How interior designers turned a run-of-the-mill one-bedroom apartment on Cork Street, D8, into a sleek, cohesive, and manly space.
One-bedroom apartments are often considered the poor relations of the property stock hierarchy.
They are one of the smallest spaces you can buy and can have unusual layouts.
In the hands of experts, however, these bijou homes can become jewels of small space living.
Address: 4 The Barley House, The Coombe, Dublin 8, D08 HY75
Asking price: €275,000
Agent: Owen Reilly
Joe Kirby and Brendan Treacy of Silver River Interiors have been together for 24 years, almost a quarter of a century and were married a few years ago.
In 2018, they bought this 45 square metre, one-bedroom apartment on Cork Street, Dublin 8, to have a base in the capital.
They paid €235,000 for the property in 2018, according to the property price register.
They have cleverly reframed the space, taking every opportunity to add storage and optimise a sense of flow, while structural work has been kept to a minimum.
The apartment was and remains a dual aspect space with balconies at the front and back.
By installing a wood-look tile underfoot throughout and painting the timber window and balcony door frames a dark colour, it has helped tie the space together.
The floor is also easy to maintain – the couple used to have dogs.
They also changed the internal doors, adding glass panels to let light through.
In the kitchen, they kept the L-shape layout but installed a crisp white design by Kube, using the opportunity to relocate some of the appliances.
The fridge is now installed under the counter from a Neff slide and hide oven, whose door glides in under the oven, a clever design for smaller spaces.
They reduced the hob size from four rings to a two-ring induction option and installed a Qooker hot water tap atop the sink.
This removes the need for a kettle to clutter up the countertop.
Joe is the chef and finds he rarely finds the need to have more than two rings on the go at the one time.
The cabinetry to the far right of the L-shape is now a pantry unit; the top part is not very deep.
This is a good use of what had been tiled dead space.
It also creates symmetry. The splashbacks are now smoked mirrors to bounce light back out.
They optimised the storage cupboard in the hall, which houses the tank, to make it multi-task.
An under-counter freezer has been installed above the washer-dryer with built-in shelving for cleaning and laundry products, hooks for coats and nooks for outdoor shoes.
They had an electrician install a second pendant light in the living room, off-centre, to illuminate the dining table, visually carving out a space for a small four-seater dining table.
The living room walls are papered in a Harlequin grasscloth called Chronicle that also softens sound and makes the space physically feel more luxurious.
All the ceilings have been painted in a parchment white that creates a crisp delineation between the walls and ceilings, but isn’t so harsh as to immediately draw the eye up, Joe explains.
The living room has a sofa bed upholstered in a Zoffany linen mix, for when guests stay.
The Finline Furniture design has removable covers and features lots of scatter cushions
The bedroom has been turned into a totally tropical space thanks to the use of Cole & Son wallpaper. Mirrored sliding door wardrobes replaced the plain doors, giving more circulation space.
They removed the bath, installing a large 1500 mm long shower stall and swapped the position of the toilet and sink.
The walls here are papered in Montacute, a pattern by Zoffany that the couple has steam-proofed by coating it in a matt varnish to protect it.
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom, D2 BER-rated property, which measures about 45 square metres, is seeking €275,000 through agents Owen Reilly.
