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ost of us fantasise about building our own home, but only a plucky few actually take the plunge. One such duo are the owners of this spacious 3,000sq four-bed property nestled into a sloping site, on a hill in the small village of Scarva, County Down. The end result took diligent planning and meticulous attention to detail – and wasn’t without its stresses – but what Laura and Richard Faloon have achieved is a forever home for themselves and their two boys, Nathan and Reuben, that’s a sophisticated blend of modern country meets Scandi aesthetic. The overall look is elegant, uncluttered and effortlessly chic. Painted grey walls (Farrow & Ball, Elephant’s Breath) and grey flooring throughout (a mix of carpet from Martin Phillips and strip tiles from Armatile) provide a neutral backdrop for Laura’s furniture and accessories (almost all locally sourced) which take their colour cue from the views that invade the space via huge expanses of floor to ceiling glazing. Inherited treasures from Laura’s granny and upcycled pieces from The Yard, a Helping Hands outreach programme that works with vulnerable people in the community, which Laura is involved with, add character and charm. While some might have been tempted to create a sparkling show home Laura has managed to achieve a sense of space and serenity with the architecture that’s not austere, but lived-in and loved. n
Read more about Laura’s new build journey on her blog havenonahilltop.wordpress.com
At home with Laura What’s the best thing about where you live? The location; you really feel at home with nature here. Favourite room? The open plan living/kitchen/ dining space. We spend most of our time here. Describe your style in three words? Individual, modern and a bit quirky. What’s the last thing you bought? The 8-drawer sideboard from J McCourt Furniture, Banbridge. Favourite interiors shops? The Yard, Portadown, Søstrene Grene and Ikea.
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House on the hill
A plot of land on a hill in Scarva with views of the Mournes and patchwork fields was the ideal blank canvas for Laura Faloon’s dream self-build project BY RÓISÍN CARABINE Photography by Michael Bradley