Architect, Brian Mulvey from Mad About Design shows how a stunning, open living space can be created within the 40m² exempt of planning permission regulation.
Proposed rear elevation
There are houses such as this one all over the city of Dublin. They offer huge gardens to the rear but only have a small kitchen/living space. Thankfully, in our eyes, this combination of factors is an architect”s dream.
The front of the house is East facing, lending the rear of the house to catch the midday and evening sun. The house extension had to be within the 40m² exempt of planning permission regulation. It is within the 40sqm by millimetres! A re-configuration of rooms leaves the existing house more or less unchanged with the addition of a new bathroom and en suite.
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With the rising cost of energy, here is some simple advice to keep household bills under control.
Changing your light bulbs will save you energy
The past two winters have meant that most of you will have been hit hard by high energy bills. In addition, oil and electricty prices are only going one way — and that is up! However, did you know that simple energy saving measures can be inexpensive, but make a real difference to the size of your bills? Think about making the changes now, before the hard January and February frosts start to bite.
Lighting
Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the easiest ways to save energy in your home.
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Architect, Brian Mulvey’s clever design transforms a garage (beside Mammy) into a contemporary, two-bedroom house.
Proposed elevation
The brief was to design a place for a grown-up son who had out-grown Mum’s apron strings but still liked her cooking.
Imagination and money — what a combination? It’s amazing when given a dirty corner and a free-reign what an architect can produce.
Unfortunately, the imagination was there but the money was lacking; and this house design only went as far as planning permission.
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Nothing says Christmas more than a Christmas tree bedecked in tinsel and baubles. Here are some simple ideas.
Choose a colour theme for your Tree
The main focus of any Christmas room scheme is the tree. It’s hard to beat a sparkling creation with twinkling lights and shiny baubles finished off with swags of garlands. In fact, nothing puts me in the festive mood more than a Christmas tree. This is probably because memories from childhood always come flooding back when I put one up — a sign that Santa’s visit is not too far away.
It is easy to become overwhelmed when faced with the task of putting up the tree. Lots of people tend to be disapponted with the final results feeling that they don’t compete with the professionally dressed trees in local shop window displays. Here are a few simple tips to get great results.
First of all you need to think of a theme. Do you want to go for a colour theme such as red and gold, plain silver or perhaps a novelty theme such as angels or snowmen? Don’t worry aboout having to collect all of the themed ornaments in one go — this can be very costly. You can build up the collection over several years. What’s more this can be lots of fun, since it is a task you can carry out with your children every year.
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Decorating your home at Christmas can be costly. Here are some simple ideas that are really effective, and what’s more, don’t cost the earth.
Wrap small boxes in festive paper for a striking centrepiece
Tie groups of three large pine cones together with a ribbon and hang them from door knobs, stair banisters, or in windows.
- Fill gold or silver-coloured bowls with seasonal fruit. Use just one type of fruit for a stunning effect, such as oranges, pomegranates or apples.
- Place smalled wrapped parcels in a container and use it as a centrepiece for a hall table. You can use metallic wrapping paper with a contrasting coloured ribbon for a dramatic look. Alternatively, you can stick to the traditional Christmas colours of red and green.
- You can’t go wrong with candles. There are plenty of Christmas-themed candles for sale everywhere. Alternatively, for a very elegant look, use an existing gold or silver candelabra and insert candles of different heights. This will look welcoming on a mantelpiece. You can arrange green foliage cut from your garden around the base of the candelabra for a truly seasonal feel.
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Architect, Brian Mulvey illustrates that you can do wonders with a 40 square metre extension. All you need is some inspired creativity and great craftmanship.
I would argue that 40 square metres, which in Irish Planning Law, is exempt from planning permission, can make a dingy house in the city into a haven from the urban jungle; as long as it is designed and executed with intelligence and good craftsmanship.
This design is typical of houses built around the turn of the 21st century on the North and South side of Dublin. A cramped kitchen with living and dining room joined by double doors. In this design the client wanted the new 40 square metre extension to link with the under-used garden.
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