PERIOD LIVING - Nestled into the top of a former Regency coach house, this Georgian-inspired, open-plan kitchen is everything Laura Bowe and Brian Willis hoped it would be.
LAURA BOWE AND BRIAN WILLIS live in a listed coach house in Ireland with their children, beau, seven, and hannah, three When her parents retired and Laura took over the family-run Marlfield House Hotel in County Wexford, not only did she change career from interior designer to hotelier, it also meant a change in living arrangements.
‘Running the hotel means that someone has to live on site,’ explains Laura. ‘My parents originally converted the adjacent coach house for that purpose but, after 25 years, it needed an overhaul to modernise it and make it suitable for us as a family.’
Among Laura’s plans was the conversion of the small kitchenette, the bijou proportions of which needed to expand to create a more family orientated kitchen for Laura, husband Brian, a film producer, and their children. ‘I wanted both the kitchen and the dining room to become one big, open-plan area,’ says Laura.
 ‘Already very grand, the dining room was draped in fabric, and it was only when we took out the modern partition wall and stripped back the fabric that we found all the original brickwork and the arches of the coach house doors below. We decided to try and reinstate as much of the character as we could.’
Laura was adamant that she wanted to support local businesses, so it was Wexford company Andrew Ryan Traditional & Modern Furniture that she commissioned to design her new space. ‘I wanted to keep the kitchen to one end with everything running along one wall, and the dining table as the main focus,’ explains Laura.
 ‘I didn’t want it to look fitted, so I’ve added items, such as lamps and chests, to soften the look.’ Inspired by traditional Georgian design, a mixture of solid doors, glazed units and open shelving fills the back wall. While the low ceiling determined the layout, it also dictated the palette of soft colours designed to create a feeling of space.
The sloping ceiling either side of the back wall also made any tall storage impossible, so it was left to kitchen designer Aiden Ryan to devise a way to hide the fridge, freezer and larder. With
the only area available to site them within the confines of the dining area, creating a large armoire-inspired piece of furniture was the ideal solution. Its freestanding appearance blends as easily with the dining furniture as it does with the kitchen – a bonus, since Laura bought the dining table and chairs on a whim. ‘I buy things because I like them,’ she says. ‘I bought these before we even knew for definite that we would be living here!’
The kitchen, tempered by the scattering of occasional furniture, has become exactly what Laura wanted – an elegant family space, not too traditional, but perfect for her Regency home.
BESPOKE CABINETRY
Tulipwood furniture with glass-fronted doors has been painted in Bone by Farrow & Ball. Laura opted for open shelves to stop the run of cabinetry from looking too closed in
DINING AREA
The large wooden table came from The French House and the Regency-style chairs were bought at Mealy’s Auction Rooms. Both take centre stage in the open-plan room
PERIOD DETAILS
Laura sourced cast-iron radiators from The Victorian Salvage and Joinery Company. Traditional style has been added with the plaster cornicing from The Old Mould Company
WORKTOPS
Inspired by the grey marble slabs used in Victorian kitchens, Laura chose Carrara marble surfaces from Miller Bros Stone
cooking area
A sleek stainless-steel splashback sits behind the industrial-looking range cooker and chimney hood, both from Indesit
ISLAND UNIT
Home to an integrated dishwasher, the island is topped with Cararra marble. Not usually recommended for the kitchen as it can stain easily, Laura used a protective coating on it
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