A Dublin Garage Became a Home

James Rippon James Rippon
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Dublin is a city we do not often visit on homify but, with projects as cool as this popping up more and more, we're sure this will change! The Irish capital is known for its high standard of living (higher than any city in the UK, in fact), lively pubs, friendly people and, of course, being the home of Guinness.

Waterloo Lane is typical of Dublin's inner suburban mews lanes, where living spaces are usually hidden behind the roller shutters of garages due to planning requirements for off-street parking. This particular project, undertaken by the talented architects at TAKA, was unique as the owners were allowed to convert one of these garage spaces because of a parking space to the side of the house.

The end result was a unique home (the only one of its kind on the street) that is light-filled and brimming with an eclectic mix of materials, colours and styles!

Irish green

From the narrow mews lane, the peculiar façade of the garage conversion is immediately visible. 

The colour green has been associated with Ireland since the 17th century so it's no surprise this is a predominant colour of a home in the Irish capital.

Green screen

Of the fifty in the street, this home is the only one that can lay claim to a living space that opens up onto the lane. In lieu of the old garage roller door are these green, deep steel panels, which allow light to enter the new living space without compromising on privacy for the occupants. 

From this angle you realise how private they really are, with those moving down the lane only offered a brief chance to view the inside when they are directly outside the window.

An eclectic interior

From inside, the effectiveness of the panels to allow light into a previously dark garage space is obvious, with the sun entering the new kitchen and casting sharp lines in the shadows of the new panels. 

With the sun bearing down on the foliage that lines the window sill and the patriotic coloured shutters, a calming green hue is cast throughout the room.

Light-filled

A theme of vertical panels becomes apparent as you move deeper into the home towards the rear garden. The loosely affiliated screens have been “used throughout to enhance view, movement and atmosphere in the house”. 

From this image, and also the one above, the eclectic style home becomes more apparent, with a subtle mix of decorative elements and home furnishing styles. A nice fusion of timber, white and small hints of colour, are all moulded together with the ever-present green.

Embracing the past

The original purpose of the space has not been forgotten, with exposed brick painted in white embracing the past rather than trying to hide it.

Towards the garden

The rear of the home isn't without access to natural light, with huge windows and glass doors ensuring an inviting aura is palpable throughout.

Deceiving appearances

Most homes of any inner city suburb aren't lucky enough to have access to a private garden, however, this family have decided to maximise the little space they do have by using a mirror for the garden-facing wall of their shed.

Not only does it give an illusion of more space and shrubbery, but also hides the shed away, which is something often seen as an ugly but essential garden feature.

To see an equally stunning garage conversion project, check out: The Scarcely Believable 1950s Renovation.

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