Room of the Week: Vintage Meets Modern in a Former Textile Factory
With an eclectic art collection and layers of textures, a design-savvy couple have transformed this warehouse into a hip, light-filled home
‘As soon as we heard it used to be a leather factory, we knew it was the one,’ says Jen O Dwyer, founder and designer of leather jacket design house J.O.D. The moment they walked into this open-plan apartment, with its huge windows and multiple balconies, both Jen and her art director fiancé, Dan, set their hearts on making this Dublin pad their own.
When the creative couple first moved in, they did so as renters, so could only make small cosmetic changes. Last year they made the decision to buy, but found it very difficult to find a property that suited them as much as this one did. ‘Nothing felt right,’ recalls Jen. ‘So one evening while drinking wine, we decided to send the landlord an email to see whether he would be interested in selling. He was, and it all worked out!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Jen O Dwyer and her fiancé, Dan O’ Neill
Location Blackpitts, Dublin
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
When the creative couple first moved in, they did so as renters, so could only make small cosmetic changes. Last year they made the decision to buy, but found it very difficult to find a property that suited them as much as this one did. ‘Nothing felt right,’ recalls Jen. ‘So one evening while drinking wine, we decided to send the landlord an email to see whether he would be interested in selling. He was, and it all worked out!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Jen O Dwyer and her fiancé, Dan O’ Neill
Location Blackpitts, Dublin
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Once the keys were officially handed over, a desire to make the apartment their own lead Jen and Dan to embark on a complete redesign of the whole space. The couple started with the kitchen – specifically the floor. They really wanted to introduce an industrial feel with a concrete floor, but after much research, realised it was a painstakingly slow process and would take far too long to complete – especially as they would be living in the space throughout the works!
So Dan went into full research mode and found a replacement with these decorative concrete tiles. Once the flooring had been decided upon and a way had been devised to get the tiles from Budapest to Dublin, Dan built a 3D model of the space on his laptop and designed the rest of their home around the new floor.
A long-horn bull skull that hails from Texas hangs above the couple’s office area in the open-plan space.
Both Jen and Dan utilise this creative work hub. Touches of pale pink – in the plant pots and flex – soften the space.
Small potted cacti dot the office shelf, providing a bright contrast to the wall painted in soft grey Plummett by Farrow & Ball.
Read tips for creating an indoor garden
Read tips for creating an indoor garden
The piece on the dining table is a cast of a sperm whale’s vertebra, which was found off the coast of Cork. It was made by Irish sculptor DR Dublin. The dining table came from Dan’s family home.
Most of the furniture in the flat was bought from Francis Street in Dublin, which is renowned for its antique and second-hand stores. This chair was the couple’s first big purchase after they bought the apartment. Once they spotted this 1980s Habitat limited-edition piece, they knew they had to have it and managed to haggle the price down.
Tactile elements, such as a corner sofa and large cowhide rug (under the table), add warmth to the couple’s lounging zone. The antique cobbler’s shoes and baby shark vertebra displayed on the table in the lounging are are from local art and antiques dealer Decor.
The concrete foot was made by Jen as part of her final year art project.
The couple’s impressive art collection has been amassed over the years. They met in art college, where Jen studied sculpture and Dan did fine art. Even before they became a couple, they liked similar designs, and bartered their art creations with each other on more than one occasion. This love of art grew and developed with their relationship – a love that’s evident as soon as you walk into their home.
The couple are keen cyclists and the mounted saddle is a homage of sorts to their favourite pastime. The saddle is in fact an old Soviet army bicycle saddle, which Dan sourced on eBay. He bought it with the intention of using it on his bike, but after one too many incidents involving his ‘trousers wearing away in the crotch area’, he decided it was better suited as an artwork!
This Jimi Hendrix piece was gifted to Jen by a local art gallery she worked in. If you look closely, you can spot artist and Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood leaning on a guitar behind Hendrix.
Much of Jen’s inspiration for her leather jackets comes from animal hides and taxidermy, so it’s no surprise to find a number of pieces dotted around the apartment. This pheasant is from her family home and used to belong to her grandmother.
Jen’s fascination with animal skulls is evident throughout the apartment, creating a texturally rich space full of interesting oddities.
A large balcony off the living room provides ample space for plants and herbs, not to mention a fantastic spot for a night-time tipple during the humid Irish summer.
‘This is both a great home and a brilliant party pad,’ says Jen. The open-plan style means people can move easily around the space.
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