Houzz Tour: A New-build Coastal Retreat That Mixes Old and New
This stone home close to the coast has light galore and plenty of space to relax
For many, a house with a sea view is high on the wish list, along with a slower pace of life, and the retired owners of this house set about finding exactly that. Once they’d located the perfect plot, they started from scratch, designing a brand-new home, with a view of the Irish Sea at the heart of its orientation and design.
The airy kitchen is at the heart of this home. The island is positioned so the owners can gaze out at the ocean even if they’re elbow-deep in washing-up. Plus there’s a bright seating area by the window for relaxing with tea and the papers.
Blue as a colour choice made sense in here. “It felt fresh,” Sara says. “The sea and sky often look quite grey, so even if it’s not the clearest day outside, it’s still blue inside.”
The worktop is Dekton (a very tough blend of glass, quartz and porcelain). “The owner liked its dramatic veining, thinness and the fact you could put pots straight down on it. So it works practically as well as aesthetically,” Sara says.
The Aga is sited to help heat up the room. “There’s no splashback behind it,” the designer says. “The owner put up a picture of her grandchildren instead.”
Longbar chrome handles add a contemporary touch to the Shaker-style units, along with a wide, stainless-steel extractor fan.
The finished kitchen was a team effort involving the designer, architect and builders. “A lot of it is plastered stud walls,” Sara says. “For example, the fridge fits into walls, not cabinetry. It’s clean-lined, but was quite complicated to do.”
Good lighting was vital, too, she adds. “Recesses above each of the units hold LED lighting. You get a nice, soft glow at night.”
The large floor tiles are limestone.
Worktop, Dekton. Kitchen units, Function Design. Island painted in Juniper Ash, Little Greene. Perimeter units painted in Elephant’s Breath; walls painted in Skimming Stone, both Farrow & Ball.
Blue as a colour choice made sense in here. “It felt fresh,” Sara says. “The sea and sky often look quite grey, so even if it’s not the clearest day outside, it’s still blue inside.”
The worktop is Dekton (a very tough blend of glass, quartz and porcelain). “The owner liked its dramatic veining, thinness and the fact you could put pots straight down on it. So it works practically as well as aesthetically,” Sara says.
The Aga is sited to help heat up the room. “There’s no splashback behind it,” the designer says. “The owner put up a picture of her grandchildren instead.”
Longbar chrome handles add a contemporary touch to the Shaker-style units, along with a wide, stainless-steel extractor fan.
The finished kitchen was a team effort involving the designer, architect and builders. “A lot of it is plastered stud walls,” Sara says. “For example, the fridge fits into walls, not cabinetry. It’s clean-lined, but was quite complicated to do.”
Good lighting was vital, too, she adds. “Recesses above each of the units hold LED lighting. You get a nice, soft glow at night.”
The large floor tiles are limestone.
Worktop, Dekton. Kitchen units, Function Design. Island painted in Juniper Ash, Little Greene. Perimeter units painted in Elephant’s Breath; walls painted in Skimming Stone, both Farrow & Ball.
There’s a large opening connecting the kitchen-diner with one of two living rooms. “The couple didn’t want a separate formal dining room,” Sara explains. “They preferred to have two living rooms, with an extending dining table in the kitchen for all their entertaining – it can seat anything from eight to 14 people.”
The owners are big on cooking and entertaining. “It’s always brave to have an open-plan kitchen-diner,” Sara says. “You have to have confidence in your cooking.” There’s a walk-in pantry behind the fridge, though, with another sink and prep area for some privacy if needed. “That helps manage the busyness of the kitchen,” she adds.
A room-dividing fireplace helps zone the two spaces while still keeping the space open.
Fireplace, Bell Fires.
The owners are big on cooking and entertaining. “It’s always brave to have an open-plan kitchen-diner,” Sara says. “You have to have confidence in your cooking.” There’s a walk-in pantry behind the fridge, though, with another sink and prep area for some privacy if needed. “That helps manage the busyness of the kitchen,” she adds.
A room-dividing fireplace helps zone the two spaces while still keeping the space open.
Fireplace, Bell Fires.
The main living room off the kitchen is the less formal of the two reception rooms. “There’s a calm, uplifting feel in this house,” Sara says. “It’s light and bright, thanks to the large windows. The flooring has been kept pale as well – a soft oak parquet with hints of grey. No room is oversized, so it feels cosy in winter.
“It’s also not over-cluttered with furniture for people who are downsizing. They let each piece tell a story.”
The driftwood table reinforces the subtle coastal theme.
Rug, Paul Smith. Corner sofa, Thompson Clarke. Oak parquet, Trunk Flooring.
“It’s also not over-cluttered with furniture for people who are downsizing. They let each piece tell a story.”
The driftwood table reinforces the subtle coastal theme.
Rug, Paul Smith. Corner sofa, Thompson Clarke. Oak parquet, Trunk Flooring.
The first living room connects with a second, more formal one, which provides a home for oil paintings, antique chairs and gilded porcelain.
With a large extended family who love to visit, this needed to be a house suitable for big gatherings. “If more than four or five guests are over, the owners can throw open the internal doors, so people can wander between the rooms,” Sara explains.
“There’s enough seating for everyone, and the house is big enough that there are rooms to escape into if needed. When it’s just the two of them, the couple can close the doors and just use the first living room,” she says.
Shop for living room products on Houzz.
With a large extended family who love to visit, this needed to be a house suitable for big gatherings. “If more than four or five guests are over, the owners can throw open the internal doors, so people can wander between the rooms,” Sara explains.
