Colour Me Beautiful

This Co. Waterford homeowner, Kristine, shares her evolving vision for a colourful, characterful family home that balances calm with creativity.

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This three-bedroom semidetached home may be a new build, but it is rich in personality. Kristine and her family bought it in 2019 while it was still under construction, giving them just enough say to tweak the layout and choose the finishes.

Though Kristine started out with a minimalist Scandinavian vision including white walls and layered textures, her interiors took on a life of their own. 'It wasn't anything like what the house ended up looking like,' she admits. 'I actually wanted to start with all white layered Scandi-style interiors, which I still love, but it's a style that's much easier to pull off when there are picture windows with stunning views outside and more character to the home.'

Instead, the house has become a canvas for Kristine's love of colour. 'My love for colour has fully blossomed over the last six years, and the house has been my playground where I can freely experiment with new ideas and colour combinations,' she says. 'Even though the house is colourful, it also feels calm and peaceful. You can see that there are only two dominating colours - green and pink - in different shades on all walls and larger furniture items. The rest is just accents.'

That balance is set the moment you step into the hallway, where pastels meet bold colour and lush greenery. 'I sourced the wallpaper via Etsy,' Kristine says. 'I wanted a large-scale non-repetitive botanical pattern. It took a long time and lots of samples until I finally found exactly what I was looking for.’ Art is prominent here too, with a Leigh Viner poster by the entrance mirror. ‘I love the airy colour palette she uses, and I am drawn to her style.’ Nearby, an original by Irish artist Deirdre Frost holds special meaning. ‘We got it as a gift from my parents in law. My husband used to play in a band with Deirdre back in their musician days.’