- “Consider the FORM & DIMENSIONS.”
- “I wouldn’t MIND TACKLING something AGAIN.”
Dee Noone, her husband Evan and their twin sons Sam and Freddie live in an 1800’s cottage with an extension in Galway. Ms Noone had been living in Dublin for a number of years when she met her husband and they decided to move back to Galway.
They bought a small cottage in 2012 and lived there for four years before renovating and extending in 2016. The old cottage was modernised and they wanted to build a new extension that had a completely different feel to the existing cottage. Storage, an extra bathroom and an open plan kitchen/dining area were at the top of their agenda. Dee wanted to keep the front of the home ‘traditional,’ while the extension is contemporary and modern. The cottage still holds its original charm and has quirky features throughout.
“The inspiration (for the house) came from the house itself. I wanted to keep the original traditional feeling of cosiness and the character of the cottage. And the extension to feel new and contemporary rather than trying to re-create,’’ said Dee Noone.
“We achieved this by the use of colour, putting traditional greens and warm colours in the cottage, and more contemporary like navy’s and black in the extension. Fixtures and fittings help with this also. We used the one flooring throughout the whole home to pull the extension & original space together. I also find social media such as Pinterest & Instagram great for getting different ideas,’’ she added.
An Art & Design graduate from GMIT, Deirdre has spent her career working for companies such as H&M, Topshop and Brown Thomas creating seasonal visual displays. In recent years, Dee has turned her focus to Interior Design. She runs her own Interior Design business entitled Yellow Gate Design; the company offers services including room remodelling, design conceptualisation, space planning, furniture and artwork sourcing as well as accessories and soft furnishings.
In terms of the favourite part of her home?
“There’s different elements depending on what time of year! In the winter I love our living room in the cottage, the stove & window seat make it very cosy & a nice place to snuggle up in the evening. During the summer I love the kitchen as its open & bright. Whether its opening out the double doors into the garden or having a gang piled in around the kitchen bench, the room is just a really nice place to be and that’s what you ultimately try to achieve with every room,’’ enthused Ms Noone.
Having undertaken such a project, what advice would Dee offer to anyone who is about to embark on such work?
“I would definitely say to live in the existing space for a while before undertaking any work. It gives you time to think about how your home needs to work for you. What you feel is missing, and what it is you need to create your dream space. We lived here for four years before doing the renovation, and by the time we got an architect on board we were very clear on what we wanted to achieve.
“The other thing I would say is have your design elements clear from the start and include any particular building work needed for it in the builders tender. The more prepared you are with specifics you want, will mean no changes later on and the job in on budget,’’ she imparted.
As to whether or not the cottage is their forever home?
“We absolutely love it here. Its a great area with a spacious country feel, yet its right on the outskirts of town so the location is perfect. I really enjoyed the whole process, most people find it stressful but I wouldn’t mind tackling something again. This place is a little gem and I cant imagine we’ll stumble across something much better but, I always loved the idea of renovating an old farmhouse so never say never!! “The project ran pretty smoothly so there was no major issues. This was helped by being very clear from the get go on budget, and by not deviating from the plans. There were smaller issues that you will always stumble upon with a house that is 200 years old, but thankfully nothing too serious. Robust plans from your architect and and detailed tender document means everyone is clear on what is required from the start,’’ concluded Dee Noone.
