and met other contemporary designers. We noticed that most of them were doing the same thing. So we decided to set up our own company and offer something different. Anthony likes traditional designs as well, while I’m more contemporary, so we blend our ideas. It’s a new company, and we’re both young, trying to build a name for ourselves.”



To view their other projects, see their website: www.thinkcontemporary.com



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