Businesswoman Tara Chetty’s sense of style from her runway days served her well when renovating her family’s home
Asking price: €725,000
Agent: Team Castles (01) 4900 700
A former model turned businesswoman has used her sense of style and knowledge of fashion to transform the interior of a house in Harold’s Cross.
Tara Chetty was a well-known Irish model in the early 2000s, having been spotted whilst still at school. She started modelling as a nixer, but later worked in it full-time, walking the catwalks of London, Milan and New York.
Returning to Ireland in 2011, she went into business with her sister Sarisha Chetty and they opened a bridal shop called Suite in Rathmines, Dublin. “I never planned to get into the business,” says Chetty. “I studied economics and philosophy in UCD and did a post-grad in buying and merchandising in London. The modelling was great for a while, but it was ultimately never going to be forever, and I always had an interest in doing other things.
The exterior of 5 Parnell Avenue, Harolds Cross, Dublin
“When I came back, my sister was getting married and she couldn’t find a dress, and we realised there was a niche in the market.”
You could say it was in her blood, as her mother had worked in fashion retail, specialising in lingerie, and she’d grown up attending bridal shows with her.
The business, which they started 14 years ago, is still going strong. A more recent project for her has been No5 Parnell Avenue, which she bought with her husband, John O’Connor, who works in the motor trade and comes from Castleknock.
The kitchen of 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
The couple were attracted to the three-bedroom mid-terrace period residence, built c.1930, because of its quiet location. They had two little boys – Frank (eight) and Joey (four) – and the house was also near to their school. “The second we walked in, we felt that the house had a lovely warm feeling to it,” says Chetty. “It’s definitely lived a few lives before.”
However, the 1,292 sq ft home was in bad repair when they bought it in March 2023. “Little had been done to it since the 1970s,” says Chetty.
They had it rewired for electricity, replumbed and insulated. Downstairs, they got rid of a wall which differentiated the hall, which means you now walk straight into the sitting room.
The living room of 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
They also did away with the doors leading from the sitting room at the front to the dining room, now another reception room, and the scullery kitchen at the back, creating a bigger one and making it all open plan. “I wanted it be airy and bright,” she says. “It also means that I can see the children, if they’re in the sitting room and I’m working in the kitchen.”
They knocked down the old single-storey extension at the back and had it rebuilt, making it two-storey. The attic was also renovated to create another bedroom.
They moved in in November 2023. “We were renting and therefore eager to get in and excited to spend our first Christmas there,” she explains.
The living room and kitchen of 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
When it came to the interior, Chetty used her eye for design and the influences she had seen in other cities. “I guess my work in fashion has filtered down,” she says. “I still travel to New York and to Barcelona to buy wedding dressings, and I’m used to seeing beautiful interiors there too.”
Her intention was to create a clean but comfortable aesthetic; to optimise the space; and to let in as much light as possible. They stripped back the wallpaper and painted the walls white throughout.
A bedroom at 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
“There were old-style carpets on the floors which we got rid of,” she says. “Then we restored the original wooden floorboards underneath. I love all the old features, like the ceiling rose in the sitting room. I think they combine well with the modern features.”
In the open plan sitting room/dining room/ kitchen, the colour scheme is mostly black and white with beige and cream furnishings, all of which create a calming effect.
A bedroom at 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
In the kitchen, they deliberately left the wall above the counters and the sink bare. “I was obsessed with the TV series on DeVOL Kitchens, For The Love of Kitchens,” she says. “That influenced how I designed the kitchen. I wanted a space that was a continuation of the house and not a separate room. I like the simple, uncluttered style. It’s the heart of the house and where we spend most of our time.”
There’s a wall of sliding glass floor-to-ceiling windows on one side, which can be pulled back to access a patio at the side of the house. “It’s lovely to sit there in the summer and have the sun stream into the kitchen.”
A bedroom currently being used as a nursery at 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
Upstairs, a similar colour scheme has been continued with reclaimed wooden floorboards, and neutral walls and furnishings. The master bedroom and the two children’s rooms, one of which is used as a nursery for their new six-week old son, Freddy, are on the first floor, along with the bathroom. The attic is used as a guest room and a work space.
There’s no back garden but there’s a laneway at the back of the house which they can access, and it’s where their children play.
The patio space at 5 Parnell Avenue, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6
Harold’s Cross is a friendly community. “Most of the residents here have been here for a long time but there are some young families too, and everyone has been very welcoming,” says Chetty.
It’s an area that’s become gentrified in recent years and has a plethora of trendy coffee shops and yoga studios. “There are some great brunch places too,” she adds. “And because it’s so near the city centre and Rathmines, you have all the amenities on your doorstep.”
Tara Chetty in the kitchen at 5 Parnell Avenue, Harolds Cross, Dublin. Photo: Bryan Meade
Today’s News in 90 Seconds, Friday, February 20
Its proximity to the canal is another plus: “When the weather is nice, we often walk along the canal and it’s lovely to have that greenery close by.”
Although they’ve been happy living in the house, they find they need more space as their children get older: “We’ve loved living here, but we hope to stay in the area as we really love Harold’s Cross. It’s time to let the house go to the next owners and to live another life.”
Team Castles seeks €725,000.