Houzz Tour: A Cozy Dublin Condo Full of Smart Storage Ideas
This redesigned home is packed with stylish ideas for small-space living
Victoria Harrison
July 20, 2016
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
An agreeable working relationship between homeowners and their designer can make the difference between a good project and a great one. When Pietro Calati and Alessandra Melchionda hired interior designer Dana Kallo of Black Fox to help them with their new Dublin condo, the result was a happy one.
“They were very, very easy clients to work with,” Kallo says. “They were very fast in making decisions, they knew what they liked and what they didn’t, and they were able to listen and have an open mind.” The redesigned flat is stylish, well-thought-out and very personal to the couple.
“They were very, very easy clients to work with,” Kallo says. “They were very fast in making decisions, they knew what they liked and what they didn’t, and they were able to listen and have an open mind.” The redesigned flat is stylish, well-thought-out and very personal to the couple.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Pietro Calati and Alessandra Melchionda
Location: Dublin
Size: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Dana Kallo of Black Fox Interiors
Situated in a modern complex encircling an interior courtyard garden, the apartment has wonderful views from every room. The living area looks out over the bustling street and the River Liffey, while the two bedrooms have tranquil views of the leafy inner garden. The homeowners asked Kallo to complement the views and reflect their style.
Who lives here: Pietro Calati and Alessandra Melchionda
Location: Dublin
Size: Two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designer: Dana Kallo of Black Fox Interiors
Situated in a modern complex encircling an interior courtyard garden, the apartment has wonderful views from every room. The living area looks out over the bustling street and the River Liffey, while the two bedrooms have tranquil views of the leafy inner garden. The homeowners asked Kallo to complement the views and reflect their style.
As soon as they got the keys, the couple took Kallo to visit the property, and together they started making plans. The condo had only one previous owner, so it didn’t need any big structural changes, but Kallo decided to remove a section of wall to open up the kitchen and living room.
“There was a wall dividing the two before,” she says, “but we had the top half of that wall removed to make the scheme much more open [leaving the half-height wall behind the sink area to act as a backsplash]. The owners like to entertain, so it was important to create a space where they could communicate with their friends at the same time as cooking.”
Echo extending dining table: Calligaris; brushed steel and walnut pendant lights: National Lighting; 3-D-effect wall tiles: Porcelanosa
“There was a wall dividing the two before,” she says, “but we had the top half of that wall removed to make the scheme much more open [leaving the half-height wall behind the sink area to act as a backsplash]. The owners like to entertain, so it was important to create a space where they could communicate with their friends at the same time as cooking.”
Echo extending dining table: Calligaris; brushed steel and walnut pendant lights: National Lighting; 3-D-effect wall tiles: Porcelanosa
“All the apartments in the building have the same kitchen — white [cabinets] with a black granite top,” Kallo says. “This one wasn’t in bad shape, and the original plan was to keep it, but it didn’t have much storage. We were considering just changing the cabinet doors, but after a few tries, we realized we could actually gain lots more storage with a new layout.
“The old kitchen ended at the open shelving, so we added an extra unit as well as a row of wall cabinets,” Kallo says. “We also had a storage bench built in under the window.”
The lighting was already good throughout, so Kallo just added extra spotlights above the bench seating plus pendants above the table for drama and visual interest.
Wall cabinets: Kube Kitchens; storage bench: Krisztian Hegedus of Krisz Carpentry; bench pillows: Missoni Home via Roche Bobois; Adelaide dining chairs: in gray felt, BoConcept
“The old kitchen ended at the open shelving, so we added an extra unit as well as a row of wall cabinets,” Kallo says. “We also had a storage bench built in under the window.”
The lighting was already good throughout, so Kallo just added extra spotlights above the bench seating plus pendants above the table for drama and visual interest.
Wall cabinets: Kube Kitchens; storage bench: Krisztian Hegedus of Krisz Carpentry; bench pillows: Missoni Home via Roche Bobois; Adelaide dining chairs: in gray felt, BoConcept
When planning the redesign, Kallo made sure she created lots of separate zones. “If you’re having a dinner party, for example, you might have a few groups of people, so we carved out some separate little areas for people to gather and chat in small groups,” she says.
“The main thing the couple told me they wanted was storage — and lots of it!” Kallo continues. So she commissioned a carpenter to create a custom library wall in the living area. He added oak elements to this to tie it in with the existing oak window frames and flooring.
The oak cabinet fronts were also chosen to complement the flooring and frames. “It gives the rooms a bit of warmth,” Kallo says.
