Houzz Tour: A Midcentury-built Cottage Filled With Vintage Finds
A clever redesign made this simple cottage in County Wicklow perfect for a growing family with an eye for design
Set in beautiful landscape at the foot of the Wicklow mountains, Ireland, this family home is hiding some serious style inside. Interior designer Tonya Douglas began her transformation by maximising the building’s light and space, then chose furniture and finishes which are child-friendly and also reflect her travel-loving clients’ taste. “They love the style of members’ club Soho House and wanted to put their own stamp on their property,” she says. “A bit of cool in the countryside.”
Douglas worked with the existing kitchen but painted the dark wood units white to create a bright and airy feel. The contractor added a lip to the island so it can now be used as a breakfast bar, and a low brick wall was built along with a banquette to create a separate dining zone.
The room has been designed as a practical family space where a little bit of clutter is no bad thing. “When things are left out on the counters, they don’t look out of place. Just lived in,” says Douglas.
What looks like immaculate wooden parquet flooring is actually made from tumbled Italian marble tiles, laid in a herringbone pattern. “I was inspired by a visit to the shop Anthropologie,” says Douglas. “This floor was one of the more expensive things in the house but it dramatically changed the room. Plus, it’s really durable and never looks dirty.” Vintage Tolix chairs surround a secondhand table, which one of the builders had in his garage.
Flooring, Tilestyle. Kitchen, Chalon. Banquette, Newcastle Design.
Be inspired by more vintage finds inside a small, Scandi flat
The room has been designed as a practical family space where a little bit of clutter is no bad thing. “When things are left out on the counters, they don’t look out of place. Just lived in,” says Douglas.
What looks like immaculate wooden parquet flooring is actually made from tumbled Italian marble tiles, laid in a herringbone pattern. “I was inspired by a visit to the shop Anthropologie,” says Douglas. “This floor was one of the more expensive things in the house but it dramatically changed the room. Plus, it’s really durable and never looks dirty.” Vintage Tolix chairs surround a secondhand table, which one of the builders had in his garage.
Flooring, Tilestyle. Kitchen, Chalon. Banquette, Newcastle Design.
Be inspired by more vintage finds inside a small, Scandi flat
Douglas removed the wall dividing the kitchen from the playroom and linked the two areas with an arch. “My experience with kids and playrooms is that they have to feel like they’re part of what’s going on,” she says. “Here, when the grown-ups are in the kitchen, the kids will play. It really works.” A roll of brown paper and a wall painted in blackboard paint encourages creativity in the kitchen. “The adults chip in from time to time and use it too,” says Douglas.
Once a dark and neglected office, the playroom can easily be updated to cater to the changing needs of the house’s two youngest residents. Douglas and her clients are all huge fans of typography, hence the giant ampersand on the wall.
Ceiling light, Avoca. Ampersand, Coach House.
See inside an urban cottage that has used other tricks to maximise light
Ceiling light, Avoca. Ampersand, Coach House.
See inside an urban cottage that has used other tricks to maximise light
A glazed arched doorway separates the kitchen from the living area without blocking out the light. Douglas found a perfectly sized secondhand piano for a good price after a painstaking search. “It’s great because it’s not precious and the kids are always playing on it,” she says.
Piano, Done Deal.
Piano, Done Deal.
White sofas and young children don’t always mix, but these have removable covers. “There’s always a different blanket or cushions on them. It’s very loungy and cosy,” says Douglas.
Sofas, Powerscourt.
Sofas, Powerscourt.
The floor in the living room was originally a dark cherry wood. “Everyone knew how much a floor like that costs and they were all saying, ‘You can’t paint that,’ but I’m so pleased I did as it’s made such a difference to this room,” says Douglas. “The floor really stood out initially, but the more it wears, the better it looks.”
By knocking through the chimney wall into the conservatory, the light in the living area has been increased. The double-sided stove, which includes built-in log storage, can be enjoyed from both the living room and conservatory. A reclaimed street sign reminds the owners of their previous home in London.
Double-sided stove, Fenton Fires. Lighting, Mullan.
