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DAVID O’BRIEN IS an interior designer, project manager and creative director who has been working in design for over nine years. While best known for his appearance on Home of the Year and as an influencer on Instagram at @theblackhouse.ie, where he has over 35k followers, he works with his brother in the family business, RJ O’Brien Building Contractors, established by their father over 50 years ago.
When it comes to working for his clients, David says that his role is to work to the criteria of creating a cohesive design around their style. When it came to the exposure Home of the Year brought to his own style and taste, it was, however, an eye-opening experience.
“Home of the Year was very exposing because it was very much a representation of my own home and my own taste. I didn’t realise that things would be so controversial! For example, the grand piano kitchen island ended up in Spanish and Brazilian newspapers and I got an influx of comments in Spanish and Portuguese on social media – the whole thing, which took place during the Covid lockdown, was a strange experience!”
David had spotted the grand piano at an antiques auction with his brother Aidan years before his house was built, and the house was designed to accommodate the piece, which is of standard kitchen counter height. Covered with glass, it serves as a kitchen island but also as a conversation piece and gathering point in his home.
“It’s a working piano from the 1850s. It is made of rosewood and was definitely a ‘Marmite’ piece dividing viewers of Home of the Year at the time who were arguing about it on Twitter/X. A home should represent who you are and things that you love – every day I come home and smile at that piano – it’s a great place to gather in the home.”
In fact, David has been collecting pieces since the age of 15 and says that around 90 per cent of his furniture is antique or vintage. It’s not something that everyone finds easy to incorporate in their homes, and he admits that choosing the right pieces can sometimes be a case of trial and error.
“A lot of the time it’s trial and error – if you love a particular piece you’ll have it forever and it’ll work in your space. I’ve been collecting since I was 15 and had a lot of pieces gathered over the years some of which I have now moved on,” he says.
“When it comes to choosing vintage and antique furniture, it depends on the situation. If it’s in a car boot sale or charity shop, you’ll probably need to make a quick decision, or it’ll be gone. Bring it home, leave it in situ for a few weeks and let it settle into the space. If you don’t like it after a while you can sell it. I personally love chairs and am often tempted to buy a new one but am always tempted to sell what I have – my rule is one in, one out.”
When it comes to combining old and new pieces or furniture pieces made from different types of wood, David says that a neutral floor is a great place to start. “I have polished concrete in my own home, which allows me to mix woods without them clashing with the floors. An oak floor will have variations in it, which will also allow you to bring in darker woods as a contrast with that – mahogany, walnut and so on. A neutral carpet will do the same.”
Sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Done Deal and Adverts have been great sources of furniture over the years, but have also, essentially, allowed him to sell unwanted pieces too. “Knowing that you can sell something on allows you to make mistakes and to feel that you’re not making a permanent commitment,” he says. “Sometimes you will have ‘stand-in’ pieces while you’re finding that perfect piece. Buying secondhand allows you to do that sustainably, and you can sell the piece afterwards.”
The purchase of more expensive pieces might require a different approach: “Vintage and antique pieces are great for adding personality to your space – a vintage chair will make a corner sing. When it comes to more expensive pieces, you might need to think about the purchase more carefully. My advice is to create a simple moodboard – even in a Word doc on your computer with a photo of the piece and of your existing pieces. It’ll give you an idea of whether it will work in your space or not.”
David recommends leaving a new purchase to ‘settle’ for a few weeks before making a final decision as to whether to keep it.
“When you do decide to purchase something, leave it in the space for a few weeks. Move it around, restyle it, give yourself time to see if it works in your home,” he says. “I always advise people to carry a measuring tape when furniture shopping. Scale is probably the most important thing when it comes to design – something being too small is usually the worst scenario.”
His true love is Victorian and Georgian furniture – handmade pieces in solid oak or mahogany which have lasted the test of time. “There isn’t a particular rule in combining new and old – I have a seven-year-old sofa, but I also have two 16th-century chests in the living room. A piece with history can become a wonderful talking point when someone visits your home,” he says.
“Often, my clients want their homes to feel cosy and lived in. In older houses, we have quirks that add character and beauty to the home, and we don’t mind those quirks. In a new build, everything has to be perfect, so older pieces of furniture can add some of that lived-in feeling of warmth and character to the space.”
Take one look at David’s Instagram account or hear him speak at an event like the Ideal Home Show, and it’s instantly apparent that he loves his plants – particularly as the owner of a new build home.
“With new builds in particular, there is often a need to soften the space and to factor in things like colour and sound absorption. Plants are a brilliant way to do that – they are reasonably priced pieces of sculpture that bring colour and texture to a space. I have over 100 plants in my own home, and they work really well to soften this new build with lots of straight lines and glazing.”
Other key considerations when designing and building his own home outside Cork city were light, layout and connection to the garden. And it’s the same for his clients. “Light, layout and connection to the garden are usually the main considerations when I begin any project. I want my clients to spend the majority of their time in the part of the house with the best light and the greatest connection to the garden,” he says. “In general, I don’t think you can get enough light. Of course, you want privacy, or to be able to adapt the light, and light diffusing blinds and blackout blinds can be great solutions for this.”
He says that you ideally need to have both functional and atmospheric lighting in any home: “You want to be able to see what you’re doing on a January evening if you’re cooking or doing homework with the kids – so you might include spots and positional lighting. Then you need to consider atmospheric lighting – your lamps and controllable lighting. In new homes you’ll see LED strips being used but it must be controllable to be successful. To create atmosphere, you can use up/ down wall lights and lamps with warm white bulbs or choose lamps with lovely textural elements – there’s nothing nicer than a Louis Mulcahy lamp base.”
When it comes to choosing soft furnishings for your home, David advises people to go for a neutral sofa unless you really want to go for a specific colour or a “wow” piece. “If you opt for a neutral sofa you can then update your accessories as your taste changes. I also advise people to shop for accessories in person – it can be difficult to tell what something is like online – these are tactile pieces that you need to see and feel in person before you make a purchase.”
Rugs, cushions and throws add important texture and interest to any space and can help link back into the overall concept for the room. “When it comes to cushions, I like to match a plain cushion with a patterned one to add interest. I also advise people to buy multiple cushions – you can return the ones you don’t go for. Mix and match them and see what works best in your space – a lot of shops are okay with you doing that but always check with the retailer first.”
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Designer and interiors influencer David O’Brien is an interior designer working with family business RJ O’Brien Building Contractors, which was founded by his father in 1969 and which is now run by his brother. The company specialises in all trades from carpentry, decorating, interior design, roofing, electrics and plumbing to speciality trades.
Follow David on Instagram at @theblackhouse.ie.
Follow RJ O’Brien Building Contractors on Instagram at @rjobrienbuildingcontractors.
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