No.12
Luxurious finishes like marble and mohair have replaced 90s decor and pine-clad walls in Sinead Kelly-Herbert’s home
HOME TRUTHS
THE PROPERTY Detached gated house built in 1996
ROOMS Sitting room, snug, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, office, three bedrooms, three en-suite bathrooms, plus a separate two-bedroom annexe
LOCATION Hertfordshire
Lovingly built in the 1990s by the previous owners, this handsome detached property was an instant hit with interior designer Sinead Kelly-Herbert, who was searching for a house with a gorgeous garden. For seven years, Sinead and her now husband, Paul, had maintained a long-distance relationship between Ireland and Hertfordshire, where he was based.
So, when Sinead finally made the move to join him, she was eager to find a home where they could carve a life together as a married couple – and have space for her grown-up daughter, Aoife, to come and visit. ‘We wanted to stay in the area as it’s a great location for both our jobs, so when the estate agent tipped me off about this property, I drove past and knew it was the one.’
Despite its dated decor, the house had a welcoming feel and was bathed in light, while the established rose garden was wonderfully scented. ‘I knew we’d make this a fantastic home, no matter what happened regarding planning, structural changes and budgets,’ says Sinead. Fortunately, this positive outlook paid off when the couple discovered the house’s timber frame was almost impossible to change structurally. ‘There were so many posts dotted around the ground floor holding the house up that our plans for opening up various rooms were dashed. We decided to take the advice from our structural engineer and make the most of what we had,’ says Sinead.
This disappointing discovery was then compounded by the pandemic, which meant the couple had to do the renovation works in smaller increments. However, this gave them time and space to plan exactly what they needed, including a practical yet homely kitchen-diner with a showstopping island designed around two structural pillars that couldn’t be moved. ‘These pillars caused me many headaches, but I’ve got used to disguising them with bold floral displays,’ says Sinead.
At every turn, Sinead’s sophisticated materials palette conjures beauty and elegance. Sumptuous finishes, from the custom mohair sofas, marble coffee table and Berber rug in the sitting room to the impressive steel arched windows and glamorous staircase in the entrance, demonstrate Sinead’s considered approach. Elsewhere,
