No.2
How do you get a home full of personality? Luxe materials, rich colours and a mix of vintage and modern pieces worked here
Afeast for the eyes – this Galway city residence, an amazing project suspended between history and modernity and conceived and brought together by Kingston Lafferty Design – is a never-ending surprise. ‘Today it’s a family home for husband, wife and five children, the very epicentre of a hectic and bustling family life,’ says Róisín Lafferty, founder and creative director.
Built in the 1860s, this post-Georgian era three-storey house is part of a terrace of similar homes. It’s been a five-year project. ‘We were first approached to look at the house back in December 2018, with Helena McElmeel Architects having started to investigate the best planning application approach the year previous,’ says Róisín. ‘Due to the historical and conservation relevance of the building, the conservation and planning department were very strict with granting permission for the design works, both architecturally and for the interior. ‘We looked at the way the family wanted to live, the spaces that they naturally gravitated towards and how best to design the configuration and link between these,’ says Róisín. ‘Most importantly, we looked at how best to integrate natural light to key areas – the fabric of the original house had hugely thick walls, massively reducing the amount of natural light that could filter through to the dining and kitchen.’
HOME TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Three-storey terraced house built in 1860
ROOMS Sitting room, living room, reading room, kitchen, dining room, utility, study, six bedrooms, four bathrooms
LOCATION Galway, Ireland
