SHOW US how it’s done
Show house designers are expert at creating spaces we want to live in. How do they do it? Three of the country’s top interior designers share their secrets with Fran Power
THE show house in a development is the jewel in the crown. Generally last to come to market, it can carry a premium of up to €100,000 extra. Why is that? It’s not just the cost of the furniture and fittings, but the design know-how that has delivered a complete look — a home that buyers can imagine themselves living in.
The trick is to create a space that looks, as Elaine Jerrard of Elk House Interior Design puts it, “the right side of perfect, and not too hotel-y. Somewhere you can imagine sitting on the sofa, or putting a cup of tea down on the counter”. She has decked out schemes such as Clairville Lodge in Malahide and the soon-to-be launched show unit at Lansdowne Place, and has developed a busy project list of private clients who want her style in their own homes.
Carol-Anne Leyden of CA Design agrees: “I think new builds can often be more difficult than you would think. They are a blank canvas, which is great, but people really want it to feel ‘lived in’ and homely when they move in so they come to us for advice on how to achieve this effectively in their new homes.”
She has dressed many show houses as well as carried out high-end refurbs such as at Pembroke Road in Dublin 4, and gets lots of inquiries from people who have viewed those properties. “We are always happy to share paint schedules and offer advice as we know it can be a daunting task furnishing an entire new home.”
Roisin Lafferty of KLD has picked up many awards as well as column inches in style bibles such as Wallpaper and Elle Decoration, and is known for designs that push out expectations.
One project had a booth-like green room (literally) with walls and seating covered with artificial grass. She says the most popular features are often the quirkier ones — such as Harry Potter spaces for kids, “though more comfortable”, and bars tucked out of view.
“We did one behind a wall of panelling that was very James Bond.” The window seat that she and her team designed for the show house at the Marianella scheme in Rathgar, for example, was such a hit with prospective buyers that the developers decided to make it standard.
“You can take more risks design-wise on smaller developments,” she says. “Larger schemes of 500 units need to have a broader appeal.”
She’s currently working on the interiors for Annesley Gardens, a new street of 20 houses in Ranelagh, in collaboration with Suzie McAdam Studio, with prices expected to range upwards from €1.25m for a three-bedroom home.
Here, all three share their tips for recreating that show house look.