My Houzz: Urban Space With a Peaceful, Easy Feeling
http://www.decor-ideas.org 10/27/2014 21:13 Decor Ideas
Fashion designer Helen Cody knew she had found something special as soon as she spotted this redbrick terraced house along the Grand Canal in Dublin, Ireland. She had just been outbid on nine houses, and when she spotted the For Sale sign, something clicked. Despite its being somewhat unorthodox, she rang the doorbell of the house that night and worked out a deal with the owner privately.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Fashion designer Helen Cody and her dogs, Harry and Joe
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
“I walked in and saw the hall and nearly passed out because suddenly I was looking at scale and height. … All I could see was corniced ceilings and space,” Cody recalls. “I could see the bones of the house immediately.”
The bones of the house included 14-foot-high ceilings, beautifully detailed cornices and original sash windows — all of which Cody lovingly restored to create a smart city home.
Before moving in, Cody rented a Dumpster and threw a “wrecking party,” where friends and family were encouraged to rip off the MDF (medium-density fiberboard) throughout the house. After this cleanse, she repainted and made small cosmetic changes, but kept the interior quite calm and simple.
The living and dining rooms are open to each other, helping to make them both light. Original wooden floorboards run between the rooms, adding character. Many of the artworks in the house are by Cody, who took up painting after studying at Central Saint Martins art school in London.
The fireplace in the dining room acts as log storage for the functioning fireplace in the adjacent living room, adding a rustic touch.
Blinds diffuse the light in the dining room. They are sheer enough that Cody can see out, but they also provide privacy when guests pop over for dinner.
The wooden dining table was custom made for the kitchen, but it felt too heavy in there, so Cody moved it into the dining room. She originally put the glass on top of it simply to protect it, but then she arranged magazine cuttings underneath to give it a different twist.
The dining room chairs are classic Cherner side chairs. Cody added the felt cushions.
The living room is one of Cody’s favorite spots in the house, especially in the colder months, when she lights the fire and relaxes on the sofa with the dogs.
The typography pillow alludes to Cody’s time living and working in Paris.
The Bo Concept sofa was an investment buy. “It’s so beautifully made, really comfortable, and it’s a practical fabric with the dogs. They run all over it, and it doesn’t get damaged,” Cody says.
Antique finds and personal photographs line the shelves in the living room. “Anything that looks vaguely quirky came from a [garage] sale,” Cody says with a laugh. “In fact, [garage] sales are my reason for being. You find those lovely, one-off things that are beautiful and properly made.”
She found the midcentury chairs on eBay for only about $110. “I simply changed the old cushion fillers and covered the new ones in this lime-green vintage fabric,” she says.
The spare room is painted in Pearl from Johnstone’s, which makes a calming backdrop for the iron bed, inherited from Cody’s sister. The two hand-embroidered cushions feature images of her dogs traveling around France on bicycles.
More found objects are beautifully displayed in an old fireplace in the spare room.
A vintage kimono is displayed on one of the designer’s many mannequins, complementing a contemporary painting by Irish artist Owen O’Loughlin, which was bought at his National College of Art and Design graduation show. “These shows are a really good place to buy affordable art from emerging talent,” Cody says.
She added a large interior window in her main bedroom to borrow light from the kitchen.
Collected mementos sit above Cody’s bed; one of her most cherished pieces is the ceramic bird lady by British artist Jane Muir. “I lived around the corner from her studio in Peckham, and I fell madly in love with her work — she’s incredibly talented,” the homeowner says. The 200-year-old corset was picked up at a flea market in France, and Cody had it framed locally.
The fragility of the antique corset inspires many of Cody’s clothing designs. The delicate nature of antique fabrics, especially lace and silk, is a constant inspiration to her — particularly in her bridal collection.
All of Cody’s custom pieces are designed and created in her studio, which is at the bottom of her garden. The space was created by architect Rory Murphy, who managed to build a modern and simple studio “on a shoestring budget,” Cody says.
Lush greenery and mood lighting enhance the wooden patio that separates the house and the studio.
An oversize Vogue poster sits at the head of the kitchen table — a daily reminder of Cody’s start in the fashion world. She worked with the French edition of the magazine as well as with iconic fashion house Alaïa before she started her own design business.
The industrial kitchen table and chairs were all bought at a closing-down sale in a sewing factory in Dublin. The table cost about $30, as did the chairs.
The glossy gray kitchen cabinetry, which Cody adores, is from Ikea. She picked it out on a Wednesday, and it was fully installed by that Friday.
Cabinets: Ringhult, Ikea
A kitchen extension was added after Cody had lived in the space for three years, giving her an exact idea of how she wanted to use the space. First, the ceiling was raised and skylights were inserted, giving the room an all-year-round lightness.
Open shelving was the only way to go for Cody. She finds wall cabinets too overbearing and loves how these steel shelves enable her to have her favorite things out on display.
Shelving: Ikea
Cody relaxes in her kitchen.
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