“There’s enough seating for everyone, and the house is big enough that there are rooms to escape into if needed. When it’s just the two of them, the couple can close the doors and just use the first living room,” she says.
Shop for living room products on Houzz.
The brief for this house was simple, Sara says. “The owners wanted everything to be open-plan, easy to clean, inviting, comfortable – all the things anybody with a blank canvas might have high up their list.
However, she points out, “With an older couple experienced at house-moves, it’s maybe different to working with a young professional just starting out. They knew they were downsizing and what they were bringing, but also wanted to look with fresh eyes at a more modern house, having moved from a traditional, 1920s-style home.”
However, she points out, “With an older couple experienced at house-moves, it’s maybe different to working with a young professional just starting out. They knew they were downsizing and what they were bringing, but also wanted to look with fresh eyes at a more modern house, having moved from a traditional, 1920s-style home.”
But while this is a new-build, it’s not, as Sara puts it, “as if they bought a showhome of furniture”. Lots of their pieces have a history. This kilim-covered stool, for instance, is a possession that’s travelled with them. “It’s one of my favourite pieces here,” Sara confesses.
“The couple wanted a change, but also to incorporate some beautiful things that I imagine will be passed down through the family,” she says. “These included Georgian tables, artworks, interesting consoles, lovely old chairs that needed to be shaded from the sun, and so on. Everything fits together and tells a story.
“It’s nice having existing pieces that determine how rooms might look and feel,” she adds. “We love seeing that mix of old and new.”
Rug, The Rug Company.
“The couple wanted a change, but also to incorporate some beautiful things that I imagine will be passed down through the family,” she says. “These included Georgian tables, artworks, interesting consoles, lovely old chairs that needed to be shaded from the sun, and so on. Everything fits together and tells a story.
“It’s nice having existing pieces that determine how rooms might look and feel,” she adds. “We love seeing that mix of old and new.”
Rug, The Rug Company.
A wall of exposed stone in the hallway reflects the house’s exterior – and the region. “It’s County Down fieldstone, so very local. It has lovely soft beiges and greys in it,” Sara says. “The stone adds texture, and runs up the ground and first floors.”
The rug is another much-loved possession transplanted. “It picks up all the apricot and coral tones and warms up the grey,” Sara says.
The rug is another much-loved possession transplanted. “It picks up all the apricot and coral tones and warms up the grey,” Sara says.
This yellow and grey tub chair is in one of the guest rooms. “It’s a piece from the old house again,” Sara says. “We re-covered and re-piped it in a lovely bright yellow.” Long curtains add to the luxe, traditional feel.
Cabinet painted in Oval Room Blue, Farrow & Ball.
Cabinet painted in Oval Room Blue, Farrow & Ball.
In the guest room, the huge headboard is designed to work with twin beds either pushed together as a double or separated.
The bedside cabinet was chosen for its driftwood feel.
Find an interior designer in your area.
The bedside cabinet was chosen for its driftwood feel.
Find an interior designer in your area.
This guest en suite features a bath big enough for the grandchildren.
Bath, Clearwater. Tiles. Porcelanosa.
Bath, Clearwater. Tiles. Porcelanosa.
The vanity unit in this guest en suite was custom-made by Function Design.
Another en suite features a large countertop basin.
“We wanted the master bedroom to be really luxurious,” Sara says. “The owners are retired. They want a slower pace, and they can really enjoy this room.”
A big headboard means plenty of comfort – and blue features heavily once more, along with soft greys and white.
A big headboard means plenty of comfort – and blue features heavily once more, along with soft greys and white.
Thompson Clarke and the owners worked together closely to create a palette and design they loved. “They came with us to a trade fair in Paris, and we picked lots of accessories and furniture,” Sara says.
“Nice things always go together,” she adds. “They don’t need to match perfectly. If you have the right theme, and idea, you can buy with confidence.”
“Nice things always go together,” she adds. “They don’t need to match perfectly. If you have the right theme, and idea, you can buy with confidence.”
The master en suite has a pitched roof, which made things awkward. So Thompson Clarke came up with an ingenious solution to help fit everything in, including a bath.
“The vanity unit is suspended from a central wall in the bathroom, at the ceiling’s highest point,” Sara explains. “The loo and bidet are on the other side.”
“The vanity unit is suspended from a central wall in the bathroom, at the ceiling’s highest point,” Sara explains. “The loo and bidet are on the other side.”
The exterior of the home shows how beautiful traditional stonework can look incorporated into a more modern design. The house is surrounded by leafy gardens and a sunny patio. “The owner is passionate about gardening,” Sara says. “It’s her new hobby now she’s retired.”
Tell us…
What do you love about this modern stone home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you love about this modern stone home? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A retired couple
Location The coast of County Down, Northern Ireland
Property A new-build house, completed in 2016
Size Four bedrooms with four en suites; 4,000 sq ft in total
Interior designer Sara Thompson of Thompson Clarke Interiors
Architect Des Ewing Residential Architects
Photos by Bradley Quinn
The property was designed by architects Des Ewing, and is built using traditional stone. However, Thompson Clarke were brought on board at a very early stage, working alongside the builders and architect.
“We started mapping out floorplans, looking at tiling, flooring, fireplaces, lighting, where we might put curtains versus blinds, and so on,” says interior designer Sara Thompson. “Luckily, the owners had a really clear idea of what each room’s function would be, including what furniture was going in.”