{"id":190489,"date":"2021-12-01T16:21:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T21:21:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=id_project&p=190489"},"modified":"2023-05-31T19:20:49","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T23:20:49","slug":"kingston-lafferty-design-infuses-a-house-in-cork-ireland-with-soothing-shades-of-green","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/kingston-lafferty-design-infuses-a-house-in-cork-ireland-with-soothing-shades-of-green\/","title":{"rendered":"Kingston Lafferty Design Infuses a House in Cork, Ireland With Soothing Shades of Green"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"Kingston
A skylit passageway outfitted with a custom vanity leads to the main bed\u00adroom, where the headboard wall hosts Gio Ponti porcelain tiles. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

December 1, 2021<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Dan Rubinstein<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/span>Ruth Maria Murphy\/Living Inside<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Kingston Lafferty Design Infuses a House in Cork, Ireland With Soothing Shades of Green<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

When the design history of the pandemic is written, it will be told with tales of firms completing projects without ever physically meeting clients, setting foot inside job sites before they\u2019re finished, and other protracted, unexpected developments. Lovers Walk\u2014a residence in Cork, Ireland, by Kingston Lafferty Design<\/a>\u2014is one of those stories. \u201cIt started as a small decoration job for us,\u201d founder and creative director R\u00f3is\u00edn Lafferty recounts. \u201cBut it grew legs and ended up as a substantial design project.\u201d The two-story, four-bedroom suburban house was purchased by a couple looking to return to Ireland from abroad to raise their young son. As the pandemic struck and timelines extended, the scope kept evolving to encompass every element of the house. \u201cWe had to think on our feet,\u201d Lafferty concedes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, the house looked solidly built, but project collaborators Kiosk Architects discovered that the structure had major issues with energy efficiency. Original flooring needed to be removed, and the exterior required extra work to meet current standards. \u201cThe clients put a lot of trust in us,\u201d Lafferty says, \u201cwhich was bold and brave considering that we didn\u2019t meet in person until the end of construction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The oak stair and paneling in the entry hall are part of a \u201970s addi\u00adtion to the house.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The house was built in the 1940s. What attracted the homeowners\u2014and informed KLD\u2019s concept\u2014was the central staircase, part of a \u201970s addition and somewhat in that era\u2019s style. Lafferty loved its warm, almost orange-toned oak joinery, which creates a strong impression on both levels. \u201cIt\u2019s quite dominant,\u201d notes the designer, to whom the clients had first turned for her firm\u2019s signature look. The 11-year-old practice has earned a reputation for experimenting with bold swaths of solid color, mostly in paint: blood-red walls for a caf\u00e9 in London; a deep-blue theater for a corporate office in Skerries, Ireland; and, most notably, a widely published Victorian house in Dublin with blue walls, a green ceiling, and a ruby-red dining table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Verde
Verde Alpi marble clads the fireplace wall in the living room of a 1940s house in Cork, Ireland, renovated by Kingston Lafferty Design.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The house, located on a cliff overlooking the city, is surrounded by large oak trees. \u201cWe wanted to bring in that depth of green,\u201d says Lafferty, who, along with KLD lead designer Fiona Stone, went beyond paint to inject the rooms with warmth and color that complemented the site. Hence much of the living room is wrapped in moss-green marble; forest-green heavy wool curtains hang in the child\u2019s room, which is painted a similar shade, his favorite color; and the primary bedroom\u2019s headboard wall is clad in jade porcelain tiles (by Gio Ponti, no less).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Living
Living room lighting includes Juanma Lizana\u2019s painted iron chandelier and a Vico Magistretti table lamp; the floor is polished concrete.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The layout of the living room, which had been fussy, was streamlined. A sofa upholstered in deep-navy velvet adds punch to the space. Similar jewel tones were chosen to balance the room\u2019s marble-rich palette, which reminded Lafferty of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe\u2019s Barcelona Pavilion. \u201cWe needed a poppiness to jar against that,\u201d she notes. Adding another layer to the mix, the clients allowed their contemporary art collection\u2014mostly playful, abstract works\u2014to be positioned throughout the house as the design best allowed. \u201cThey weren\u2019t precious about it,\u201d Lafferty reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Another
Another Debo\u00adnademeo sconce hangs on the finger tile\u2013clad wall of the portal connecting the kitchen to the entry hall. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To add drama to the journey from the entry hall to the kitchen and dining area, Lafferty and Stone inserted a tunnellike portal lined with red finger tiles between the spaces. The clients didn\u2019t want the kitchen to be overwhelmed with storage cabinets, so the designers kept them at base level, covering the countertops, island, and two wall-size backsplashes with pink quartzite that\u2019s \u201clike rock candy,\u201d Lafferty says\u2014a move that places added emphasis on the above-sink picture window and its view out onto nature. While Lafferty admits some might consider the rosewood-veneer cabinetry to be outdated, she relished the idea of pushing the materials so they\u2019re \u201calmost on the cusp of clashing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
A skylit passageway outfitted with a custom vanity leads to the main bed\u00adroom, where the headboard wall hosts Gio Ponti porcelain tiles. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Upstairs, each of the three bedrooms\u2014for the couple, their son, and guests, respectively\u2014has its own color story. Riffing off the \u201970s vibe, the guest room juxtaposes cobalt blue curtains against walls painted a buff pink called Dead Salmon; a navy shaglike carpet adds to the theme, which Lafferty describes as \u201calmost disgusting.\u201d The designers are particularly proud of the primary bedroom, \u201ca small space that needed to look sleek and effortless,\u201d Stone notes. Access is via a wide, open passageway with chevron-pattern oak flooring and three large, angled skylights set into the sloped roofline. A vanity of burgundy marble is tucked under the eaves on one side of the room; a walk-in closet and the bathroom lie behind the opposite wall, which is faced in lacquered walnut-burl veneer that abuts the green tile of the headboard wall around the corner. \u201cIt\u2019s like a jewelry box with so many materials used,\u201d Stone continues. \u201cBut it feels incredibly calm. There\u2019s almost a nostalgic air about it\u201d\u2014a verdict with which the clients agree. It seems their trust in KLD\u2019s boldly unconventional aesthetic has paid off handsomely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Upholstered
