Classic Charm

Modern touches combine with traditional features in James and Trina’s Kilkenny new build, creating an elegant and practical family home.

Trina, an optician, and James, a builder, built their first home as a couple, when they were in their twenties with no children. Learning from this experience and being given the opportunity to build on land owned by James’s parents, the couple knew what they wanted for their new home, and their three children, seven-year-old Tristen, Harper, five and two-year-old Ivy. ‘We started the build in 2020, we both knew what we wanted when it came to designing this house, we knew exactly what worked and didn’t work for us. Building a home for a family of five is very different to building a home for a younger couple, everything has to be extremely practical, I wanted elegance and practicality to combine in my home. I paid particular attention to the rooms I would use the most and prioritised anything that would make my day to day life easier. My house would be chaotic without my bootroom, necessary for anyone married to a builder, and utility room with laundry chute, definitely needed with children,’ explains Trina.

Read more in the February issue…