Inspired by nature: Newly wed couple self build their dream home in the Irish countryside

Nestled in the Irish countryside, newlyweds Laura and Peter were granted planning permission in May 2019 to build their dream home. Documenting their building progress on their social media, their online community got to join them in their self-build venture. 727 days later,  the couple finally moved in.

If you’ve followed their self-build journey on their Instagram account @teach_na_collie_ you will have witnessed their beautiful designs come to life. From setting the foundations and building each wall, they have finally moved in after two years. Covid and multiple delays have worked against their predicted move-in date, but with the help of their family (who all mucked in), their home has finally become a reality.

Teach na Coille – (House of the Wood) is the name of their wonderful home. What does it mean? Laura explains their home’s site is carved out of a 30 acre newly planted forest and also borders two existing woodland areas, “So it was only fitting that the woods got some bit of acknowledgment in the name, (For the English followers “Teach” is the Irish word for house and “Coille” means wood)”.

This gorgeous modern bungalow features huge windows that fill Laura and Peters’s open plan kitchen/living room with light, whilst providing a beautiful view of their outdoor space. A huge, rich green island is the focal point of their kitchen which sits under 1 set of exposed beams. Four solid oak trusses were added to the design for structural purposes but have been worked into their décor by choosing natural wood. Exposed beams have grown in popularity over the last year, especially in modern farmhouse designs. I love the sense of nature in a home, and beams are a beautiful way to do that. These beams not only look fabulous but have are personal touch as they were built in Galway, where Peter is originally from!

“This is definitely my favourite space in the house… I’m really looking forward to the day we can entertain in it properly with all our friends.”

The kitchen consists of natural wooden flooring and open selves which compliments the exposed beams (and the homes name) perfectly. The luxurious green cabinetry colour adds to their nature-inspired design whilst adding depth and interest to the mainly white space.

The island features Faber Hoods Galileo venting hob which was a clever addition, as Laura and Peter could include dramatic pendant lighting above the hob. By choosing a venting hob, they had more freedom with the design above and around the island. Due to the Galileo’s compact motor, they have plenty of space underneath for storing kitchen utensils.

“I had poor Peters heart broke getting him to draw a million and one layouts! But we got there in the end and to see it come to life has been amazing!”

One of my favourite aspects of this bungalow are the windows. Not only are windows a great way to utilise natural lighting but allow Laura and Peter to gaze upon the lush green countryside from the warmth of their living room. The kitchen features unique long rectangular windows which add such character to the space! Laura initially had an issue with this window due to the ‘asymmetry’, but Peter was the one that pushed to keep them. I think myself, along with many of their followers are so pleased this gorgeous feature window was kept (even if Laura has to jokingly add a “warning” for those who have issues with symmetry).

“The kitchen in particular caused a lot of stress for me in this regard, especially that long window. If you’ve been following for a while you’ll know I wanted to get rid of it but Peter was adamant it stayed as the morning sunrises from that direction. I did manage to get a little symmetry in with the oak shelves.”

I am always so impressed by self-built homes especially when I see so many new interesting design aspects. Laura and Peter have created the most perfect social space and I can’t wait to see more of Laura and Peters’s home over 2022. Are you interested in a self-build project? I would highly recommend heading to Laura and Peters’s Instagram profile for advice and experiences learned throughout their build!

If you want to see more of this beautiful home head to their Instagram here.