Upholstered in cotton velvet, the living room\u2019s Mario Marenco sofa is backed by a wall sheathed with painted wood slats.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Debona\u00addemeo\u2019s
Debona\u00addemeo\u2019s disklike sconce presides over the kitchen dining area\u2019s leather-upholstered custom banquette and sofa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"The
The kitchen\u2019s island, backsplash walls, and countertops are polished quartzite while custom cabinetry and millwork are rosewood veneer. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"GamFratesi\u2019s
GamFratesi\u2019s Tail chair, upholstered in velvet, pulls up to the Rosso Levanto vanity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Shaglike
Shaglike car\u00adpeting, a wall of floor-to-ceiling curtains, and a George Nelson pendant outfit the guest bedroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Birch-plywood
Birch-plywood steps service the built-in bunk bed in the child\u2019s room. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"In
In the son\u2019s room, a Roly Poly chair by Faye Toogood and painted built-ins pop against curtains and Form Us With Love\u2019s Unfold pendant fixture in the child\u2019s favorite color.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"A
A Verde Alpi marble frame and walls faced in mirror and terrazzo tile set off Serena Confal\u00adonieri\u2019s pendant fixture in the family bathroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"The
The family bathroom materials in a different palette distinguish the guest bathroom, which also sports identical PVD-coated brass fittings and a wall-mounted sink. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Glossy
Glossy tile fronting the main bathroom vanity contrasts with its Rosso Levanto marble backsplash and flooring. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Project team<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Kiosk Architects<\/span><\/a>: architect of record<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
herrick electrical<\/span><\/a>: mep<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
dfl<\/span><\/a>: woodwork<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
miller brothers<\/span><\/a>: stonework<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
cameleo<\/span><\/a>: plasterwork<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
rose construction<\/span><\/a>: general contractor<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
product sources FROM FRONT<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
arflex<\/span><\/a>: sofa, ottoman (living room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
modern hill furniture<\/span><\/a>: orange chair<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
oluce<\/span><\/a>: lamp<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
moore o\u2019gorman joinery<\/span><\/a>: custom cocktail table<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
fest amsterdam<\/span><\/a>: side table<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
urban nature culture<\/span><\/a>: vase<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
muurla<\/span><\/a>: gray bowl<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
hkliving<\/span><\/a>: blue bowl<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Juanma Lizana<\/span><\/a>: chandelier<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
jover<\/span><\/a>: curtain fabric (living room, kitchen)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
flos<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture (kitchen)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
miele<\/span><\/a>: cooktop, ovens, r\u00ade\u00adfrigerator<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Blanco<\/span><\/a>: sink<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
quooker<\/span><\/a>: sink fittings<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
cinca<\/span><\/a>: finger tile (portal)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
astep<\/span><\/a>: pendant fix\u00adture (entry hall)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
wow design<\/span><\/a>: vanity front tile (main bathroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
rmc<\/span><\/a>: shower wall tile<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
through 1stdibs<\/span><\/a>: chair (guest bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Hay<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
edmund bell<\/span><\/a>: curtain fabric<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
scatter box<\/span><\/a>: bedspread<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
jacaranda carpets<\/span><\/a>: carpet (guest, child bedrooms)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
driade<\/span><\/a>: chair (child bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
muuto<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
kvadrat<\/span><\/a>: curtain fabric<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
trunk floor<\/span><\/a>: custom wood flooring (child, main bedrooms)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
&tradition<\/span><\/a>: sofa (dining area)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
yarwood leather<\/span><\/a>: banquette upholstery<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
zava luce<\/span><\/a>: sconces (dining area, portal)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Courtesy of Gubi<\/span><\/a>: vanity chair (main bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
natuzzi italia<\/span><\/a>: bed, nightstand<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
salviati<\/span><\/a>: sconce<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
tal<\/span><\/a>: spotlights<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
teamwork italy<\/span><\/a>: wall tile<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
louise roe copenhagen<\/span><\/a>: vases<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
mason editions<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture (family bathroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
crosswater<\/span><\/a>: towel ring<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
nic design<\/span><\/a>: sink (family, guest bathrooms)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
THROUGHOUT<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
astro lighting<\/span><\/a>: downlights<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
stone seal<\/span><\/a>: concrete flooring<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
cork glass center<\/span><\/a>: bathroom glass, mirror, shower screens<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
vos<\/span><\/a>: bathroom sink fittings<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
minima home<\/span><\/a>: furniture supplier<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
farrow & ball<\/span><\/a>: paint<\/span><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n