{"id":623135,"date":"2026-09-13T06:20:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T06:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/623135\/"},"modified":"2026-09-13T06:20:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-13T06:20:18","slug":"it-was-worth-the-wait-hollywood-glamour-interiors-on-achill-island-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/623135\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018It was worth the wait\u2019: Hollywood glamour interiors on Achill Island \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

How do you create a luxurious contemporary family home that blends in with the wild and windswept nature of Achill Island<\/a>? It\u2019s a challenge that interior architect Susan McGowan of Ashen & Cloud embraced when she worked with Karan and Paul McNamara on their new home.<\/p>\n

The Achill natives had inherited Karan\u2019s family home in Sraheens, Achill Sound, and reared their four children there. But they had always dreamed of replacing the 1980s-built house.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had all these ideas going around in our heads and both of us always wanted something a bit different,\u201d Karan says. \u201cBut we didn\u2019t want to lose its family appeal. It had to be practical. We didn\u2019t want it to be a showhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n

They commissioned Westport architect Keith Walsh and brought in the interior architect\u2019s team at the planning stage of this six-bedroom house. \u201cWhat\u2019s unusual about this is that it\u2019s not your traditional west of Ireland house or cottage,\u201d Susan McGowan says. \u201cThe clients very pointedly wanted a house that was contemporary. The fear for me was that it was not going to feel contextual with its surroundings. So the approach to this was finding a way that contemporary design could be inspired by the rugged landscape and the moody island.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while it\u2019s a large house, at 600sq m, the homeowners were keen to create a home that felt cosy and inviting. \u201cI wanted warmth in it, and a lot of natural materials, stone, timber and brass,\u201d Karan says. And that\u2019s exactly what her family got, along with some interesting design flourishes along the way.<\/p>\n

When you step into the entrance hall, the veined quartzite floor from Miller Brothers reminds you of the shifting colours of the surrounding landscape. The eye is then drawn to the faceted brass staircase, which offers a warm contrast.<\/p>\n

Bringing the outside in is a recurring feature, whether it\u2019s the striking bronze mirror that reflects the landscape behind, or the quartzite kitchen island that swoops and swirls like the scenery outside the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow\u201d is a word the homeowners have heard most often when their visitors walk into their kitchen and living area. The floor-to-ceiling Porta glass doors provide sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding hills.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe kitchen is quite pared back because you don\u2019t want to fight or try to compete with the beautiful landscape around it,\u201d McGowan says. But there is one exception \u2013 the dining table and chairs are a striking red, inspired by the roofs of hay sheds and farm buildings in the area. \u201cIf we, for example, put a beige table in there, it just would have been nothing in the space. It needed a little bit of something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MoodyMoody island: Achill \"SusanSusan McGowan of interior architects Ashen & Cloud \"LivingLiving area \"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

She felt the dining area needed more intimacy because of the double-height space, and this led to an interesting architectural feature that turned into one of the biggest design challenges. \u201cWe needed to bring the ceiling down, so we proposed this dome over the table,\u201d she says. Michael Collopy of Kestrel Bespoke supplied the kitchen, and his team agreed to build and paint the dome.<\/p>\n

When it is lit up, the golden dome creates a warm glow over the table and the homeowners say it brings a luxury feel to the space. Transporting the structure across the windy roads of Achill proved to be a logistical challenge. Luckily 10 people were on hand to carry it the final 50m uphill when the delivery truck could go no farther.<\/p>\n

Karan loves how the kitchen and living area draws the family together. \u201cMy kitchen is definitely my favourite place, because it\u2019s all about the family. We wanted a very functional kitchen that everyone can be in, whether they are watching telly, cooking or eating.\u201d<\/p>\n

When she agreed to the dining dome and red table she couldn\u2019t visualise what she was going to end up with, \u201cbut Susan and her team gave us the confidence to do it\u201d. The red Travertine floor on one of the hallways was another bold choice that she\u2019s glad she agreed to. \u201cWhen you see it on its own, you are thinking: Oh my God, how is that going to come together? But it really did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"QuartziteQuartzite floor \"TheThe red table and gold dome overhead <\/p>\n

The Travertine hallway leads to the couple\u2019s bedroom, which is an oasis of calm. \u201cWe really wanted to create this soft, restful space in here,\u201d the interior architect says. A partition wall behind the bed, clad in soft fabric, disguises the wardrobe space while the cloud pendant light from Apparatus Studio adds to the dreamy and restful feeling. The en-suite bathroom is a luxurious retreat and features a free-standing oval bathtub and Tiffany quartzite flooring. The bedroom also has its own relaxing lounge area, making the sleeping quarters a very welcome refuge after a hectic day. They are both self-employed, working in hospitality and construction.<\/p>\n

Initially the couple thought the build might take a year but it turned into a three-year project due to post-Covid issues sourcing materials and delays with deliveries. Not surprisingly, keeping within budget on a project of this scale was an ongoing challenge. Looking back now, Karan is relieved that she didn\u2019t cut corners along the way, despite their longing to get back into their home. She says it could be tempting to settle for one door over another because of the waiting time, but that could change the whole look of the house. \u201cWe have beautiful Crittall-style doors, and there was a waiting time on them so we could have very easily not put them in, but I\u2019m glad we waited because I love them.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Bedroom\"Bedroom \"Bedroom\"Bedroom \"Bathroom\"Bathroom <\/p>\n

McGowan says the homeowners showed great patience as dates were pushed out again and again. \u201cBut it was more important to them for it to be right. And they did walk into it, fully finished, and the hand soap was there, the Champagne was in the fridge. Every detail down to their hand towels and the scent in the space was chosen for them in a bespoke manner,\u201d she says. It is a fresh, salty sea scent, the final touch in connecting the house with the landscape.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe house has fitted in so well, nestling straight into the mountain,\u201d Karan says. \u201cWe are lucky because our site has matured over the years, so we already have our trees and hedges in place and this house fits in perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since they moved into the house in June, she has found that they are spending much more time outside. \u201cI think it\u2019s because the glass has brought the outside inside. When I walk through the house, from one end to the other, I\u2019m constantly looking out at the view. And upstairs, where the kids\u2019 bedrooms are, we have a fabulous view from the sitting area at the front of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

Achill gets its fair share of inclement weather, but she is looking forward to spending their first winter in their new home. \u201cWe are in a windy and rainy spot, but I think it will be lovely in winter. We have underfloor heating and the air-to-water system and all that insulation so it is cosy and warm.\u201d<\/p>\n

Had she learned at the beginning of the project that it would take three years, she says she might have had second thoughts. \u201cBut it was worth the wait. It is our dream home but it\u2019s also very practical. It\u2019s everything that we wanted in a home. There is nothing I would change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Susan McGowan will be talking about this project with architect Amanda Bone at Anantara The Marker Hotel in Dublin on Friday, September 18th, as part of Design Week Dublin. designweekdublin.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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