Inside a Georgian townhouse turned interiors treasure trove

Meet interiors concierge Maoliosa Murray whose move home to Dublin from London led her to her dream workspace

Sat, 13 Nov, 2021 - 08:00

Eve Kelliher

The interiors look that design maven Maoliosa Murray has created in a Dublin Georgian townhouse calls to mind the glamour of a 1950s Paris fashion atelier.

Even her glossy new website, maoliosa.com, gives off that vibe.

Maoliosa adores the comparison. “I absolutely love the 1950s aesthetic!” she says. “And that’s what I wanted to do: I aim to create an atelier experience — for interiors.”

Dublin-born Maoliosa has enjoyed a career steeped in luxury lifestyle brands, with a focus on interiors and property — as well as fashion. “Having worked in property, interiors and lifestyle, I believe it’s all about service, and that’s what I felt I could bring to the Irish market,” she says.

Crisscrossing the globe, Maoliosa mainly divided her time between London and Dublin, until recently.

Maoliosa, who has represented The Rug Company for 12 years, had been keen on returning to Ireland for some time.

But finding the perfect moment to move back to Dublin and a base for her business and home life was the challenge.

The impending arrival of her son Max, now three, was the turning point.

“The Irish market offered retail clients, and also too, Brexit was looming,” she says. “I have enjoyed living in both London and Dublin, but at this point, I felt it was time to move back to Dublin — partly due to the quality of life here.”

While house hunting, Maoliosa was drawn to Georgian townhouse apartments in Ballsbridge. “The apartment I owned in London was of a similar style, and I felt they were the sort of properties you’d see in London and Paris,” she says.

“I viewed this townhouse when these were for sale and I loved it — but unfortunately I felt it was too small for family life, for life with a toddler, so, sadly, I walked away from it.”

Still, the Pembroke Road property continued to resonate with her. “I had thought it would be perfect for work — then, it became available to rent a year later so it made sense for me to return,” says Maoliosa.

So, having set up her family base in Rathgar, Maoliosa set to work on creating the interiors hub of her dreams in the townhouse, named The Apartment, which she launched recently along with its website, maoliosa.com.

It was a blank canvas for both her own creative flair and her designer brands. “I have a Patrick Scott print, and we actually matched the frames with the colours of the walls,” she adds.

LIGHT

The natural light in The Apartment space was a huge draw for Maoliosa. “I love this building, not only because it’s on the ground floor, with a high ceiling, but because of the wonderful light, there are 20 panes of glass in the sash window,” she says.

Maoliosa is the exclusive partner of The Rug Company in Ireland, and The Apartment showroom and design consultancy is also the perfect organic showcase for the other luxury brands she carries such as The Invisible Collection, Baxter, Bethan Gray, CTO Lighting, and The Lacquer Company.

Styled in an apartment setting, it tells the story of Maoliosa’s design aesthetic and the global labels she has coveted from her many years working in London and Europe, and has now brought exclusively to Ireland to be made available to experience and shop for in Dublin.

“I understand how difficult it can be with choice overwhelm, whether searching for that perfect rug, piece of furniture, or sometimes just where to begin,” she says.

Maoliosa’s “little black book” of contacts from the international art and interiors worlds has always been a lure, she adds.

“My Dublin showroom retails an exclusive edit of renowned interior design brands curated by me for my clients and customers who want access to global design on their doorstep, exquisite craftsmanship, that unique piece of furniture,” she says.

In these times, if chronic property shortages and surging rental prices are in the headlines, the interior design concierge found herself in the eye of the storm.

One of the things I’ve noticed — and I think it’s to do with Covid — people of my generation, in our mid-40s, we’re seeing this surge of people our age returning home from across the world, from London, New York, and there’s a huge shortage of properties to buy, so people are renting, and are using my services while waiting to buy their ‘forever home’”

“One of the things I’ve noticed — and I think it’s to do with Covid — people of my generation, in our mid-40s, we’re seeing this surge of people our age returning home from across the world, from London, New York, and there’s a huge shortage of properties to buy, so people are renting, and are using my services while waiting to buy their ‘forever home’,” says Maoliosa.

Maoliosa at the fireplace in her Georgian townhouse Apartment design consultancy.

“This afternoon I have got clients from New York that are returning home. They are used to having access to these types of brands on their doorsteps.

"They’re excited about having these types of brands. All the stuff that they don’t want to think about, the logistics.”

The one-stop-shop aspect of the concierge service is appealing.

“We handle the shipping, we look after everything from start to finish, we look after installing the product, everything is considered,” she adds.

“I oversee every aspect of the shopping experience, from initial product and
design options to managing the production process and all the background logistics for you, including shipping and customs (where applicable) to delivery and final installation with our white glove team.

“I want people to come in and be able to experience the brand — it can be a big decision when people are investing in a piece.”

What are the price points? “Items are from entry-level point, for first-time buyers and rental apartments, right up to ‘the world is your oyster’,” she adds.

“Not everyone wants the rockstar rugs on the playroom floor,” she says.

“We have rugs for people who are in their first home and right up to the 100% silk rugs. People want a tiered offering. The whole idea is

you come in, enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat.”

FAVOURITES

Does she have any particular favourite spaces or pieces?

Maoliosa loves to curl up in her Eileen armchair as well as on her Sofa 190.

Maoliosa on the Sofa 190 by Pierre Augustin Rose, The Invisible Collection.

“I love the Sofa 190 by Pierre Augustin Rose, from The Invisible Collection,” she says.

The Climbing Leopard design by Diane Von Furstenburg for The Rug Company.

As for rug choices at the moment? “Climbing Leopard is an iconic design by Diane Von Furstenberg for The Rug Company, and is a handknotted silk rug,” she says.

“Smoke is another favourite of mine by Adam Hunter handknotted wool and silk and also in stock in Dublin.

“Ramble is a new design from The Rug Company inhouse studio, handknotted wool and silk, and Ellis a new design from The Rug Company in-house studio, handknotted wool and silk.

“I have created a little library space, and I really like to curl up in the Eileen armchair by the windows, the light there is incredible.”

The pandemic, she feels, has also contributed to this type of shopping experience.

“Bizarrely, Covid has lent itself to people getting onboard with this one-to-one appointment shopping,” adds Maoliosa. “I think people feel in addition to the obvious service, people just feel that it’s a safe and pleasant experience.”