Co Louth woman Kelly Connor on how she turned a historic mill into her dream home
Hi Kelly! Can you tell us a little bit about your home?
Our home used to be an old mill over 200 years ago. It’s in my husband Patrick’s family quite some time. Patrick’s parents currently live in another mill just further up the land from us. We set about converting it into a house in 2020 and after an 18-month restoration, we moved in. We really had only four walls to restore, so we essentially did a brand-new build, with modern air-to-water heating and insulation and a brand-new roof.
It was a mammoth project; one you ended up filming for RTÉ’s Great Home Revival. What initially inspired you to take this huge restoration project on?
I love old buildings. I love the character they have, and I also love stone houses with a Georgian feel. I remember looking at it one day while walking the site and imagining what it could become, and the rest is history.
Are there any unique features that you love about living in a building that dates back to the 1800s?
Probably the overall look of it. It’s something you would never build from the ground up. It’s unique. We had to work with the building and not against it. For example, our staircase is not located in the conventional area of next to our front door. But my biggest love is the stone. It’s hard to even get old stone like that nowadays, and to see it covering the entire house makes me smile when I look at it.
There are so many old buildings in Ireland that could make great homes. What is your advice to people considering taking one on?
I do understand that old buildings come with price tags. It’s actually easier to do what we did and find a building that literally just has the walls. The more you have to “fix” and rip out, the more your budget needs to increase. Essentially, building a modern home within the walls is my advice. That way, the structuring, electrics, plumbing, internal walls, insulation and the heating system are all up-to-date and more of a straightforward cost.
Take us through the aesthetic you wanted to create inside the home; once the renovation was complete, how did you want the inside to look?
Timeless. I love interiors that stand the test of time. That was my goal all over. While some trends I love looking at, I always ask myself will it stand the test of time. Trends are coming and going too fast and especially in the world of interiors. You are spending huge amounts of money, so it needs to last a long time before you consider redecorating.
We particularly like your pristine kitchen; take us through this room?
I chose Fleetwood Bayshore beige for my walls, and my kitchen cabinets are a light beige in colour. My island has a slight contrasting deeper colour which has a slight grey undertone.
When it comes to choosing paint, why do you like using Fleetwood?
I just love the brand because there is so much colour to choose from in their ranges. I paint myself and I find their paints so easy to work with, they are great value, and they are Irish.
What other Fleetwood shades have you used in your home, and why would you recommend them?
I used Forest Green in my downstairs toilet, Mellow Maeve in my little girl’s room, Designer White in my porch, Indigo Batik in my living room and, most recently, Eden’s Way in my boot room. I have also used their satin wood range on all woodwork in creamy white and I have all my colours chosen to finally take on my staircase. It has 42 steps, so I needed some time at that!
We love your DIY boot room – tell us more about that?
As you can imagine, money is very tight for any house projects when you move in. I have a list of stuff to get through that needs to be completed. I put off doing a utility room, which was a huge mistake as with a busy household it’s the one room I need for everyday life. While on maternity leave last year, I decided to turn my hand at DIY and do half this room myself to help with shoes and coats. I researched how to use tools and what exactly I wanted. The end result was even better that I imagined. I am very proud of it. I’d just love more time now to do more throughout the house, as there is huge savings to be made.
To see more of photos and videos of this house transformation, follow Kelly on @millhousewhiteriver
Fleetwood Prestige is exclusive to the Vogue, Ventura and Pantone Colour Collections. Find your nearest stockist on fleetwood.ie
