The Great House Revival: How artist turned Cork city centre shop into dream home
After: 42 Douglas Street. Pictures: Neil J Smyth
The words "This is the place" are written above the door of 42 Douglas Street — the home and studio of Cora Murphy.
It sums up how artist Cora feels — that she's finally arrived "home", to the first she's owned herself. Cora wanted to move in by her 50th birthday. She bought the former shop, a Victorian terrace, in Douglas Street, Cork City, for €182,000 and her budget for works is €120,000.
Cora is to discover deadlines can be unrealistic as restoration is not straightforward — from unsalvageable windows and roofs to asbestos discoveries, mortgage uncertainties to planning complications and soaring costs.
As well as transforming the dilapidated building into her dream dwelling, Cora is also planning on converting the old shop floor into her artist studio, she says on RTÉ One’s The Great House Revival.
But the sunny disposition of a woman Hugh Wallace describes as “a dynamic, positive dreamer” doesn’t dim.
Viewing the finished building appreciatively, the architect says: “Cora faced over a year of delays and challenges but survived. "Her personality is colourful — and because of that her home is colourful.”
In addition, he says, Douglas Street is home to a community “who are all crafty and creative and if you like, she encouraged them to participate in creating her home — and that’s what gives authenticity to this home”.
The building, once described as a “front-room shop” run by Mary and Desmond Lynch, now houses a "chilled-out" exhibition area/lounge (where the former shop was located), a living room and a kitchen, with Cora’s artist’s studio availing of a roof light, and on the top floor, Cora’s bedroom, bathroom and spare bedroom.
The restoration of an unused building is inspirational, says Hugh.
“You’re a beacon of what should be going on in Irish cities, which is the restoration and refurbishment of the buildings on the streets,” he says. “Technically you don’t need a car and you also have a home that’s energy efficient.”
Upstairs, as Hugh says, “the temperature changes” — in every sense. Cora agrees: “When you walk up the stairs you feel like you’re going back in time — and also it’s warmer.”
Of her well-insulated bedroom and bedroom window, she jokes: “I’m going to be the hottest girl in town!"
She left the brick exposed in the stairwell and corridor and its colour is also already inspiring her “I think it will influence my work,” she says.
Her bedroom as well as a small spare room which doubles up as a bedroom, a walkthrough wardrobe, and a “great bathroom with cream Connemara marble and micro-cement” and a book-filled living room are all part of Cora’s “dream come true”.
The entire home and its interior décor and garden are an extension of her personality, her travels and also tell the story of her life and her loved ones.
“The greatest blow” delivered to Cora during the past three years, as Hugh says, was the loss of Cora's mother, Olive. In her living room Cora points to a bright sofa with olive tones. “This was my mom’s couch,” she says.
The entire build was challenging, says Cora. “I had many sleepless nights." She jokingly adds: "I’d say honestly there were times the builders would have headbutted me.”
The budget of €120,000 jumped to between €270,000 and €290,000. Cora received the SEAI grant and the vacant property grant but her original plan for extra studio space in the garden is on hold for now.
Downstairs, in her exhibition/lounge space, Cora had wanted polished concrete. This would have cost her €17,000 but she made a budget-slashing choice to have sealed screed, giving what she describes as a “freckles” or a terrazzo-finish look.
“These freckles saved Cora €14,000,” observes Hugh.
Was she naïve at the start of the project, he asks? “I would say I was entirely naive — that was a gift because if I did know I mightn’t have done it,” she says.
But Cora is quick to praise the community that rallied around her. “I didn’t do anything on my own. Everyone weighed in.”
Her friend Justine Looney of Cork Flower Studio, also on Douglas Street, gives Cora space above the her studio temporarily after the artist’s mother dies and while the build is delayed so Cora can remain close to the site during the build and also on the street.
Justine also helps her plan her garden. As the pair get stuck in to digging in the expansive back space, Cora "the dynamic, positive dreamer" is already envisaging how the colours outside are going to inspire “what I’m going to paint inside”.
It really does look, as Hugh observes on the show, like that old community spirit of yesteryear has returned to the street.
- 'The Great House Revival' airs on Sundays at 9.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player; rte.ie/thegreathouserevival
