Let there be light: The renewed interiors of a 19th-century building turned family home

Interior designer Niamh O’Callaghan's goal was to brighten this South Dublin dwelling.

The fabrics used throughout the spaces followed organic patterns which gave a romantic and traditional feel to the more sculptural pieces of furniture and décor. Pictures: Ruth Maria Murray

If walls could talk, the walls around every nook and cranny of this former vicarage would more than likely ask to “skip to the good part” and burst into song — the one about their own vibrant restoration, of course.

And any singsong would have to be accompanied by music. Step from room to room in this family home and the upbeat airs of Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons seem to follow. The melodies of the Italian violin maestro’s Spring and Summer concertos float into the mind’s ear — just like the hummingbirds and butterflies hover on the wall coverings in the dining room.