26 Photos
House Tour: DIY Decor And Second Hand Finds In This Rathfarnham Pad
"The kitchen was in place when I bought the house, thankfully I love it. I think I would have found it very difficult to decide on a kitchen. It was installed by FitOut Interiors. They did the interior fit out of the wardrobes, kitchen, bathrooms etc."
Welcome to our latest house tour. This time our very talented photog Aoife stepped inside the Rathfarnham home of Keelin Murray for a snoop, and what she found was nothing short of #GAFFgoals.
Meet Keelin, an academic, crafter and interior maven who returned home from Edinburgh last summer and delved straight into creating her ideal home.
Keelin, thank you so much for having us! Tell us, what was the starting point for creating your dream pad?
I wanted to have a space that was me, a collection of all of my favourite things in one place. I would describe the house as midcentury-inspired downstairs and scandi-chic-inspired upstairs. I really didn’t have an ‘aesthetic’ or “look” in mind when I started, I chose pieces I loved and thought, well, if they all look great together then great!
It worked! We were immediately drawn to some of the soft furnishings and accessories dotted around your home, and we noticed your sewing room, too, so we can assume you’re very much into DIY??
Yes, I’m a crafter for sure. I got really into crafting cushions and throws when I was studying my PHD, it was part of the culture in college and it really helped me to switch off. So yes, the cushions on the couch, the wall hangings, they are all pieces I made myself. I have started to make them for friends and family and have been commissioned on a few exciting projects recently, which is really exciting. It’s something I love to do so it never feels like work. I also made that little table in the living room. I’m really proud of it! It’s a combo of a piece of MDF and some table legs I bought.
You mentioned that a lot of your furniture came from France – what’s this amazing secret interiors hub we’re missing out on?
French second-hand shops are my secret weapon. I love France, and spend as much time there as possible. When I visit I take the opportunity to visit as many second-hand stores as I can. The furniture is so inexpensive and unique – the only problem is shipping it home! Thankfully my parents drove back to Ireland last summer so I was able to load up the car with my finds, but there are definitely ways to shop pieces back here too, and I would highly recommend it. Follow my favourite chain of French second-hand stores, Emmaus, on Insta and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Do you have a favorite thing? A piece that brings you joy every time you see it?
Yes, there’s a picture of my Granny on the mantlepiece that I treasure. She was a nurse in WWII in London, and she’s just taken off a surgical mask and is giving the camera a wry smile. It’s fantastic.
What inspires you and your home?
The French love to craft and they are all about eclectic living and pieces that mix and match. That inspires me. My home is a combo of crafted DIY pieces, IKEA, and second hand. In terms of where I get my passion for interiors and my eye? I would have to say, my mum even though if she heard that she would totally deny it! But growing up she always encouraged our creativity, she has always had excellent taste )in fact a few of my fave pieces were spotted by her), and she always themed our bedroom and took great care when it came to our environment.
If any of our readers fancy a wall hanging like yours, can they get in touch?
Absolutely! Thanks for taking a look around my GAFF.
A huge thank you to our ever brilliant photographer Aoife Herrity whose work you can see here. If you have a GAFF worthy of snooping around drop us a line!