A lesson in finishes: custom floors and furniture, lacquer and gloss all add polish and reflectivity …
If you’ve ever fantasised about the idea of living in a hotel with a full staff at your beck and call (not to mention a pool and spa), this will pique your interest.
When successful entrepreneurs Linda and Dan Kiely exited their Cork-based business some years ago, they bought a luxury apartment at the town end of D4, and enlisted award-winning interior designer Róisín Lafferty (who heads up Róisín Lafferty, a full service interior design firm located in Fitzwilliam Square) in a lavish transformation, designed for entertaining.
With the excitement and buzz of that period in their lives replaced by a post-pandemic desire for something equally high end but more understated and with hotel level service, a one-bed at the other side of D4 in The Intercontinental presented a good opportunity to reframe how they wanted to spend their downtime in the capital. With Lafferty once again engaged to create a personal home from home, the focus was on making minor adjustments (more wardrobes and storage, and a successful bid to make the bedroom “almost disappear” behind a door that is shelved) and diminishing the space constraints of the layout while majoring on the detailing, materials and finishes.
Lafferty welcomed the opportunity to “be meticulous about the detail”. Having worked with her clients before, their mutual trust meant a compressed programme of works was achievable: “You cannot design well for clients if we don’t understand each other, especially when you are working with high calibre materials and an artisanal level of finish.” For instance, the custom oak inlaid floor, seen to best effect in the hall and kitchen, was based on a traditional Italian pattern with gold and brass accents, offset with white. It was a complex process to get right, with no tolerance for imperfection.
Róisín Lafferty drew inspiration from the timeless elegance of Parisian apartments: “In the hall, the floor is the focus; we designed it as an artistic feature within the space.” Custom flooring by Trunk Flooring and Miller Brothers Stone combining oak, brass, Giallo and rhino marble. The Roco console is cast bronze with solid walnut legs by Alex Ruskin, Todd Murillo Gallery, New York. Murano glass vase is by Artemest.
Lafferty says what differentiates this space from a generic luxe interior is the artisan layer. “It’s the point of difference, and sometimes evinces a little discomfort – it’s subjective – but means the opposite to looking like a showroom.” She points to the clients’ fine collection of furniture and art that were incorporated: the very special solid brass hand-carved Connemara marble coffee table by Joseph Walsh; the bronze wall Knot sculpture by Martha Sturdy; the brass and turquoise cabinet by Artemest, and the original photographic prints of Kate Moss by Albert Watson.
Other effective design tricks were the application of voiles at the windows to diffuse the light and the addition of highgloss elements. “There is minimal natural light in this space,” says Lafferty, “so I focused on diffusing what light there is, creating a subdued and calming atmosphere. The high-gloss dining table and gleaming gold and brass accents throughout are used to draw attention to a particular element of each room.”
The harmony is a testament to Lafferty’s skill as a designer who celebrates the chance to “push a project a little bit further” to achieve something truly special.
The kitchen was designed with Parisian patisseries as inspiration: “Ladurée macaroon tones and sugary delights came to mind”. The floor pattern from the hall is repeated using different proportions and with different stone. As a small space without natural light, the incorporation of mirror, inset light boxes and the mirrored ceiling expand the sense of space and brighten it. J’Adore quartzite, used for counter frames and splashback, and inset flooring stone are by Miller Brothers, framed by Trunk flooring. Cabinetry is by O’Gorman Joinery.
Custom Róisín Lafferty dining table with lacquered glass and brass top. Dining chairs are the Alpha Chairs by Made in Ratio. Cloud pendant by Apparatus Studio.
The brass knot sculpture is by Canadian artist Martha Sturdy, the drinks cabinet is by Artemest, finished in brass with upholstered Dedar silk doors.
The anchor wall in the dining room has a secret panelled door with shelving that connects to the bedroom suite, deftly “disappearing” it. The mirror is incorporated in the panelling by O’Gorman Joinery to maximise the feeling of space. The artwork by Scott Lyall from Green on Red Gallery, with its gold nano particles, was a key influence in the overall design of this space. Sneaking into view is the gold Kate Moss artwork by photographer Thierry Le Gouès from A-Galerie, France.
The cloud-like living space with tufted velvet and brass Todd Merrill sofa, and a stunning bronze and stone Ileum table by Joseph Walsh. The media wall reads as a free-standing screen structure, concealing the TV behind sliding artworks (Kate Moss photographs by Albert Watson), with a custom, lacquered console below. The sculptural floor lamp is by Ransom and Dunne, the Sputnik chandelier is Italian vintage, the Murano glass vase is by Artemest and the rug is from Rug Art.
The sculptural headboard is upholstered with Dedar silk velvet on the top and pattern at the bottom, adding a soft pink hue to the predominantly gold palette. Smoked Murano glass chandelier and wall lights are by Fiona McDonald.
The pièce de résistance has to be the carved onyx basin in the en suite. Carved to a Róisín Lafferty design from a single piece of ivory onyx by Miller Brothers, it’s softly curved with a high gloss polished finish. Green Oyster marble on the floor and walls is offset by brass accents in the tap fittings and lighting.
For more information, visit; www.roisinlafferty.com; @roisinlaffertyofficial
