Houzz Tours
Irish Houzz Tour: A Heritage Cottage's Painstaking Renovation
There's no one else for miles around this beautifully renovated traditional cottage in County Kerry, Ireland
There’s a definite magic about some places, and the remote lakeside spot of Treangarriv in County Kerry – a wilderness of rolling green farmland and majestic mountains – is, without doubt, one of those special locations.
It’s something that’s always attracted Brian Spain to the area, ever since he was a child. “As a boy, I spent every Easter and every August in Dooks, which is the beach close to Treangarriv,” he explains. “There are several generations of our extended family who’ve all made this special place their second home. I’d had the idea to buy an old cottage on an acre or two as a restoration project for a long time.”
It’s something that’s always attracted Brian Spain to the area, ever since he was a child. “As a boy, I spent every Easter and every August in Dooks, which is the beach close to Treangarriv,” he explains. “There are several generations of our extended family who’ve all made this special place their second home. I’d had the idea to buy an old cottage on an acre or two as a restoration project for a long time.”
According to census records, “The population living on this part of the mountain was 52 until the 1950s, when some of the families started to move away.
“The last man ever to leave the hill continued to reside in an original cottage with no running water or electricity. He lived into his seventies as he had as a boy, in a simple cottage living a simple cottage life.”
Spain heard about the cottage from some locals and bought it from the widow of a German-American man, who had also been beguiled by the magic of the place.
It’s been renamed Lost Cottage and, like the other vernacular buildings, is made entirely from local materials: it has stone-and-dirt walls, a thatched timber roof, and a wide door so animals could be brought inside (this was once a winter refuge for a herd of mountain goats).
“The last man ever to leave the hill continued to reside in an original cottage with no running water or electricity. He lived into his seventies as he had as a boy, in a simple cottage living a simple cottage life.”
Spain heard about the cottage from some locals and bought it from the widow of a German-American man, who had also been beguiled by the magic of the place.
It’s been renamed Lost Cottage and, like the other vernacular buildings, is made entirely from local materials: it has stone-and-dirt walls, a thatched timber roof, and a wide door so animals could be brought inside (this was once a winter refuge for a herd of mountain goats).
The cottage has been painstakingly renovated. “The walls were intact, but with no render on them,” says Spain. “The floor was mud, and the roof was dried moss and thatch with a corrugated metal covering on top, which had rusted through.”
To retain the authenticity of the property, Spain used new larch roof timbers foraged from the forest behind the cottage, lime-rendered walls, wooden sash windows and furnishings crafted from local Douglas fir.
“I’ve created and renovated pubs and so would source old bars, flooring, tiles and bric-a-brac,” he says. “But I’m in no way a craftsman – I helped to rebuild the cottage, but all of the craft work was done by talented individuals.”
To retain the authenticity of the property, Spain used new larch roof timbers foraged from the forest behind the cottage, lime-rendered walls, wooden sash windows and furnishings crafted from local Douglas fir.
“I’ve created and renovated pubs and so would source old bars, flooring, tiles and bric-a-brac,” he says. “But I’m in no way a craftsman – I helped to rebuild the cottage, but all of the craft work was done by talented individuals.”
Inspired by designer John Pawson’s pared-down, almost monasterial style, the interior of Lost Cottage has a simple, stripped-back vibe that doesn’t compete with the fantastic views and intense silence of the 85 private acres (344,000 square metres) in which it’s set.
“There’s so much going on outside the cottage – an ever-changing landscape of 100 square kilometres – that the interior needed to be comfortable, cosy and uncluttered, using a simple palette of natural materials,” says Spain.
The kitchen (handmade by Spain’s artisan friend, Terence Murphy) is kitted out with all the essentials and some unique items, such as the original French bistro fridge.
“I own pubs in France and sourced it there,” he says. “It’s now used as the [pantry].”
“There’s so much going on outside the cottage – an ever-changing landscape of 100 square kilometres – that the interior needed to be comfortable, cosy and uncluttered, using a simple palette of natural materials,” says Spain.
The kitchen (handmade by Spain’s artisan friend, Terence Murphy) is kitted out with all the essentials and some unique items, such as the original French bistro fridge.
“I own pubs in France and sourced it there,” he says. “It’s now used as the [pantry].”
Most of the fixtures and fittings, including the green sofas, were handmade to Spain’s design by Terence Murphy.
“The idea was to have low-sided sofas so as not to block the light and view from the kitchen gable windows,” says Spain. “They can also be used as extra beds when needed.”
“The idea was to have low-sided sofas so as not to block the light and view from the kitchen gable windows,” says Spain. “They can also be used as extra beds when needed.”
The raw beauty of the new larch roof timbers set against the roughly rendered walls creates an authentic space.
“There was no water or electricity when I first bought the property, but my neighbour, who was born and raised in a nearby cottage, showed me the spring they used to get cold water to make butter before electricity arrived in the valley,” says Spain. “I’ve used this spring as the water source.”
