Architect Mary O'Donoghue has created an apartment that can comfortably accommodate 80 partygoers, or just its two owners, in equal comfort
John Mahony runs a "reputation management" company and lives with his partner Kieran Moore, a catering recruitment specialist, in an apartment in the centre of Dublin. Soon after they bought the apartment, they asked architect Mary O'Donohue to create an environment that would be comfortable, whether the masters of the house were entertaining 80 guests, or pottering around alone.
LIVING ROOM
The apartment stretches over two floors, with the front door opening directly into the living area. From this room, a staircase descends to the kitchen and dining room. The living room best demonstrates the owners' approach to collecting.
This room started with a clean canvas. Decorative painter Christopher Moore painted the walls. "His brief was to age them, to take them down a notch, so they look older," Mahony said. In the room they have been given a blue tinge. "He took his cue from the colour of the limestone radiator-cover lids." Asian furniture including a Chinese cabinet, is positioned against one wall.
Mahony and Moore use large floral displays to add colour and extra punch. Moore is a talented artist, and one of his paintings provided the inspiration for the circular rug in the middle of the room, made by Ceadogan Rugs.
The art in the room includes paintings by Tom Climant. Mahony recommends two galleries: "The Jonathan Swift Gallery, based in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim and in Dublin, is one of the best from which to buy emerging artists, and The Stony Road Press, based in Dublin's North Strand is a relatively well-kept secret if you want to start buying art, but don't have lots to spend. They have lithographs and prints by artists such as Anne Madden, Louis le Brocquy and Patrick Scott."
Sources: Paint specialist Christopher Moore (087-2500380); Paul Berry, Adonis Flowers (01-4545973); Chinese cabinets can be bought from Jennifer Goh (071-9622208); The Jonathan Swift Gallery, www.jonathanswiftgallery.com (086-8035771/01-4164612); The Stony Road Press (by appointment only, 01-8878544).
ENTERTAINING SPACE
Parties at the apartment often involve dinner, followed by dancing. These events take place on the lower floor, in the kitchen and dining room. The kitchen, practically unidentifiable from most angles, is built on a platform at the back of the room and hidden behind a curved wall. "It means we can talk to guests while preparing food, and they can smell what's cooking without seeing the mess," Mahony explains. "Storage everywhere keeps things neat and tidy." For example, the wall beneath the windows is lined with presses. Stephan O'Briain, an Irish furniture designer, made the rosewood dining table. It is mounted on casters, and after dinner it can be turned against a wall to make space for dancing. The comfortable leather dining chairs are by Cassina and were bought at Haus. "I have a fetish for chairs," Mahony admits. "My idea of a holiday last summer was to go to Copenhagen, where we saw hundreds of chairs. There are 30 in the apartment, at last count." In the foreground are two Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs, resting on a rug based on the work of Eileen Grey and made by Ceadogan Rugs.
Sources: Reclaimed parquet flooring can be bought for €30 per square yard at the Dublin Architectural Salvage Company (01-4734368); furniture designer Stephen O'Briain can be contacted at 087-2707674; Egg chairs, from €1,695, from Living (01-2828905); Ceadogan Rugs accept commissions at their studio in Wexford (051-561349).
LUXURY BATHROOM
"I come from a small Irish family of 11 children," Mahony laughs, "and a private bathroom, with a lock and without a queue, was a privilege we didn't have." A Louis le Brocquy painting hangs in the marble-clad bathroom. The double sinks are made from stainless steel drums, topped with more marble, on which the basins sit. Towels are stacked hotel-style in an alcove next to the extra deep bath, bought in London. An easy-to-replicate idea is to float over-sink mirrors a couple of inches beyond the outline of the storage units on which they are mounted - this creates a floating effect.
Sources: Versatile Bathrooms (046-9029444) sells extra-deep baths, costing from €600 to €1,000. Buy mirror glass from Myra Glass (01-4533321)
LOW-KEY BEDROOM
While half of the lower floor is designed with parties in mind, the rest is better suited to quiet times. "The idea in the bedroom, for example, was to make a tranquil space away from rest of the apartment," Mahony says. In one corner is a chest and Chinese chair from W39 Life-wares, a purchase inspired by visits to Beijing, where one of Mahony's sisters lives. The lamp with metal shade is 1940s.
Sources: Eminence in Sandycove, Co Dublin (01-2300193) sells this style of Chinese chair from €400, and they can also be sourced through www.w39.ie; Retrospect (01-6726188) in Cow's Lane, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 is a good source of vintage lamps.