{"id":90347,"date":"2025-08-24T21:56:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T21:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/90347\/"},"modified":"2025-08-24T21:56:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T21:56:18","slug":"how-i-brought-la-belle-epoque-to-a-grand-canal-apartment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/90347\/","title":{"rendered":"How I brought la belle \u00e9poque to a Grand Canal apartment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Packing a punch well beyond its 51 sq m footprint, this one-bedroom apartment in a carved-up Georgian townhouse is an eclectic mix of period elegance and proportions, antique furniture and more contemporary bespoke pieces and styling that have combined to create a grand city pad with a modern twist and an international feel. <\/p>\n

The first-floor property, which has 4m-high ceilings and huge sash windows overlooking Dublin\u2019s Grand Canal, was run-down when the clients brought in the interior designer Kris Turnbull \u2014 founder and creative director of Belfast-based Kris Turnbull Studios \u2014 who had worked with them over several years on their main home in Northern Ireland. <\/p>\n

The couple wanted to transform this compact apartment into a weekend getaway that would feel as if it could be in Milan, Paris, London, or indeed Dublin, Turnbull says. <\/p>\n

\"Brick<\/p>\n

Outside the Georgian townhouse<\/p>\n

DONAL MURPHY<\/p>\n

\u201cThey wanted to bring the Georgian period of the property from the outside to the inside and to recreate this very beautiful salon concept. They said, \u2018We want something from Architectural Digest or Vogue and here are some pictures that we love of apartments in Paris.\u2019 That was the starting point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most of the property\u2019s original features had been lost over the years so Turnbull\u2019s team were able to strip everything back and start with a blank canvas. <\/p>\n

In the living space, they added wall panelling and ceiling details, plus a period fireplace. \u201cThe clients want something international and something contemporary, but still luxurious, so it\u2019s an eclectic mix of antique pieces and original artwork with some contemporary styling,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

These include an architectural curved sofa with a mid-century vibe that\u2019s upholstered in Pierre Frey fabric and styled with Herm\u00e8s and Jim Thompson fabric cushions. Another standout piece is the brass, hand-finished coffee table, topped with black smoked glass. \u201cEverything about that is organic,\u201d Turnbull says. <\/p>\n

\"Elegantly<\/p>\n

The curved sofa is upholstered in Pierre Frey fabric<\/p>\n

DONAL MURPHY<\/p>\n

A TV screen is concealed in the mirror above the mantelpiece. \u201cIt\u2019s two-way mirrored glass so when the television\u2019s turned off, it\u2019s reflective. The room feels dressed to entertain but also has the practicality of a television.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the other pieces are an antique chest of drawers, a customised Christopher Guy drinks cabinet, a bespoke cocktail table, contemporary artwork, rugs designed by Turnbull, and a fabulous Bella Figura ceiling light in milled Murano glass. \u201cWe did fit a lot into what is a really small room,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

\u2022 A top interior designer\u2019s easy tips for a home refresh<\/a><\/p>\n

On the other side of this room, the owners wanted the kitchen to feel welcoming and as if it had been there for ever, he says. \u201cThey didn\u2019t want it to be unapproachable or something you had to open and close to function and use. We thought, let\u2019s make this more like a Parisian apartment and something eclectic rather than modern and seamless.\u201d <\/p>\n

The smoky blue of the units was pulled from the feature armchair in the lounge. Beautiful antique mirrored glass is used for the panelling, along with Calacatta marble for the shelving, backsplashes and worktops, and dark petrol-blue ceramic tiles. \u201cThe combination of materials makes the kitchen interesting,\u201d Turnbull says. <\/p>\n

\"Bedroom<\/p>\n

In the bedroom, the Rubelli curtain fabric is a traditional damask<\/p>\n

DONAL MURPHY<\/p>\n

The round dining table with a burnt smoked oak top and vellum leather base is paired with four carvers upholstered in M\u00e9taphores fabric. \u201cIt brings an elegant belle \u00e9poque style back into the project, even though the table is very sculptural and modern,\u201d Turnbull says.<\/p>\n

In the bedroom, the clients wanted to combine modern function with the same sense of grandeur of the rest of the apartment. \u201cThey said, \u2018This room is boxy and small, it\u2019s basically enough space for a bed and a dressing table. Go to town on the window.\u2019 So I did.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2022 Kelly Hoppen\u2019s 17 design tips for a happy home<\/a><\/p>\n

The Rubelli curtain fabric is a traditional damask that\u2019s been deconstructed and expanded in scale. Turnbull added an upholstered pelmet with contrast detailing, along with braids and tiebacks. <\/p>\n

Other notable elements include a Christopher Guy chair with a shell back, and a rock crystal brass pendant. \u201cIt\u2019s a statement piece and goes nearly belle \u00e9poque again in something that is quite contemporary.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Luxury<\/p>\n

The shower has a reeded glass enclosure and the fixtures and fitting have a brushed brass finish<\/p>\n

DONAL MURPHY<\/p>\n

The intention in the bathroom was to create an elegant, international flavour that would complement the age of the property. The ink-blue cabinetry has a gold leaf framework and a period mirror with wall lights backs onto more antique mirrored glass, creating layers of reflection. The shower has a reeded glass enclosure and the fixtures and fitting, including exposed pipework and valves, have a brushed brass finish. <\/p>\n

Turnbull ordered a slab of Calacatta marble for the shower that he butterflied and cut in half. \u201cYou see the pattern mapped from one slab to the next and it creates a very luxurious feel. It\u2019s a small project but so much detail went in to give it that feeling and flavour.\u201d<\/p>\n

The marble flooring of the bathroom is book matched through from the small entrance hall where three types of marble have been used to create a geometric pattern, a wall of antique mirrored glass with small rosettes faces the front door, and a bespoke console table is topped with a statement lamp from Porta Romana. <\/p>\n

The owners love the finished apartment, as does Turnbull. \u201cBecause of the proportions and scale of the windows and floor to ceiling heights, we\u2019ve been able to create something ultimately very grand in what is a very small square footage,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Packing a punch well beyond its 51 sq m footprint, this one-bedroom apartment in a carved-up Georgian townhouse…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":90348,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-90347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90347\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}