The Luck of the Irish
Nestled among the undulating, lush, green landscape there lies a perfect little Irish cottage, identifiable by its thatched roof and whitewashed stone walls, with only a herd of cows for neighbours.
Inside the cottage, the smell of baked soda bread wafts from the kitchen. As you slip off your wet coat and wellies and nestle down with an Irish Hot Whiskey in front of the crackling open fire, the invigorating fresh air makes way for the warm and inviting comfort of traditional Irish country living…
The stuff that dreams are made of, right?
Absolutely, but you may not live in Ireland, or even in the countryside for that matter. But that doesn’t mean you can’t experience the joys of Irish country décor in your home, wherever that may be.
So, in celebration of all things Irish, here at Strive for Design we've put together some ideas to help you invite the luck of the Irish into your home this St Patrick’s Day.
Originally, Irish cottages were built using materials found nearby – hence the importance of natural elements such as stone and wood in both the architectural and interior design – so this is a good place to start.
Think about ripping up old carpets to reveal the natural wooden floors beneath and don’t worry if they're a bit worn as the distressed look will only add to the country farmhouse theme. A quick sand and varnish will soon give those boards a new lease of life.
If you're lucky enough to have an open fire or wood burning stove, building a stone hearth will create the perfect rural feel. Happily, though, you don’t need to rush out and invest in traditional Irish stone, as there are many products available at the click of a button that will bless your home with Irish charm.
Think about applying a whitewashed, stone-effect wallpaper for a contemporary but rustic feel in any room and use white stone cladding or tiles round the fireplace or as splashbacks to make a practical but impressive, rurally inspired feature. Adding solid, natural wood furniture will bring warmth to the room and soften the rough edges of the stone. Opt for simpler, cleaner designs for a more contemporary feel or nab yourself an older, more ornate design to keep things traditional.
With just these few changes you already have the basis of Irish Country Living, but if you want to take the design one step further, include soft furnishings made from Ireland’s indigenous textiles, wool and linen, and don’t be afraid to go for patterned fabrics, for which the Irish are renowned. Think Celtic knot tie backs on curtains or go all out and choose a Celtic knot patterned fabric that you can use for the curtains themselves. For that country cottage feel, opt for an exquisite vintage, floral fabric, accentuate this with matching cushions and table cloths and scatter wool plaid throws on your furniture, in strong colours to enhance your theme further.
Layer up the window finishes with both pelmet and sheer curtains but don’t be put off by Nanna’s musty old net curtains. Adding a sheer curtain will improve privacy and add to the soft cosy feel a traditional country cottage offers. The Irish are well known for their lace, so you can easily find some modern, handmade Irish lace curtains that won’t take you back in time 50 years online.
Happily, the colour green will feature heavily in this year’s interiors – as our Colour-Me-Happy blog explains – lending itself perfectly to your Irish theme. Go for a Celtic design, in a traditional green, to lift the wood and stone and keep your design bang on trend this season.
Finally, no Country Cottage styling would be complete without the trinkets. Display decorative crockery in the kitchen, pewter tankards on the mantlepiece and don’t forget the antique-styled kettle on the hob!
If you'd like further advice on styling your home with a rustic country cottage theme, please don’t hesitate to give our Interior Design specialists a call on 01223 622 688 or send us an email.
May you always have walls for the winds, a roof for the rain, tea beside the fire, laughter to cheer you, those you love near you and all your heart might desire… (Irish blessing extract)
A very happy St Patrick’s Day to you!
Leigh Hall from Strive for Design is an interior designer in Cambridge, so if you're contemplating refreshing a single room or your entire home, please contact us.