A practical and stylish family home featuring a muted colour palette with traditional accents.
Homeowners Name: Sarah Battle
House Location: Ballina, Co. Mayo
House Type: Self Build
Instagram: @housebythewhitethorns
Describe the colour palette of your home?
Our colours are all very neutral and muted. We worked a lot from the Farrow & Ball paint chart; our main colour is “Dimity” throughout with “Wimborne White” accenting our woodwork and architraves. We added some contrast with darker doors in our kitchen.
What is your favourite room in the house?
I would have to say the TV room. It’s the least hectic room in the house and is where I can relax in the evenings! It’s designed with dark, moody colours and nice lighting. We also have a stove so it’s really cosy.
What are your design tips and tricks?
The best piece of advice that I got for sampling paint was to buy a roll of wallpaper lining and paint that. You can move it around the room to see what it actually looks like, play with lengths and check how the light hits in at various times or in different spaces.
Talk us through your favourite Irish brands, products and/or designers?
Foxford Woollen Mills are very close to me and are a firm favourite. I have bed linen going back 20 years, throws from the 1980’s, even my own baby blanket, which just shows how good the quality is. I also love my Hans Wegner Chair from CA designs. Other favourites include Trevor Morrow in Ballina, Mindy Browns and Helen Turkington.
What makes a house a home?
For me, you just have to let go and let the kids be kids, things can always be painted again, things can be replaced. Everything for me is centred around them and that they are comfortable in the space. I love that we can all sit around the dinner table, even though it’s absolutely chaotic! I love our family home and look forward to more of that in the future.
Read the full feature in The Spring Edit of GalwayNow, on shelves now.
