Newownersfindperfecthome
COUPLE FOUND DREAM HOME IN RURAL SETTING AND BEGAN ADDING PERSONAL TOUCHES TO MAKE IT THEIR OWN
EVERY young married couple dream about owning their own home and that became a reality last week for Gemma Crossan and her husband Kevin Cogan.
They knew they wanted something in the countryside, close to work, and were hoping to find a house that suited them both.
Gemma, who runs Hot Head hair salon in Riverstown, told The Sligo Champion: “We’ve been married since last October and I suppose we were looking for our home for about two years or that.
“It was actually hard enough to find in the area we were looking.
“We both wanted somewhere in the countryside, as I’m from Collooney, Kevin’s from Ballindoon and with my work in Riverstown it was something close to there we were hoping for.”
Gemma and Kevin, who is a logistics driver, said they found it was difficult enough to find the right house.
Gemma explained: “We actually found it very hard, there was very little here in the area that we wanted.
“Kevin was always saying he wanted something in the countryside with a lake nearby - he wanted to be the proper country bumpkin,” she laughed.
Eventually, a property on the outskirts of Riverstown caught their eye.
“We found a house that needed some love and care in Rathmore, that’s an area between Riverstown and Coola.
“It’s off the road slightly and surrounded by other houses too.
“It grabbed our attention because we saw that it had potential. We decided to buy it and then the work began at stripping it back.”
She said this type of challenge suited the couple down to the ground.
“I really love that kind of stuff, I guess being a hairdresser I love anything that involves being creative and doing up the house was so interesting for me.”
The house, a four- bed bungalow, became their home last week and Gemma said that it’s a dream come true for them after many months of hard work and elbow grease.
“We had been renting in Riverstown and when we started doing the house up ten months ago, we moved back in to mum’s house. The theme is very contemporary as I like that style. I love grey and that can be seen throughout - Kevin’s nicknamed it 50 shades of grey! The kitchen is predominantly grey with a white work top, there’s a lot of silvers in the sitting room, while the extension has grey and apple greens.
“During the work, we took our own time and it was about taking a chance as seeing what worked. We weren’t in a rush and didn’t really push it as such.”
They finally moved in after lots of hard work putting the finishing touches together last week and Gemma added both are in love with their new abode.
“After all the months putting the plans and work in place, it’s so nice to see all that come together.
“We both love it, sure Kevin was saying it was so nice that he’s now able to sit down on the couch without being handed a brush or a shovel! It’s not until you take on a project like this that you realise what is actually involved but we are both delighted with how it’s turned out.”
Their home comes with an acre site, so they can extend in the future if they so wish.
“We really love how it’s turned out, there’s more work to be done outside but that will get finished in time. We’re working on that.
“After all the weeks and weekends spent working on it, it’s great to be able to sit down and relax and take it all in.
“Being our first home together it’s also really exciting. Everyone we used such as plumbers and electricians were all local and that meant a lot to us too.
“We’ve good neighbours as well and are looking forward to settling in,” Gemma added.