The Irish Times, Thursday, June 4th 2015
Going Bauhaus in Inchicore
The unique decor of this renovated cottage is a bit like the owner’s music – a mix of funk, jazz and a whole lot of soul
Old photographs of 7 Inchicore Road, tell a different story from what it is today.
The transformation from a dark cottage with low ceilings, minimal natural light and an overgrown garden, to a bright free-flowing modern home was undertaken by DJ and designer Marcin Mathea and his partner Aga.
Purchased in 2012 for €140,000, the renovations of the property are more a metamorphosis as there is simply no comparison to its original form.
Mathea, who had first studied architecture, retrained in multimedia design and attributes the Bauhaus movement as an influential factor in the overall design. “The walls of the original house were crumbling and the layout was a disaster – we wanted a flexible space in a form that was easy to maintain,” says Marcin.
The couple replaced the roof, as the original contained asbestos and raised the ceilings installing many Fakro skylights.
A wall of concertina glass doors in the living area, in addition to the skylights, allows an abundance of light to reflect off the white walls.
After discovering that the original stone walls, hidden beneath the render of the cottage exterior, were the same as the stone used in nearby Kilmainham Gaol, the couple had them re-pointed.
A canary yellow door and windows give an indication that bold and daring interiors lie inside.
Sound waves
There are some humorous nods and winks throughout the property. The kitchen cupboard doors are in blues and greens as the couple couldn’t decide which colour to choose – so they used both. This, combined with interesting floor art in the bedrooms and exposed overhead beams, are a collaboration of composition and colour and it really works.
Grey and yellows in the family bathroom mimic the external hues on the house and mosaic tile patterns on the bathroom floor are a tribute to Mathea’s love of music and echo the sound waves on a stereo.
The colours used throughout the property are reminiscent of Bauhaus expressionist Johannes Itten’s colour wheel, and balance design and functionality.
The 93sq m house has three bedrooms. One is currently used as a design studio by Mathea. Inspiration for the flooring – industrial lino cut into abstract colours, comes from 1960’s record sleeves.
Another humorous take is the storage area in the guest bedroom, where the doors of the units are in jigsaw shapes, and handmade by Mathea.
The unique décor of Number 7 really works, as the embellishments are balanced against a neutral background and a bit like the owner’s music, are a mix of funk jazz and a whole lot of soul.
Owen Reilly Property Consultants is asking €425,000.
The Irish Times, Thursday, June 4th 2015
To read the article on-line, please click here.
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