Double-sided stove, Fenton Fires. Lighting, Mullan.
All of the furniture in this house was sourced by Douglas, with the exception of the leather Chesterfield sofa which the owners brought over from their rented home in London. “I sourced a lot of antique and old stuff – nothing with a lot of value but we wanted it to look lived in,” explains Douglas. The opened-up chimney creates a connection between the conservatory and the main house.
The classic conservatory floods the back of the house with light in all weathers. There’s a more formal dining area here and views of the beautiful countryside that surrounds the house.
The tailor-made storage in the lobby area comes with a healthy dose of utility chic, keeping things both cool and uncluttered. “Nearly every project I do has a lot of bespoke joinery,” says Douglas. “It lets you make use of space that’s derelict and not serving any purpose.” These made-to-measure solutions have stood the test of time in the three years that the family has lived here. “The house has grown so well with them. It always looks tidy and is easy to maintain,” says Douglas.
Joinery Newcastle Design.
Joinery Newcastle Design.
A checkerboard floor gives the entrance hall a grand feel. Behind the stairs, a room that had been a dark, seldom-used office has been transformed into a bright, attractive playroom. Douglas replaced a wall with a Crittall-style window, filling the space with light and connecting it to the rest of the house.
Italian Botticino Marble tiles, Tilestyle. Window, Lambstongue.
Italian Botticino Marble tiles, Tilestyle. Window, Lambstongue.
Douglas used a palette of five greys throughout the house. “We kind of mix and matched them in different rooms to have that continuation throughout the house,” she says.
Paint including Manor House Gray, Pavilion Gray and Plummett, Farrow & Ball.
Paint including Manor House Gray, Pavilion Gray and Plummett, Farrow & Ball.
A freestanding copper bath was plumbed into the main bedroom, replacing the built-in tub, which was removed from the en suite. This luxurious addition creates an atmosphere of old-fashioned glamour. A slipper chair, washstand and old-school radiator all add to the vintage charm.
Bateau bath, William Holland.
Bateau bath, William Holland.
An old butcher’s block now acts as a washstand in the main bedroom’s en suite. “I love to reuse or upcycle whenever I can,” says Douglas.
There are shutters throughout the property. “The owners knew they didn’t want curtains and because we’ve gone for different styles in the different rooms, they made up a significant part of the budget,” says Douglas.
Shutters, Shutters of Ireland.
Shutters, Shutters of Ireland.
The clever loft conversion features bunks tucked into the eaves of the house. “The family wanted somewhere for guests to stay, but didn’t want to wait for the planning permission needed for additional height. I showed them how we could make it work,” says Douglas.
Vintage oak soaped flooring, Tilestyle.
Vintage oak soaped flooring, Tilestyle.
Classic metro tiles, teamed with grey grouting and utilitarian fittings create a smart, masculine shower room in the converted loft space.
Metro tiles and Samuel Heath brassware, Tilestyle.
Which is your favourite detail in this cosy home? Share your thoughts – or photos of your own home – in the Comments below.
Metro tiles and Samuel Heath brassware, Tilestyle.
Which is your favourite detail in this cosy home? Share your thoughts – or photos of your own home – in the Comments below.
Who lives here A professional couple and their two young children
Location Co. Wicklow, Ireland
Property A detached house built in 1940s/50s
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms plus cloakroom
Interior designer Tonya Douglas of Little Design House
Contractor Francis Rubalcava
Photos by Daragh Muldowney and Eoin O’Riordan
Irish interior designer Douglas was living in the UK and still learning her trade when friends asked her to refurbish a neglected house back home. Naturally, she jumped at the chance. “This was my first ever project, so to be able to do a whole house straight away was amazing,” she says. “They had seen what I’d done to my rented place in London and put their faith in me.”
As even the most experienced interior designer knows, deadlines can be a challenge and Douglas had her work cut out making sure the project was ready on time. “The final day felt like 60 Minute Makeover – everybody running around to get things finished. Somehow, everything was done about half an hour before the owners arrived on a plane from London. Every light was hung, every picture was up… even the beds were made.”