Cork architect blends cottage charm with contemporary light in a stunning Kinsale renovation

Eve Kelliher discovers how an architect renovated and extended an end-of-terrace Kinsale property

The end-of-terrace property on Higher O'Connell Street, Kinsale, Co Cork, which was redesigned and extended by Conneely Wessels Architects. Pictures: Jed Niezgoda, jedniezgoda.com

Just imagine you’re invited for a sleepover at Number 1 Higher O’Connell Street, Town-Plots, Kinsale, Co Cork.

You sail into the sparkling harbour late at night, make your way to your quarters in the town centre, are shown to your berth on the renovated end-of-terrace’s first floor, and fall into an exhausted slumber after your voyage.

Once the sliding/folding door is in its open position, the inside and outside merges, due to the selection of the same floor finish. This means he usable space almost doubles in size. Pictures: Jed Niezgoda

Which means it’s not until you peer out the window at first light that you behold the portrait representing one of history’s most famous pirate queens outside. “There is a fantastic view from the guest bedroom window. It looks down the ‘Stoney Steps’, which pay tribute to Anne Bonny, with the steps featuring the line ‘Well-behaved women seldom make history’,” says Kinsale architect Lizette Conneely.

The town is believed by many scholars to be the birthplace of Bonny, to whom this artistic tribute was unveiled in 2021.

Selection, colour and texture of materials responds to the ‘Irish cottage aesthetic’, which blends with contemporary elements.

Co Cork native Anne, née Cormac, eloped to the Bahamas three hundred years ago during the “golden age of piracy” with an Irish sailor, James Bonny. Her name has been immortalised in escapades of pillaging and plunder that followed. (For more, see the feature by Robert Hume on the Irish Examiner website: The fact and fiction of Cork pirate Captain Anne Bonny.)

Natural daylight and hidden lighting enhance the design.

From swashbuckling queens of the high seas to well-crafted homes steeped in a history all their own, No 1 Higher O’Connell Street, located at the top of the landmark stairway, caught the eye of its American owners when they were on a visit to Kinsale. “They fell in love with the property even though it was dated, with poorly constructed extensions to the rear,” says Lizette, co-founder and director of Conneely Wessels Architects.

The bright facade at the residence on Higher O'Connell Street, Kinsale. Pictures: Jed Niezgoda

The couple promptly made their purchase, and it was upon Lizette’s award-winning practice that the new owners’ gaze next fell, as they engaged the team to create and deliver a design solution that modernised their acquisition and made the most of its potential.

There's a linen cupboard on the landing at the top of the stairs.

The setting informed the vision, says Lizette. As the residence is located in a conservation area in the heart of Kinsale, the renovation and extension aimed to keep as much of the character of the original house as possible, but also introduce contemporary elements, to maximise natural daylight. “The original character was retained by replacing the sash windows of the old terrace and adding a new sash window on the end gable, to provide more daylight and views to the master bedroom suite,” says the architect.

Accommodation on the refurbished ground floor includes a new guest bath room, living room and cloak cupboard, whilst the new extension provides a kitchen/dining space and a “hidden” utility/plant room.

The extended and renovated Kinsale end-of-terrace residence blends the property's indoor and outdoor space.

The ground-floor accommodation also includes a snug room, open-plan kitchen/dining area, utility room, powder room and cloak cupboard, while the first-floor accommodation includes a main bedroom with en-suite and another guest bedroom with storage on the landing. “The refurbishment of the existing first-floor intervention allowed for a guest bedroom and master bedroom with an adjoining en-suite, and a linen cupboard at the top landing of the staircase,” says Lizette.

The clients bought the property in 2019, and work started that summer. The renovation took two years to complete, and it was shipshape by summer 2021.

The accommodation on the refurbished ground floor includes a kitchen, as well as a new guest bathroom, living room and cloak cupboard, whilst the new extension provided a kitchen/dining space and a “hidden” utility/plant room.

Conneely Wessels Architects was the lead architect and interior designer, with Cedarwood Construction Limited as the building contractor and Mark Salter Engineering Limited, Kinsale, on board as engineer and Synnott Scallan as quantity surveyor.

