Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

my home in one photo

'The gallery wall was a lockdown project': Orla shares her multi-functional modern kitchen

Orla warmed up the open-plan space with navy cabinets.

Each week, we ask someone based in Ireland with a passion for interiors to share one photo of their favourite spot in their home.

This week, Orla Kirwan (@behind.no9) chatted us through her favourite spot: her kitchen.

OrlaK-Kitchen Orla Kirwan Orla Kirwan

What do you love about this part of your home? 

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and our kitchen really is! Our kitchen is a large open plan space area, it gets great sunlight all day which makes it a lovely bright space to both cook and relax in. The island is a nice focal point of the room and it’s where we spend a lot of our time. There are a lot of cabinets which means everything has a place – I’m not a fan of clutter on the worktops. 

We chose a dark navy colour for cabinetry which gives the classic shaker-style kitchen a stylish and refined look, I think this works well with the brass accents and the white quartz worktop. This dark colour adds a nice warmth and helps to make this open space feel cosy.

What’s your favourite object in here and why?

My favourite object, if I can call it an object, is the gallery wall. This was a little lockdown project of ours and I’m so happy with the result. I love gallery walls as they make a space feel really personal in a home. We had quite a large wall in the kitchen and I thought it was the perfect blank canvas to feature some of our happiest memories. I love that these memories are on display in a space that we use every day, especially now that we are working from home.

Be honest: How much tidying did you do before taking this photo?

Not a whole lot, to be honest. I took this photo just after cleaning up from breakfast.

What was your inspiration when you were putting this room together?

There are so many sources of inspiration out there now, which is great. I follow lots of gorgeous Instagram interior accounts and browse Pinterest to get interior inspiration.

I wanted the kitchen space to be a multifunctional area that worked really well for both everyday family life and for entertaining friends and family. It is an open plan area with French doors that open up onto the garden – this makes it easy to keep eyes on our little girl while she is playing away.

More: ‘In the evening we have the blinds closed and the fire blazing’: Declan shares his warm and welcoming lounge 

Your Voice
Readers Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel