Back in the early part of 2023, a couple from Castleknock felt they’d been in their home long enough to consider making some changes. Their goal was to revamp their Dublin new-build to craft a dwelling they could be truly passionate about.
They enlisted the design expertise of Deirdre O’Connell, who had established her business, Dtale, in May 2022. Her speciality? Delivering designs that are whimsical, timeless and charming, yet grounded in practicality for real-life living.
O’Connell explained that the family wanted to create a home that was not only beautiful and youthful, but also welcoming and lived in – a place they could be proud to identify as their own.
“Despite their impeccable taste, with a young family and two demanding careers, the household was forever busy, leaving little room for focusing on home improvements. This necessitated my designs to be adaptable to their evolving lifestyles, whilst preserving authenticity and aesthetic appeal,” O’Connell remarked.
It was critical for O’Connell to grasp their preferences before starting any design work. She wanted to understand their favoured brands, hobbies, fashion labels, and even magazines to create a mood board that reflected their unique personality, aspirations and ambitions.
Another vital consideration was the house’s functionality for the family.
She would ask: “How do they interact with their home? Which corners do they occupy for breakfast, for dinner, or to finish homework? Where do they place their shopping? Where’s the reading spot? Where can they charge their gadgets? Do they predominantly utilise the front or the back door?”
Armed with a clear understanding of their tastes and lifestyle, O’Connell, the boutique interior designer, started crafting a plan for the spacious 2016-built redbrick home. The house already had several advantages, including well-maintained spacious rooms, no requirement for structural alterations, and ample open space. The homeowners’ ambition was to mark their family home with a personal touch, which boasted an appealing secluded setting.
The design project kicked off on the ground floor of the home in January 2023. The first mission for O’Connell, was to harmonise any existing furniture or decorative items with the new proposed design.
“The initial hurdle faced in this endeavour was blending the old with the new furniture,” she shares. “Our clients had previously acquired several high-value yet functional pieces such as a spacious corner sofa and built-in cabinets in the lounge. Therefore, coordinating their pre-existing furniture and art collection proved to be both a challenge and the thrilling part of this venture.
Further, the lounge and playroom, situated at the front of the property, received little sunlight rendering them cooler and more dimly lit rooms – tackling this with the use of moody colour schemes required the clients to repose faith in the designer. Moreover, we undertook a complete upgrade of the lighting in these rooms.”
The designer based in Dublin decided to cloak the walls and joinery of the lounge in a dark grey Gargoyle shade by Zoffany. New panelling was done on the walls, and a feature housing a radiator was embedded. The resultant ambience reflected relaxed Californian vibes with tones of off-white and natural wood subtly nuanced with shades of rust and green reminiscent of autumn.”
She picked soft, texture-rich fabric from Mark Alexander, a French top pleat, along with off-white curtains mounted on a matte black rail. The conspicuous, large off-white couch is a product of Shanley Interiors, and the side table and embellishments hail from the Rockhill collection in Blackrock.
O’Connell set out to deliver a calming and serene ambiance for the playroom and chose to employ a colour-blocking effect with Mizzle by Farrow and Ball. The bay window had built-in cabinetry fitted in that provided seating and abundant storage in what otherwise was a wasted space. A large floor area was maintained to serve as an excellent play space in the future.
O’Connell replaced the usual white and chrome light switches and plugs with vintage brass fixtures. She also used fabrics by Jane Churchill and Finline and added a few fringed cushions from Paul Costello’s collection for Dunnes – “we exchanged the feather padding to improve their appearance”. The rooms were lit using lighting products from Pooky and Mullan Lighting.
After the successful completion of the lounge and playroom, she moved on to the task of forming a “relaxed, casual dining area”.”
In the designer’s words, the ambiance created is wholly organic – a smattering of raw, earthy wooden hues touched with aged golden accents and tributes to the wilderness, set off against a Zoffany Gargoyle backdrop. The room is bathed in glorious, streaming light, the voile acting as a protective layer, diffusing the sunlight and discreetly hiding doors and windows.
The heart of the room is a stained oak dining table from Shanley Interiors, complemented by a modern, sharply angled dining chair and a striking distressed bronze chandelier by Hicken. A circular rug introduces softness and curves to an otherwise angled space, while a collage of botanical prints in a vintage bronze frame enriches one wall. The floor was treated, with the wood floors freshly patterned in herringbone, stained, and lacquered throughout.
In the entryway, stylish wall panels were installed, paired with distinct, open-work steel lanterns by Hicken Lighting. Selecting rechargeable wall lights from Pooky “made it unnecessary to groove into walls”. A fresh set of internal doors were put up and painted dark, accompanied by modern fixtures and accoutrements such as a carpet runner and a vintage Yalameh Persian rug, and art by Audrey Hamilton.
So, what was the family’s response to the transformation?
The family applauded Deirdre’s empathetic approach, noting, “Deirdre took the time to truly understand our needs and tailored her approach to our lifestyle and preferences”. They appreciated being included in the creative process, and she introduced perspectives and concepts that worked well with their home. As a result, she crafted a house that is functional and comfortable, yet fashionable, creating a space they delight in spending family time.