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# how we live
'I always wanted a big entrance hall': Inside Laura's impeccable Georgian-inspired self-build
Laura and her husband added character to their new home with period-style features.
About you
Name: Laura Maher Hora
Age: 38
Occupation: Owner of The Irish Country Home, selling luxury faux flowers
About your home
Location: Meath
What type of house is it? A Georgian-inspired new self-build
How many bedrooms and bathrooms? 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms
When did you move in? May 2018
Who else lives there? My husband Alan, and the two kids, EmmaJane (5) and Charlie (1)
What made you choose this home and design over others?
I have always loved old Georgian homes because you can tell they’re full of character and charm. We had always planned to find a restoration project but after a couple of years of searching, we decided to build our own instead.
What’s your favourite part of your home and why?
We decided to spend money on getting the canvas of our home right from the beginning. I adore the many Georgian features that we included, especially the sash windows. My walk-in wardrobe is another favourite… I got rid of a bedroom to make way for it and it was the best decision we could have made.
What’s one part of your home you don’t like so much, or that causes challenges?
It’s not really a complaint, but the heat that our home holds in is unbelievable. I’m very grateful for it in the winter, but in the summer, we have a lot of open windows! But the heat led to the start of my business, as I couldn’t keep fresh flowers alive, so that is one reason to be grateful for it.
What’s the most unique part of your home?
I love our entrance hall. I always wanted a large hall with an extra wide staircase, and the arched window is something I fell in love with on Pinterest and through magazines. It was a non-negotiable in the design of the house.
How does an average day start in your home right now?
I am usually woken by my kids at about 6am. We go downstairs, they have breakfast and I have my favourite cup of tea of the day. After that we get dressed and I will drop them to their childminder for 9am. Then I head home, have some breakfast and start work in my home office. I pack all the day’s orders, work on new flower arrangements and do some admin. Between 1 and 2pm is lunchtime in the kitchen.
How does an average day end in your home right now?
Once the kids are tucked up in bed around 8.30pm, myself and my husband will usually do a bit of gardening outside until about 9pm. Then we’ll make tea and watch something on Netflix for an hour or so. I can’t stay up past 10.30pm so it’s lights out in the master bedroom until my two alarm clocks wake me up again!
What’s one thing you’d do differently if you were designing your home again?
I see so much inspiration on Instagram these days that you’ll always wish bits were different but in reality, your taste changes all the time. We stuck with the classic design of a Georgian style home so I feel like it is pretty timeless. Interiors can be chopped and changed but I am pretty happy with what we’ve achieved.
