Before and after: Living room gets a new lease of life

They say that when you first move into a house you should do nothing but familiarise yourself with the space and consider its best use. It's very easy to rush into decisions and purchases that you might later regret. We failed to heed this advice and bought a sofa too big and bulky for our sitting room. I also had shelves put up. The shelves were perfect, but they were in the wrong place, diverting attention away from the antique fireplace we later installed in the gap where one once sat.

While Eoghan was away on a worktrip, I finally decorated the bedroom. It was also the week where I had a few jobs done on the living room too. With the help of Painter Dublin, I took down the shelves and repainted the floor and walls in the same colours we had painted ourselves a few years ago; Dulux Light and Space Moonlight White on the walls (turned out a little yellower than I had predicted when contrasted with the new Dulux Brilliant White on the ceiling and woodwork) and Farrow and Ball's Downpipe on the floorboards.

AFTER: The Eames rocker by Vitra (purchased at Arnotts) perches on the floor freshly painted in Farrow and Ball's Downpipe. The painting is from Decor, Camden Street, Dublin 8.

Another job was to have period-style cornicing reinstated. Our house was built in the 1860s but other than the lovely wide floorboards no period details remained in the living room when we moved in. We had previously put in a Victorian-style four panel door from Victorian Salvage (especially important as we didn't notice the lack of a door until we sat down in the room for first time) and an antique fireplace (a design common to the area) from the brilliant Sugan Antiques. I had plaster cornicing made by the excellent Dublin Mouldings on Parnell Street and it has made the room complete.

Other than wall shelves and book-ends from IKEA, I didn't buy anything else for the room. Instead I moved things and changed around artwork by bringing some pieces that were hanging elsewhere in the house into the living room.

AFTER: New storage comes in the form of four white Lack wall shelves from IKEA, featuring nerdy colour-coordinated books. The period-style door came from Victorian Salvage. The space to the right of the door originally featured my two Panoramic Dublin prints by Andy Mac Manus which have now moved to the right of the fireplace

AFTER: The Billy bookends are also from IKEA, while the Flower Blossom lampshade is by Orla Kiely while the brown glass lamp is from Hicken Lighting, Lower Bridge Street, Dublin 8.

AFTER: Soppy 'E' and 'S' letters from Urban Outfitters. The S keeps falling off the shelf and scraping the floor whenever I bang the door!

AFTER: These were made by the father of a very good friend mine, Aoife, who is a wood-turner extraordinaire

AFTER: This curvaceous retro-style sofa was bought in Belfast (in Dekko, which sadly is no longer operating) a few years ago. Eoghan still mourns after the bigger yet bulkier sofa we originally purchased, which we now visit in Conamara. The grey cushion is by Donna Wilson, a lovely gift last Christmas.

AFTER: The G-plan coffee table makes the room seem bigger and came from the treasure trove Table Lighting Chair, located on Pleasant's Place (behind Camden Street near Cake Café), Dublin 8.

AFTER: The red cushion is by Ben de Lisi for Debenham's is inspired by the designer's own French bulldog Ella (not sure if it's still in stock) and the Multi Stem square lampshade is by Orla Kiely.

AFTER: I got this little side table for a song in TK Maxx about two years ago. It matches the floor. The clear glass ball lamp is from Hicken Lighting, Lower Bridge Street, Dublin 8.

AFTER: A close-up of one of our two Panoramic Dublin prints by Andy Mac Manus, featuring views of O'Connell Bridge

BEFORE: Too much to distract the eye with the shelves on either side of the fireplace. We put the mirror in our bedroom where the ceiling is higher.

AFTER: The removal of the shelves and mirror results in the less visual clutter, allowing the eye to focus on fireplace.  The new plaster cornicing by Dublin Mouldings helps the room to look its age.

AFTER: The antique fireplace from Sugan Antiques is simply adorned with just a pair of candlestick holders, which were a present. Having a working fireplace reinstated back in the room is a real privilege, especially on the cold winter nights. I was delighted when a friend mentioned that her parents' house in nearby Inchicore has the same fireplace surround.

BEFORE: No plaster cornicing. Another job I would like to get done in the future is to have the window shutters reinstated as per the other houses in our terrace.

AFTER: The view from the sofa. Waffles the cat is at his television - he spends hours looking out the window.

AFTER: Waffles on guard cat duty. If you like the owl cushion resting on the Eames rocker, check out my previous post.

Rebuilding: should you extend yourself further into negative equity?

Negative equity conundrum: when you've already lost so much money on your home, is it worth shelling out to improve it given you'll be stuck there for a lot longer than anticipated?