Wall unit: Krisztian Hegedus of Krisz Carpentry; corner sofa: in gray felt, BoConcept; Alya lounge chair: Andreu World via Bushell Interiors
“The main thing the couple told me they wanted was storage — and lots of it!” Kallo continues. So she commissioned a carpenter to create a custom library wall in the living area. He added oak elements to this to tie it in with the existing oak window frames and flooring.
The oak cabinet fronts were also chosen to complement the flooring and frames. “It gives the rooms a bit of warmth,” Kallo says.
Wall unit: Krisztian Hegedus of Krisz Carpentry; corner sofa: in gray felt, BoConcept; Alya lounge chair: Andreu World via Bushell Interiors
“The artworks in here are a bit out of the ordinary,” Kallo says. “They’re made from dried moss, grass and leaves. It’s a very new process — many of the green walls you see in big offices are made using the same process.
“I showed the homeowners some photos, and they decided to be brave and go for it. Fortunately, they ended up liking them a lot.”
Artworks: Mummie Plants; custom oak frames: Krisztian Hegedus of Krisz Carpentry; coffee table: BoConcept; rug: Bushell Interiors; brushed steel and walnut floor lamp: National Lighting
“I showed the homeowners some photos, and they decided to be brave and go for it. Fortunately, they ended up liking them a lot.”
Artworks: Mummie Plants; custom oak frames: Krisztian Hegedus of Krisz Carpentry; coffee table: BoConcept; rug: Bushell Interiors; brushed steel and walnut floor lamp: National Lighting
The soft green wall color in the master bedroom plays off the peaceful courtyard garden view. “We tried four or five shades of green,” Kallo says. “We settled on this one, as it gave a wash of color but wasn’t too bright. It needed to be a relaxing shade.”
The storage theme continues in here — the top of the bed lifts up to reveal a spacious compartment underneath.
Wall paint: Vert de Terre, Farrow & Ball; Lugano storage bed: in king size, BoConcept
The storage theme continues in here — the top of the bed lifts up to reveal a spacious compartment underneath.
Wall paint: Vert de Terre, Farrow & Ball; Lugano storage bed: in king size, BoConcept
Oppland collection bedside table and chest of drawers: Ikea; Klabb table lamp: Ikea
The second bedroom also doubles as an office. Soft green walls, an oak desk and a leafy patterned rug create a natural, relaxing scheme. The sofa can be converted into a bed for guests.
Wall paint: Vert de Terre, Farrow & Ball; sofa bed: BoConcept
Wall paint: Vert de Terre, Farrow & Ball; sofa bed: BoConcept
Manila rug: Sanderson; Valje collection modular wall units: Ikea
A walk-in cupboard was squeezed into a tiny existing hallway closet. “This was a mop cupboard when we arrived,” Kallo says.
“It’s a small space, but Krisztian made bespoke cupboards for the left-hand side and added display storage on the right to maximize every inch. The couple travel a lot and have quite a bit of luggage, so they needed a place to store this, as well as somewhere to display and stash shoes and accessories.”
As in the rest of this condo, it’s a great example of how clever thinking and custom storage solutions can transform a compact city apartment into a welcoming and functional home.
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“It’s a small space, but Krisztian made bespoke cupboards for the left-hand side and added display storage on the right to maximize every inch. The couple travel a lot and have quite a bit of luggage, so they needed a place to store this, as well as somewhere to display and stash shoes and accessories.”
As in the rest of this condo, it’s a great example of how clever thinking and custom storage solutions can transform a compact city apartment into a welcoming and functional home.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
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There's something calming about this home. I'm not a "green" person, but I do like the color in the bedroom and how they split that with a creamy white.
Very nicely done! I can really relate because I've been doing lots of projects in the Portland area Pearl district. Land of high-rise condos! Inadequate storage is always such an issue in these types of properties. I find that custom built-ins, like the custom library wall in this project, are really key. They aren't inexpensive, just because the home is small. But they allow you to maximize every cubic inch, unlike free-standing pieces that leave space wasted. And by the time you purchase a bunch of armoires, chests, buffets or bookshelves, I think the cost of the built-ins is just not that bad by comparison. Looks better too! I'm sharing one of my custom built-ins from one of those condos. There is closed storage for books, display storage for art, drawers for extra dining items, and drawers under the banquette. You can pack a lot of storage into a little bit of space if it is well designed and built to fit!
Great implementation of storage. I am first trying the "get rid of stuff so you don't need storage" concept. That's really working for me, but there's only two of us in a decent sized house. Our biggest problems are art and hobbies! I do like the look of built in storage better than not built in, but it's too bad the style of the built ins seems to change every decade, so people are always tearing out the older styles and adding the newer styles. Buying new furniture is certainly less complication.