When an entrepreneur couple returned from the US seeking a Dublin home where they could enjoy living with their three young daughters, entertain family and friends and develop their latest business venture, they turned to Sherrard Design whose work they had admired to transform a terraced house, built in 1852, from grotty and water damaged bedsits into a beautiful family home. 

Having been in the tech industry for years, they were used to timely decision-making and delegating rather than micro-managing and, according to Sherrard Design, wanted to work efficiently with a single point of contact. Able to accommodate their need for speed and convenience and to get things done in a way they could relate to, Sherrard Design became involved from the start in the search for the right property. Sherrard Design would then oversee construction and renovations and furnish the interiors, coordinating the teams and keeping the process on target.

The original floorboards were stained in dark Jacobean brown, with crisp patterned mosaic tiled floors chosen for hallway and bathrooms; the cornicing, shutters and radiators were painted in with the wall shades and, key to the overall look, the walls were panelled. The panelled walls, something of a signature for Sherrard Design, create an architectural rhythm, accentuating good proportions. To achieve this, Gillian headed off with her measuring tape to capture the dimensions of the original Georgian panelling that exists in buildings like the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, meticulously replicating them in situ. A darker palette was chosen for the middle floor to differentiate it as a night-time space, and to contrast with the lightness of both ground and upper floors. 

Sourced from Paris, first-rate vintage lighting, grand statement chandeliers and pendants, illuminate and draw attention to the high ceilings and decorative plasterwork. A sprinkling of art deco references hint at time spent in the US. Sherrard Design designed tall, glossy wood-framed mirrors with solid brass inlays for the dining room and hallway. Unlacquered brass detailing is also found elsewhere on door architecture, lighting and cabinetry. Simple, elegant kitchen and bathroom fittings are a combination of solid painted poplar wood and silestone. As you exit the kitchen through the door with its original stained glass panels, a glass bridge links the house with the garden via a wisteria-clad pergola.