Architect shares the magic of Home of the Year's 'Pink House'

'We like to think we have brought a little bit of Spain to Stillorgan,' Courtney McDonnell tells Eve Kelliher

Tue, 21 Feb, 2023 - 00:00

Eve Kelliher

Pink plasterwork, blue skies, and a red-tiled Moroccan-style shower room — just three elements of one property that left the trio of Home of the Year judges feeling as if they had wandered onto balmier shores.

They weren’t far wrong. The south County Dublin house that was first on the itinerary as the 2023 RTÉ One series opened during the week was not only first through to the final but has been the homeowners’ “place in the sun” on many levels from the get-go.

The day after they moved in, Ciara McMahon and Richie Hannify got married and held the wedding reception in their property, cementing it as a home from the very start.

They share the modern mid-century residence with their golden retriever, Stella.

When the couple bought their home in 2020, it needed to be updated so they gutted it and added an extension to the side and rear, after knocking the garage.

Enter architect Courtney McDonnell, director and principal architect of architecture and interior design practice Courtney McDonnell Studio.

Courtney describes The Pink House as the practice’s “boldest to date” — and it certainly proved a hit with viewers and judges alike.

Architects Amanda Bone and Hugh Wallace and interior designer Sara Cosgrove awarded it nine out of ten marks on the first episode on Tuesday, giving it the evening’s top score of 27.

The renovated residence “is a typical 1950s three-bed semi-d”, adds Courtney.

But while the homeowners retained the brick-and-dash exterior, playful surprises lie beyond the front door.

“The project brief called for a new extension at ground level containing an open-plan kitchen-living-dining [area], together with a full renovation of the existing property,” she adds.

“The homeowners approached us at an initial design meeting with a mood board that included a pink front door, and from there, we created our design concept.”

Longtime judge Hugh Wallace said the design reminded him of Mexico and Marrakech — and in that, he was spot on.

The exterior of the pink extension is inspired by Spanish and Moroccan architecture, and by the work of Mexican architect Luis Barragán, with pink and terracotta tones in the sand and cement render.

“The splayed edges and angled walls reflect the bend in the site, directing focus towards the sky and garden, and away from overlooking properties beyond,” says Courtney.

“The textured render application provides different patterns and accents against the blue skies on a sunny day.

“We like to think we have brought a little bit of Spain to Stillorgan!”

Surprises await within each room, including a decadent, colour-blocked shower room.

The well-travelled homeowners had visited a hotel in Morocco with a cavernous shower space and they wanted to replicate this in the design, adds Courtney.

Home of the Year's Amanda Bone shows her living space and shares design secrets

“The red tiled walls are striking against the deep blue cave-like shower alcove that you enter through an arched opening, complete with fibre-optic ceiling lights, gently twinkling as you shower,” she says.

The front reception room is retained and is filled with vintage and antique furniture echoing the mid-century age of the property.

The house is a true reflection of the clients’ personalities, interests and hobbies and has been transformed to suit their day-to-day lives.

The kitchen-living area features a cloakroom, utility and pantry area, all concealed by “covered, secret doors”, adds Ciara.

Both she and Richie love interiors and describing their style, she says: “I want to say it’s eclectic but I always feel like that’s a little bit of a cop-out.

“It’s quirky and might not necessarily be for everyone but it works for us.” Their pooch Stella agrees — she “absolutely adores” the result, adds Richie.

Their favourite spot, in the dining area, is inspired by a booth in Ciara’s grandmother’s house, with a column of plates adorning the wall, some of which they took from Ciara’s granny’s wall,” admits Richie.