'We love the bench area under the stairs': Amy shares her recently revamped hallway in Naas

“It’s an extra space for our daughters to read and play.”

EACH WEEK, WE ask someone based in Ireland with a passion for interiors to share one photo of their favourite spot in their home.

Amy McCormack lives in a four-bed detached house in Naas with her husband and three daughters.

“We purchased the house in 2009 and completed renovations before adding a kitchen extension in 2016,” says Amy, who started an interior decorating company in July 2017.

This week, Amy (@simplydivineinteriors) chatted us through her favourite spot: her recently revamped hallway.

unnamed (5) Amy McCormack Amy McCormack

What do you love about this part of your home?

I love the light that floods in from the kitchen when you open the front door, as well as the bright, airy feel. I got the traditional ‘under the stairs cupboard’ removed a number of years ago and it’s now a space used daily in our home. I chose a stairs carpet that had a luxury texture and feel – it’s a statement in its own right.

What’s your favourite object in here and why?

Hands down, it’s the bench area under the stairs. I recommend this to any of my clients struggling with their hallway. I have three large drawers under the bench and they hold shoes, hats, etc. – one is even a filing cabinet. This area is an extra space in our home for our daughters to read, play or to take two minutes out.

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

I knew I wanted a neutral colour palette as it is timeless. The front of the house is dark, therefore when the sun comes in through the kitchen I needed the hallway to be able to benefit from this as much as it could. The sun can reach most of the way up the hall, so adding a mirror and light wall colours ensured this.

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

Actually, not much. With the storage in the built-in bench, mess is always hidden away!

Is there anything in here you’d like to change?

I’d like to change the flooring. When we redecorated earlier in the year I was torn between lifting the semi-solid walnut flooring up or sanding and re-varnishing. Let’s just say I made the wrong decision.