At Home - The House in the Glebe

Taking inspiration from the stone barn that was already on the site when the owners came across it, the House in the Glebe takes advantage of stunning panoramic views of Lough Foyle and beyond, and is built to Passive House standards making it energy efficient as well as a truly beautiful family home. 

Owners Lucia and Paul worked with architects Marshall McCann to create their forever home, an award-winning home as it turned out, scooping the coveted House of the Year title at the 'Building and Architect of the Year Awards 2019' in Dublin.

We asked owner Lucia, some questions about the process of working with an architect and building a dream home for her young family.

Who lives in your house? 

My husband and I, with our two young children and one on the way. 

Can you tell us about your home? 

We wanted to have something individual that would pay homage to our local vernacular style. We loved the look of black houses and that’s why we were strongly for the black corrugated material from the beginning. Like many young couples we had been dreaming and scheming long before embarking on our journey with an architect.   

How did you choose an architect?  Do you have any advice for anyone hoping to work with an architect? 

To begin with I remember googling local architects - as we wanted someone who could visit the site regularly and walk us through the process rather than a remote designer. Then we asked various architects to come to the site and talk through what we wanted to do and have a look at their portfolio. It ended up like an interview situation, as we felt like what we were asking for was more like a partnership and relationship, than just simply a design. That way there really was no doubt when we came into contact with the right architects. They were as passionate about what we wanted to achieve as we were - which gave us confidence in our belief that our ideas were achievable. If I was to give advice to anyone hoping to work with an architect I would say, outline with your partner what you both want, make the compromises, be practical above all. A major deciding factor for us was the fact that our architects had experience with designing passive standard homes.  

What was important to you in terms of the design of your home? 

Warmth and natural light were the most important factors. We all know how dark, old houses can feel in this climate and we just felt that we wanted our home to help us feel good while we were in it!   

What is your favourite room? 

My favourite room is the main living kitchen area as it’s the hub of the home.  

How do you relax at home? 

We usually settle down into the snug sitting room in the evenings to watch a bit of tv or I have a bit of me time in there with a tune on the harp (yes, Lucia is an incredible harpist) without the kids! 

What is the meaning of The Glebe?

The Glebe - or as people pronounce it here as the Glyb, is the original name of the townland, which is still used today. You can see more of Lucia’s home by following her on Instagram @houseintheglebe