IRISH COUNTRY HOME - Idyllic or Baltic

Irish country home. Photo by Jennie Ritchie

Sitting at a rustic wooden desk peering out at the green fields and towards the Cooley Hills, I have been struggling with the decision to choose character over thermal efficiency where a home is concerned. A fortunate rental home discovery delivered us a quiet bungalow near the sea with spectacular views from the timber frame windows. Those same timber frame windows with their delicate single pane glazing fill the house with light and sadly, the coldest of draughts.

Clever adaptations in the form of blankets, hot water bottles (day and night), electric blankets and indeed, wearing my coat indoors, have entertained a sort of comfort that could be described as hardy. I feel as if people from the era in which this house was built didn’t work at computers and desks very much. If they did, and still managed to wear nylons and skirts, they were built of sterner stuff than I.

Many years ago, growing up in a beautiful Victorian country house, the cold invaded every sense. I lived with chilblains all winter and hayfever all Summer. I vowed to leave this country behind in search of A Better Place To Live. 25 years later, nostalgia and rose tinted glasses brought me running back to Ireland in the quest of a Home. I don’t regret this decision even a tiny bit, however I would like to be warmer while I work. Is is possible to live in a characterful home with space and light, yet still require fewer clothes?

I believe the answer is yes, but it requires a decent amount of money thrown at it. Non protected structures of the period ilk can be retrofitted with double glazing in slim sash windows, walls insulated and heavy curtains hung. Real money will get you underfloor heating, the stuff of dreams. I worked in a chalet in Switzerland with a pebble bathroom floor that was heated. It was divine and despite the snow outside, the rooms were always warm.

I may be asking too much, but to find our own home with a view and decent insulation is high on my priority list. Despite being back for 3 years now, we are still renting and paying someone else’s mortgage. Obviously this is a first world problem as a roof over our heads is decent enough to be grateful for, but still I dare to dream.

Would you go for warmth over character? Do you think it is possible to have both? A perfect Insta feed may not be the solution at the end of the day, but when you write and create, a comfy place is entirely helpful for morale.