For this Irish interior designer, home is where one’s authentic self is joyfully revealed without reservation …
From the front, it presents as a classic Georgian townhouse, with its back facing the wintry, grey Irish sea. But Suzie McAdam has infused her house with such warmth and vibrancy, layering jewel-toned textiles, bold patterns, and her extensive collection of Irish and European art, that once inside, one is instantly amazed. Suzie approaches every interior project with her highly distinctive personal style – extravagant, vibrant, playful. Renowned for balancing the whimsical and fantastical with the refined and considered, it is precisely this combination that makes her own home a sanctuary for Suzie, her husband, their two young sons, and their husky, Mischko.
Interior designer Suzie McAdam. The chaise longue is her design, upholstered in a Lizzo velvet, with bolsters in a patterned fabric by Schumacher. The vintage Perspex piano, 1960s piano stool and rug were sourced in various markets. The floor lamp is Egyptian, dating from the 1920s, and the oil paintings are from Suzie’s art collection.
The dramatic entrance hall with a wallpaper scene reproduced from a picture in the V&A, and antique chinoiserie mirror, French woven bench and mahogany side table, all sourced from antique markets. The wall panelling and internal doors are painted in Studio Green by Farrow & Ball. A glimpse of the staircase runner beyond reveals it to be Pierre Frey’s Palmador in pink.
Integrating art and antiques is central to Suzie’s unique style. “I’ve always been inspired by collectors more so than designers, women like Pauline Karpidas and Bunny Mellon. From Karpidas I take the joy of instinct, bringing home a piece simply because it made me pause or smile. From Mellon I’ve learned restraint, and the idea that beauty should feel inevitable and timeless rather than forced.”
Having acquired the house just three years ago, Suzie spent much of the first two years renovating it room by room as the family lived in it. In the entrance hall, a wallpaper scene is reproduced from a painting Suzie saw hanging in the V&A, a nod to her family’s love of the sea and sailing. “I loved its sunset palette, which I felt would work to lift the rather earthy tones of the original floor tiles.” A huge chinoiserie mirror with shelving and a bow-fronted mahogany side table were sourced from The Storeyard in Co Laois, while the ceiling pendant by Aerin Lauder for Visual Comfort and the bench from a French flea market add impact to the mix.
“I’m instinctively drawn to the unusual, the piece that feels slightly out of step yet deeply resonant.”
The drawing room includes a mix of European antiques and art with vintage armchairs from Paris, vintage camel-back sofa, antique stool and curtains, all in Pierre Frey fabrics. As well as the 1970s burl and brass credenza, there is a Viennese chandelier, Victorian chinoiserie overmantel mirror and an Egg Timer side table. The scatter cushions are by Suzie McAdam, made in Ireland, in a Pierre Frey fabric.
Suzie approached the design of the drawing room from a place of passion and personal connection. “This is a perfect example of a scheme where my brain is on display!” Many of her projects involve using murals: “They are so expressive.” The distinctive hand-painted ceiling-scape was commissioned from Irish artist Michael Dillon. Somehow, Suzie knew that this would work beautifully with the 1970s Tophat Triptych on the wall behind the vintage camel-backed sofa and the other pieces of unique furniture in the room, many Egyptian-inspired. “I am obsessed by Egyptology. I am drawn to its geometry and the palette which can feature a lot of ochre, burgundy and black.”
The banquette and dining table were designed by Suzie McAdam, the Regency dining chairs were bought at auction and reupholstered in Linwood’s Wild Life Yanagi velvet.
The mahogany freestanding kitchen island and cabinetry, designed by Suzie McAdam, was made by David Crowley Furniture. The Brazilian Azur quartzite worktops are by Miller Brothers.
In keeping with her philosophy around evolving and decorating, most of the furniture and art came with Suzie from her previous house. “I must have experimented with the layout in this room 50 times, moving things around, editing, trying things out and adding in pieces until I felt it was balanced.”
The kitchen, with its freestanding island, curved window overlooking the sea, arched cupboards and range in the original fireplace opening, has a timeless and traditional air. “I love to cook so the aesthetic here had to be very useable and practical – with a young family, functionality is key.” Here, the statement piece is the magnificent (and mobile) kitchen island, which Suzie designed using the idea of a traditional dairy table as a reference point. “Building an interior around a centrepiece helps generate spontaneity.” She also designed the banquette and kitchen table, and the cabinetry. “I find modern kitchen joinery can be monolithic and overly functional-looking so I analysed the existing proportions of the room very carefully and working with what was there, created what I hope is a both clean and timeless effect.” The palette is soft, with vibrancy delivered courtesy of the art arranged on the walls and an abundance of scatter cushions.
“I love to cook so the aesthetic here had to be very useable and practical – with a young family, functionality is key.”
In the kitchen, with the family’s husky Mischko’s favourite spot the 1940s Moroccan rug, the walls are painted in Little Greene’s Flint, pendant lights are from Magic Circus, the cabinetry and island designed by Suzie McAdam and made by David Crowley Furniture. The white-stained oak stools are by Martino Gamper from Gebruder Thonet, Vienna. The hand-painted delft tiles are from Victorian Ceramics and the stainless steel and brass range from La Cornue.
Responding to the atmosphere of a space, says Suzie “is what I really love.” The master bedroom with its custom four-poster and canopy, Georgian chest with Cherry Kawasaki wallpaper by Pierre Frey, and antique loveseat, demonstrates how she makes the grand feel intimate.
“I believe in allowing houses to keep evolving, always a living collection rather than a finished design. My possessions have become dear friends, gathered slowly over time.” Suzie McAdam’s studio and showroom, located in a smart space in Monkstown, will be opening on designated days for interiors lovers to view and possibly buy from her collections of antique furniture, rugs, lighting and art as well as her own range of furniture.
The wallpaper in the master bedroom is Cherry Kawasaki by Pierre Frey. The four-poster’s canopy is by Porte Italia in a Lizzo fabric. The bedside table is from Chelsea Textiles, and the bedside lamp from Villa Bologna Pottery with shade by Birdie Fortescue. The artwork is Doriane by Duc Pham, 2023.
The custom bed quilt is in Ashoka by Pierre Frey. The Regency loveseat is upholstered in Fearless by JP Demeyer & Co.
The wallpaper in the boys’ room is Stratus by House of Hackney, with bed canopies and curtains in fabrics by Pierre Frey. The ceiling paint is Bone China Blue by Little Greene.
DESIGNER’S EYE: SUZIE McADAM
Art does its magic: the ceiling-scape by Michael Dillon juxtaposed with a 1700s Spanish fresco depicting the Annunciation creates a rich vignette.
Craft, comfort, colour and detail are combined in the sitting room. The fibreglass Tea Cup chair, ottoman and artwork bring a touch of frivolity.
The master bathroom, with Viola marble sourced in Italy, is deeply luxurious: “Luxury is less about opulence and more about atmosphere.”
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