How Passive is a Passive Home

Passive Home

The term ‘passive home’ is becoming increasingly popular as people look to find a more energy efficient way of building and extending their homes.   Those wishing to build a home or extension to a passive standard need to consider that there are a number of factors which contribute to a home being certified as 100% passive.   So what does a ‘Passive’ house actually mean?  For this article we spoke to Innovative Home Solutions to give us an idea of how to build a passive home. Here are some of the finer details they imparted to us. We also have some fabulous images of some of their  passive housing projects

House for Sale

House For Sale – Kiltulla

We have two reasons for bringing you this beautiful home in Kiltulla Co. Galway, firstly its for sale under the auctioneering skills of Michelle Burke Auctioneers, and secondly, although the sellers have actually moved house Michelle commissioned Des and Claire from Home Gallery Interiors to stage the house and give it that homely atmosphere. This they did splendidly. With all the accessories from Home Gallery Interiors, they have given the prospective buyers an idea of how their new home could look.

Flooring –  Covering All Angles

Pergo-Cashmere-Oak

Flooring –  Covering All Angles

Here we bring you all the latest hard floor trends. Its a veritable maze working through all the different types of flooring. Do you go with hard wood, solid wood, semi solids, laminates or tiles. There are hundreds of products from which to chose. Here are just a few suggestions that may help you on your hunt for the perfect floor.

Parisian Pine in Basket

Room By Room – Betty’s Kitchen

High Gloss Units

For this Kitchen renovation the owner, Betty,  went to Pat Regan Kitchens for advice, design and the building of her new space. These high gloss units in cream are topped with a speckled granite worktop from Comer Marble & Granite in Corofin,

The April/May issue will be in the shops this coming Saturday 15th. Here is our cover, so keep an eye open for it.

This beautiful cottage in the Claddagh, Galway was an old standard design house with a centered front door and two small rooms on either side. For the renovation of this home, the  owner removed the front door which is now situated at the side of the house leaving more living space inside. The door opens into the kitchen thus giving more space for bedrooms to the front of the house. She also extended the space to the front allowing for a bigger main bedroom inside. The colour scheme  on the exterior is continued inside  -a fresh sea blue and sand combination. The picket fence fulfills the owner’s dream of living in a country cottage with a picket fence.

The front door now at the side of the house

The ladder leads to a mezzanine above the kitchen which houses a large L shaped couch that can be converted into a bed as an extra room for guests. A great way to add an extra room to any home. The pink couch brings an extra dimension of colour to the kitchen/entrance area.

Tone on tone shade of the large couch is contrasted with the blue of the wall and the scattered cushions.

The Seaside Colour Scheme

Our previous issue featured a most beautiful cottage in one of Galway’s most famous areas – the Claddagh.

Using all the  colours of the seaside the owner of this home renovated an old huse into this beautiful family home

Classic Bespoke Kitchen

Exceed Expectations

This bespoke classic kitchen was handmade and hand painted in classic style by Noel Brannelly Kitchens. The large island also works as a breakfast bar. The cabinets are all off standard, are custom built to fit to the ceiling. The units are topped with Silestone – this is composed of 94% natural quartz and is the first and only countertop with bacteriostatic protection, giving it unique features. The seating area of the island in American white oak has a rounded area to soften the look of the island and add some extra seating space.  The contrast of the painted timber and the natural look of the American white oak gives the kitchen that extra character and this is why it can be said that a Noel Brannelly Kitchen  ‘exceeds expections’

As the building boom takes off again, many of us are contemplating an extension or renovation. I often ponder, when looking at my own space, whether I would plan it out any differently if I were to start over again. Now, my space like some of my readers’ homes most likely, is open plan with one large room incorporating the kitchen, living and dining space.

On the Edge of the Wild Atlantic Way

The Edge Of The Wild Atlantic Way

This little gem of a home is situated slap bang in the middle of Roundstone village. I was lucky enough to spend a weekend here recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. A very simple layout catches the eye with one main living space, leading into to a galley kitchen and dining area at the rear of the house. The hall door opens directly into the living room and as a consequence it has enlarged the space as well as brought in more light.

Home Away From Home

Country/Contemporary style

Driving out along the Wild Atlantic Way you will enjoy many a feast for the eyes. The scenery is wonderful, while taking in the Atlantic Ocean and all its wonder, you will from time to time come across a run down cottage or farmhouse. Perhaps you too dreamed of owning a house by the sea and dreamed of doing it up. It’s not for the faint hearted and many of us aren’t lucky enough to do so or maybe you just find it all a bit too daunting. This wasn’t the case for the owners of this beautiful cottage.

Stylish & Functional Home

Functional Space

The brief here for designer Pauline Dowling was to create a stylish yet functional home. The owners wanted to put their own stamp on this previously owned property while taking into account their busy lifestyle and two teenage children The living room/dining/kitchen, was a vast space incorporating all the elements for functional living. As the hub of the home, this needed to be a casual comfortable yet very functional.