Our house was built in the 1860s. It's the bit that was built in the latter half of the twentieth century that's the problem. A large, flat-roofed lean-to houses our kitchen (complete with badly installed veneer units, sudden changes in floor level, no insulation or ventilation and floor-to-ceiling 'harvest'-style tiles) and bathroom (the walls are covered in a shiny black lino-like material that we are too afraid to rip off lest it takes the walls with them).

SLIDING DOORS: Wouldn't it be lovely to swap extensions and live in this one (above and below) in Foxrock by Moda Architects? I also covet the print of Sanna Annukka's Spirits of the North, which is hanging on the back wall of the kitchen. Photos via OnlineTradesmen.ie

Something needs to be done about the extension, as the roof is not going to withstand the elements for more than a few years. Then you're in a position where you must ask, should we just do the bare minimum (i.e. re-roofing a terrible extension) and do nothing to improve the value of the house or make structural changes that will increase its size and function, making it possible to live there in comfort for however long it might take to be in a financial position where we can move on?

HOUSE ABOUT IT? The rear of our home as it is now after Eoghan painted it white. This was a big improvement.  I'd love to knock down the extension and replace it with a two-storey number, complete with sliding doors. I'd like the original stone wall to the right to inspire any future work.

And if you're considering structural work, should you simply rebuild the existing ground-floor extension and leave the kitchen and bathroom at their present size, or go the whole hog and make it into a two-storey extension (as many of our neighbours have already done), changing your house from two-bed to three-bed and putting the bathroom upstairs? (These conundrums pre-suppose that the funding is available!)

The first thing we did upon purchase in 2008 was to dig out and terrace the back garden (our house sits on a slope), the level of which was about four foot off the ground. This was a huge job as we have no side or rear access that could bring a digger onto site, so the building team had to resort to the old-fashioned spades and wheelbarrow approach. Will post up a 'before and after' come spring when we've got the garden looking a bit tidier!

I confess that I already have one or two things bought for this extension, which are stored at my parents' house at present. Don't tell Eoghan!

Here's a selection of some fantastic extensions which I keep in my 'Maybe One Day' folder, aka Pinterest.

RAISE THE ROOF: This Dublin extension is by the talented Ailtireacht firm. The shadows created by the slats against the original rear wall are beautiful. I love the continuity of the bench inside and out. Image via Evdes

BEAM ME UP: I've had the pleasure of being inside this 1960s home in Knocklyon where young practice Carson and Crushell did a stunning retro-fit and new extension. It was open to the public as part of last year's Open House Dublin event. Image via Open House Dublin

PERFECT FROM A TO ZINC: I'm a huge fan of the zinc cladding of this Dun Laoghaire extension by Browne Architects. Photo: Browne Architects

STOREY-TIME: Flavio Lombardo Architects designed this striking extension in Sandymount. Image via Homedsgn, which has lots more photos

Winter Wunderbar-land in Kilmainham

We've been watching the bright lights of Winter Wonderland glisten from our windows and listening to people scream daily as they dangle a few hundred feet from the ground on the super scary Mission Space ride.

The event features an ice rink, Fossetts' Circus, Christmas market and funfair, and opened its doors at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on December 8th.

KURVE APPEAL: Spin around at increasing speed until your stomach churns on this mini-rollercoaster.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

WHAT'S THE WURST THAT CAN HAPPEN? My favourite German word has long been 'currywurst', despite being a vegetarian. It's closely followed by 'lecker', though I can't personally vouch for the tastiness of the wursts here.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

NEON CITY: Lots of colourful lights at the Winter Wonderland funfair. The Mission Space ride is on the right.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

The market is one of the better I've seen and there are some nice little bars, such as the Porterhouse, to choose from.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: I love the Wunderbar neon sign. I want one in my house!
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

LIGHT UP: The windmill bar, toboggan tower and Mission Space.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

HORSIN' AROUND: The pretty vintage-style carousel, the least scary ride in the funfair.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

The colourful and slightly retro fun fair makes you feel like you're on the Continent and it's very pretty lit-up at night. Eoghan took lots of great photos above and below.

There's lots of food and drink options, from spiced cider to currywurst, plus crepes a-plenty, churros (Spanish doughnuts) and waffles.

BRAVE SOULS: One of the cranes of Mission Space gets ready to swing people hundreds of feet in the air. The scariest ride I've ever seen at a funfair.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

TWIST AND SHOUT: The toboggan tower.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

SWING BY: The windmill bar features all-important indoor seating.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

It's a lovely place to spend an hour or two, even after December 25th (the event runs until January 8th). Here's hoping it will become an annual event in Kilmainham.

