Made for memories

Niamh and John Willis rescued a 200-year-old Irish cottage and created a magical retreat for their young family to enjoy

- WORDS ALEXANDRA PRATT | PHOTOGRAPHY JESSICA GLYNN

SNUG

The welcoming nook in the entrance hall is all about tradition and texture, a place for a quiet drink or a chat. Bookcases painted in Pigeon, Farrow & Ball. Limestone floors, for similar try Mandarin Stone

HOME TRUTHS

THE PROPERTY A 200-year-old stone cottage

ROOMS

Entrance/snug, sitting room, kitchen/dining room, boot room, pantry, cloakroom, three bedrooms, two bathrooms

LOCATION

County Cork, Ireland

Mention a traditional home on Ireland’s West Coast and a stone-built cottage comes to mind, with small windows and spectacular views, set against the soaring seascapes of the Atlantic mountains. This is exactly what the Willis family found when they searched for a base in their home country: a retreat from their busy international lives where they could make memories with their two young daughters. ‘We fell in love with the charm and the old cottage style,’ says Niamh. ‘It had a beautiful energy and a whole lot of soul.’

Niamh and John, an airline pilot, knew this 200-year-old home would need complete renovation. Nothing about the need to replumb, rewire or insulate surprised them. Yet they also wanted to create something that is distinctively Irish, their heritage, which they miss dearly while overseas.