Let the sunshine in: Cork home with a Mediterranean vibe

Property Editor Tommy Barker discovers how art and furniture give the interiors of this East Cork residence a timeless appeal

Clean, white and bright spaces in the kitchen living area in Ballyrussell Ballymaloe, Midleton.

It seems almost counterintuitive for a specialist in design to assert that “the best spaces are almost anti-design”. What?

Bear with Fran Walsh, a man with a well-honed eye, a career in brand and commercial design, a savvy background in business and art, as well as a talent for making things — be it a light, a painting, an installation, or just making plain-talking sense.