Last month, Catriona Doherty from Northern Woman Magazine interviewed the Quinn’s about their self-build project and how they’ve made it their family home. Take a moment to read more about how their project got off the ground and discover their stunning interior.
The drive up to Grainne and Mark Quinn’s countryside, self-build home is picturesque, unspoilt and a photographer’s dream. Surrounded by nature on all sides and overlooked by the Mournes, this house could certainly be described as a rural retreat.
“Located just outside Castlewellan, we are completely surrounded by mountains,” Grainne begins. “We decided to build here because we just loved the area; it’s significantly rural but still within reach of a good-sized town – Newcastle. There is a great sense of community here in Liatroim so we knew it would be a good place for a family.”
Room for all the family
This was important to the couple as they now have five children; Séan, Nial, Cora, Emer and Rory.
An appreciation of the scenic surrounds provided the inspiration for some of the décor. Grainne says: “The granite stone used in the sunroom is a reflection of the area and it actually came from the Mourne Mountains. The table was made from a tree that had fallen when we cleared the site. Mark saved it and that was the end result. It was so heavy we actually needed a digger to carry it into the house!”
Grainne who is an interior designer by trade and the proprietor of Iconic Interior Design, says she gets inspiration from “lots of different things” when decorating her home. “I’m like a magpie; I love shiny things,” she jokes. “My style as eclectic and luxurious. I love creating a sense of calm and tranquilly, and I also love texture – as opposed to pattern.”
“This is the main living space. It’s inspired by the photo, it’s of a little chapel by the sea in Corfu. The colours used in the room are blues and deep greens. I love the sea.”
Wonderous Wallpaper
Photography by Vizz Creative
“I used fabric-backed vinyl wallpaper on the feature wall; it has a shimmery surface to reflect the colours of the sea.”
“The three mirrors bounce light into the main living area and they pick up the copper accent of the plumbing that’s exposed behind the stove.”
Boys will be boys
Photography by Vizz Creative
“This is the ‘boy cave’. My two eldest sons have a double bunk each and my youngest son sleeps in the car bed. I handpainted the Batman-style cityscape myself. The older boys love boxing and we wanted to let them enjoy that, so they can take any stresses out on the punch bag.”
An interior fit for a princess
Photography by Vizz Creative
“My daughter’s room is a collection of various styles and pieces, it’s ‘girly girly’ with a vintage feel.”
Country-style Kitchen
Photography by Vizz Creative
“The kitchen is open plan and attached to the living room. I wanted it to be open-plan with family living space which allows us to do homework, cook and socialise at the same time. The kitchen was handbuilt by my husband who is a joiner.”
Heart of the home
Photography by Vizz Creative
“The sunroom is my haven and there is an amazing view from it. There is no TV in the room which means you can relax, unwind and read a book.”
To find more inspiration you can read our past blog from Northern Woman’s Catriona Doherty here.