The original house was 79 square metres. Now the property’s footprint, including the new extension, is around 84 square metres. “The scope for the project included alterations to the existing dwelling, demolition of existing single-storey extensions to the rear of the existing dwelling, construction of a new single-storey extension to the rear of the existing dwelling, together with alterations to elevations and a new roof light to the kitchen/dining space,” says Lizette. 

The living space.

“Our purpose was to demolish old extensions, refurbish the existing end-of-terrace property and extend it to maximise the available footprint.”

THE owners and architect were keen to “enhance and celebrate” the historic qualities of the original dwelling by blending the original “Irish cottage aesthetic” with a contemporary approach, adds Lizette.

A new rooflight enhances the contemporary feel of the design.

Exactly how did Conneely Wessels Architects, which also coordinated the interior design, go about this? “The selection, colour and texture of materials respond to the ‘Irish cottage aesthetic’, such as wide-plank timber flooring, Kilkenny limestone and shiplap timber wall cladding, whilst the contemporary full-height glazed extension, with large roof light, lighting design, and incorporation of indirect and hidden lighting, is a more contemporary approach,” says Lizette.

A rooflight was added to the kitchen.

The indoor-outdoor ambience is key to the home’s appeal, and light floods the entire living space. “The design concept was a new single-storey extension with a raised ceiling height, to the rear of the existing house, lit by a linear roof light, bringing natural daylight deep into the plan,” says Lizette. “The new extension offers an opportunity for the kitchen/dining space to connect directly with the terrace on the outside, especially with the introduction of a full-width sliding/folding door.

Maximising storage space was a priority in this design.

“Once the sliding/folding door is in its open position, the inside and outside merge, due to the selection of the same floor finish — the usable space almost doubles in size, and so it is a very successful design approach. The raised ceiling height, floor-to-ceiling windows and roof light flood the space with light, creating a wonderful space to spend time in.”

Elevations and a new rooflight were added to the kitchen/dining space.

And whatever about pirates’ fabled treasure chests for their loot stashes, clever use of storage space was a priority in this design, according to the architect. “The house even includes a utility room and cloak cupboard and maximises storage with a linen cupboard on the landing at the top of the stairs,” says Lizette.

Anne Bonny and her crewmates would surely approve.

Key suppliers included Junckers for hardwood flooring, Delforno Tiles and Timber, Lightplan, Cork, Irish International Trading Corporation for sanitaryware, Cullenview Interiors Limited and Hickeys Stonework.

'The raised ceiling height, floor-to ceiling windows and roof light floods the space with light, creating a wonderful space to spend time in,' says the architect.

Did the task present any challenges? “The biggest challenge of this project was that construction commenced just before the pandemic,” says Lizette. “As the clients and property owners are from Seattle, Washington, it meant they could not travel to Ireland, due to the international travel restrictions imposed.

“Nevertheless, we [Conneely Wessels Architects] delivered the project during this difficult time, whilst following the strict government guidance imposed on construction sites.

Light and storage were key considerations in the architecture and design plan.

“The next time the clients were able to visit, the house was completed because we provided a full service, including architectural and interior design services. The clients arrived in Kinsale at their new home, to a completed, fully functional home, even with a bottle of wine in the fridge!”

A bedroom in the renovated end-of-terrace property.

Conneely Wessels has also delivered the award-winning “Peek-a-boo!” in Kinsale (as featured on these pages, in Irish Examiner Home glossy magazine, in 2021). “This was another transformation project that speaks to the refurbishment and extension of an existing 1970s bungalow,” says Lizette.

Lead architect and interior designer: Conneely Wessels Architects Limited

Quantity surveyor: Synnott Scallan

Engineer: Mark Salter Engineering Limited

Contractor: Cedarwood Construction Limited

Flooring: Junckers

Tiling: Delforno Tiles and Timber

Light fittings: Lightplan, Cork

Sanitaryware: Irish International Trading Corporation

Fitted furniture: Cullenview Interiors Ltd and Hickeys Stonework

Photography: Jed Niezgoda Photography (Jedniezgoda.com)