ROLL WITH IT: The Alpine Coaster. Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES: Mission Space.  Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Bumper cars. Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

Christmas is almost here and we've made the living room festive. It was even cold enough last week to justify a fire, which Waffles the cat loved.

WINTER WARMER: Waffles and I cosy up beside the fire.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

SPIN IT: The view of the Ferris wheel from our house.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com 

JINGLE BELL ROCK: This dancing Santa stands in our living room window.
Photo: rice_e@twitter.com

Going grey: My bedroom makeover

Decorating our bedroom was never top of the priority list when we moved in three years ago. The walls and floorboards (mostly original) were painted an inoffensive cream (with a purple feature wall that was our reference point for the place when house-hunting). Anyway, we plumped for the 'purple wall' property. Temporary wardrobes took residence and two years ago we bought an antique mantle to compliment the original insert. But that was it.

The installation of our new wardrobes, along with the wall lamps purchased many moons ago, last month prompted me to try and *finish* the room. With Himself away on a work trip for a week, I brought in the team at Painter Dublin to help me out. Tomas and Michael did an excellent job and I am really happy with the results. A new wall shelf from Ikea and a bit of tidying has also helped to transform the room.

I've tried to support local and city centre businesses when decorating the house. The paint was bought at MRCB Paints, 12-13 Cornmarket, Dublin 8 (one of the friendliest paint shops in Dublin). The wardrobes are from Bedroom Elegance, 55-56 Upper Dorset Street, Dublin 1. The wall lamps are from Hicken Lighting, 17 Lower Bridge Street, Dublin 8. The ceiling lamp shade was bought for just €8 in the very lively (and Christmassy) Liberties Market, Meath Street, Dublin 8. The rug is from The Carpet Mills, 42-26 Thomas Street, Dublin 8. The antique mantle surround is from the very knowledgeable Brian at Súgán Antiques, Rathmines, Dublin 6. The leaning wall shelves are from The Conran Shop at Arnotts, Henry Street, Dublin 2. The large mirror is from Clery's, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1. The blinds are from Apollo Blinds, Capel Street, Dublin 1, and the bed came from Diamond Living, which unfortunately went into liquidation earlier this year.

P.S. I hate when design magazines say that things were 'sourced' at particular stores. This implies a level of intrepid adventure that doesn't quite match the experience.

Wall paint: Dulux Easycare Washable Matt in Modernism
Floor: Ronseal Diamond Floor Paint in White
Ceiling: Dulux Matt in Brilliant White 
Woodwork and radiator: Dulux Easy Care Satinwood in Brilliant White


Here are the before and after photos. The before photos were taken on a particularly untidy day so as to illustrate the transformation at its best.

BEFORE: The temporary wardrobes resembled a disaster zone.

AFTER: Floor-to-ceiling custom wardrobes from Bedroom Elegance, Dublin 1, make the most of the high (and sloping) ceiling.

BEFORE: Boring cream on the walls and wall lamps which were accidentally installed upside down.  The previous owners had ugly wall lamps installed which we removed upon moving in. However, it took us a long time to get around to replacing them.

AFTER: Grey walls compliment the wall lamps (now hanging the right way up) and shades from  Hicken Lighting, Dublin 8. 

BEFORE: The purple feature wall was painted by the previous owners. I hated it! We added a Victorian mantle to the original inset two years ago but never got round to painting the white inset to match.

AFTER: The grey helps the (much tidier) leaning wall shelves from The Conran Shop stand out. Also gives me a place to store/display design magazines, two Etsy artworks, a jewellery box I got in my teens and tea lights from Meadows and Byrne. The lime green of the tea lights provides a nice punch of colour.

AFTER: Fireplace mantle from Súgán Antiques, Dublin 6.  Mirror had been hanging in the living room and looks a lot better here as the ceiling is higher. I got it for €50 in a Clery's sale. The candlestick holder was my first home decor purchase, I think I was 13 when I got this at a store in Stillorgan.

BEFORE: This lovely Buddha picture from Thailand was let down by its surroundings

AFTER: The grey helps to highlight the picture on the wall. A black Lack shelf from Ikea creates storage for books.

AFTER: This lampshade was just €8 from the Liberty Market on Meath Street, Dublin 8.

AFTER: Mustard rug from The Carpet Mills, Dublin 8, and Eileen Gray-inspired table from a now defunct store in Belfast

AFTER: Three coats of brilliant white floor paint has made the room much brighter