The dining table has been crafted from large sandblasted Douglas fir planks that had been used in the form work, or molud, of the new cottage extension.
“There was no water or electricity when I first bought the property, but my neighbour, who was born and raised in a nearby cottage, showed me the spring they used to get cold water to make butter before electricity arrived in the valley,” says Spain. “I’ve used this spring as the water source.”
The dining table has been crafted from large sandblasted Douglas fir planks that had been used in the form work, or molud, of the new cottage extension.
A trio of hand-blown glass lanterns, bought in Japan, are fitted to a suspended wooden branch found in the garden.
The twin bedroom lies behind the cottage sitting room.
“The beds are just regular single beds from the local furniture store, with handmade bedheads using the sandblasted Douglas fir planks,” says Spain. “The floor is polished concrete, inlaid with some of the original salvaged flagstones.”
“The beds are just regular single beds from the local furniture store, with handmade bedheads using the sandblasted Douglas fir planks,” says Spain. “The floor is polished concrete, inlaid with some of the original salvaged flagstones.”
Harmonious green and yellow tones create a restful ambience in the guest bedroom.
The original cottage leads into the newly built walk-through bathroom and on to the master bedroom.
“In the original plan, the extension was to be two buildings joined by a hallway,” says Spain. “In the end, due to planning restrictions, we decided to only proceed with the bedroom block and to repurpose the hall as the bathroom. It gives the cottage an unusual layout, but one that works.”
“In the original plan, the extension was to be two buildings joined by a hallway,” says Spain. “In the end, due to planning restrictions, we decided to only proceed with the bedroom block and to repurpose the hall as the bathroom. It gives the cottage an unusual layout, but one that works.”
Sleek and minimalist, the connecting bathroom has a glass roof so bathers can stargaze from the sunken tub – a standout feature, especially as the house is set in Ireland’s first International Dark Sky Reserve.
“The walls of the extension are all rendered in lime plaster and the render comes in over the sides of the bath,” says Spain.
“The walls of the extension are all rendered in lime plaster and the render comes in over the sides of the bath,” says Spain.
The concrete extension was designed to mirror the old cottage beside it. Spain used woodgrain-patterned oxidised concrete to seamlessly merge it into the landscape.
“The extension is built in the vernacular, copying the proportions of the original cottage,” he says. “It’s a poured concrete structure, including the roof. I bought three Douglas fir trees and had them milled into long, wide planks. These were then sandblasted and used for the formwork.
“Once the concrete had set, the formwork was removed, leaving a concrete surface with the imprint of the Douglas fir. The wood grain finish was then oxidised to create a rust colour.”
“The extension is built in the vernacular, copying the proportions of the original cottage,” he says. “It’s a poured concrete structure, including the roof. I bought three Douglas fir trees and had them milled into long, wide planks. These were then sandblasted and used for the formwork.
“Once the concrete had set, the formwork was removed, leaving a concrete surface with the imprint of the Douglas fir. The wood grain finish was then oxidised to create a rust colour.”
Sweeping views of Caragh Lake and the surrounding countryside can be enjoyed from the minimalist, whitewashed master bedroom – the perfect spot to watch the sun rising.
Getty the Goat was a tongue-in-cheek birthday present from one of Spain’s relatives.
Getty the Goat was a tongue-in-cheek birthday present from one of Spain’s relatives.
The seamless architecture of the new poured-concrete extension has a beautiful modern-rustic ambience, with a big, comfortable bed to take in the spectacular view.
Breathtaking countryside surrounds the cottage.
“There’s nobody, other than my farmer neighbour, living near the cottage, and the closest village is on the other side of the mountain,” says Spain. “It’s 9 kilometres by car and 4 kilometres on foot, and both routes have amazing views over Dingle Bay.”
Lost Cottage is a refuge from busy city life and a simple yet stylish bolthole from which to enjoy the ever-changing elements.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, save the story, and join in the conversation.
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“There’s nobody, other than my farmer neighbour, living near the cottage, and the closest village is on the other side of the mountain,” says Spain. “It’s 9 kilometres by car and 4 kilometres on foot, and both routes have amazing views over Dingle Bay.”
Lost Cottage is a refuge from busy city life and a simple yet stylish bolthole from which to enjoy the ever-changing elements.
Tell us
What do you love about this home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, save the story, and join in the conversation.
More
Russian Houzz Tour: Careful Reshuffling Creates a Liveable Home
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brian Spain, owner of Coolin gastro-pub in Hossegor, France
Location: Treangarriv, County Kerry, Ireland
Property: A restored historic cottage
Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Designer/builder: Terence Murphy, Goodform
Spain always dreamed of finding a house to restore within the raw, majestic beauty of Treangarriv in County Kerry – and that dream finally came true when four hill farmer cottages came up for sale.
“The cottages predate the first Ordnance Survey mapping of the area in 1820, but by how much it’s difficult to tell,” says Spain, who was born and raised in Ireland and went to university in Dublin.