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Houzz Tour: Overhauled Interiors in a Tiny Fisherman's Cottage
Its 1880s structure is protected, but extensive interior damage and a puzzling layout are erased to make this Irish home livable and bright
Houzz Editorial Staff
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Although it's a piece of Irish history, this 280-square-foot cottage was rotting away in Ireland's coastal town of Bray. Built in the 1880s as a primitive fisherman's cottage, it had been decaying and uninhabited since a poor remodel in the 1960s. The client, who grew up in Bray, envisioned bringing the cottage to life as a small vacation home.
Colm Doyle and DMVF Architects helped her turn this tiny space into something livable and bright. Behind its traditional cottage exterior, a new, modern interior revolves around an innovative plywood cube that divides the room by activity, creating a sleek and open feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a second home for a Dublin woman to stay in while visiting her mother.
Location: Bray, Ireland
Size: 280 square feet
Colm Doyle and DMVF Architects helped her turn this tiny space into something livable and bright. Behind its traditional cottage exterior, a new, modern interior revolves around an innovative plywood cube that divides the room by activity, creating a sleek and open feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a second home for a Dublin woman to stay in while visiting her mother.
Location: Bray, Ireland
Size: 280 square feet
by DMVF Architects
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The client wanted to keep the exterior's cottage look. Due to its history, this home is listed as a protected structure, which meant Doyle couldn't knock it down and had to work within its tiny footprint. But since the house had been remodeled in the 1960s, the interior could be changed dramatically.
The cottage has no front or back garden, and originally had only one tiny toilet that had to be accessed from the outdoors.
The cottage has no front or back garden, and originally had only one tiny toilet that had to be accessed from the outdoors.
by DMVF Architects
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Traditional forms fall away inside, as you can see in these photos of the redesign, shot before the home was furnished and decorated.
The original layout had divided the house with a galley kitchen down the middle — right inside the entrance — with the bedroom on one side and a small living space on the other. The odd layout made the 280 square feet feel even smaller. The client wanted to maximize the space and light in the home.
The original layout had divided the house with a galley kitchen down the middle — right inside the entrance — with the bedroom on one side and a small living space on the other. The odd layout made the 280 square feet feel even smaller. The client wanted to maximize the space and light in the home.
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by DMVF Architects
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| Doyle and his team removed the home's original low ceiling and inserted a plywood cube, each side with its own function. The kitchen takes up one side, access to the shower room is around the corner, a sleeping loft sits on the top, and this side holds storage and a small utility space. "It became apparent very quickly during the design process that every last inch of space needed a specific purpose and dedicated use," says Doyle. |
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BEFORE: Water pouring in through a leaky roof caused damage throughout the home. Unoccupied for the past 10 years, the house had no functioning gas or electric system. The kitchen was terribly outdated — an awkward mix of tastes and styles from different eras.
by DMVF Architects
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AFTER: The rear side of the cube now holds the kitchen and additional storage. The railing above opens to the bedroom at the top of the cube, which faces rear windows and skylights. Nothing exists from the previous kitchen — sleek cabinetry, durable countertops and modern appliances now make up a simple space that works perfectly for a second home.
by DMVF Architects
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Because the cottage had been left unoccupied and in a terrible state for so long, it was difficult for the client to envision how the interior could become livable. While she wanted it to be comfortable and full of light, she didn't have any preferences stylewise, so Doyle and his team were essentially left with a blank slate.
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BEFORE: The original living space was outdated and suffering from severe water damage. Wallpaper peeled from the walls, and old linoleum covered the floors.
by DMVF Architects
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AFTER: Even though the cube takes up about half of the floor space in the house, it allots far more living space than the original divided layout did. "This project was about working from the minimum upwards," says Doyle. "We looked at the minimum size of each of the elements or functions, and allocated space to them after that."
by DMVF Architects
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Stairs built into the plywood cube lead up to the sleeping platform.
The home's small size made work challenging for the construction team, particularly with no exterior garden to retreat to. Doyle had to make sure that only a couple people were in the home at the same time, so construction could be safe and efficient.
The home's small size made work challenging for the construction team, particularly with no exterior garden to retreat to. Doyle had to make sure that only a couple people were in the home at the same time, so construction could be safe and efficient.
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by DMVF Architects
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| A surprisingly spacious loft takes advantage of the cottage's sloped ceilings. Large skylights let in afternoon and evening light but keep the room from becoming too bright in the morning. Closet and storage space built into the wall eliminates the need for a dresser or wardrobe. |
Ideabook published on Dec. 30, 2012.
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This is an amazing renovation.
It is easy to have a fabulous home if you have a credible decorator, thousands of feet to decorate along with an unlimited budget.
The dropped floor in kitchen is an absolute for this to work?i wish the dimensions were posted.thank you. Great job!!