Tag: IDI

Róisín Lafferty of Kingston Lafferty Design (KLD) has been elected as President-Elect of the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI). She will assume the Presidency at the IDI AGM in July 2019. Róisín will replace the current President, Kirk McCormack of Longform Architecture.

DUBLIN, Wednesday 13 March 2019

Róisín Lafferty is the Creative Director of Kingston Lafferty Design (KLD) in Dublin, a company she founded in 2010.  Believing firmly in the power of creative collaboration, Róisín has gathered a team of talented designers, contractors and craftsmen around her, and in those nine years has shaken up the interior design industry in Ireland. Known for her fearless use of colour, her designs are innovative, experimental and playful. Róisín employs a holistic approach to her design and is a firm believer in a space being beautiful as well as functional and that neither need be compromised.

Róisín has received a string of prestigious accolades, most recently Image Interiors & Living Magazine’s Interior Designer of the Year 2018. Other awards include best café design at the 2018 Restaurant and Bar Design Awards and best Fit Out Project – Retail at the 2018 Fit Out Awards. She also received the Emerging Talent Award at the 2017 KPMG Excellence in Property Awards.

Róisín has been passionate about design all her life and takes inspiration from the world around her. She is recognised as one of Ireland’s leading creative personalities with a monthly column in the Sunday Business Post. Her work has featured in many Irish and international publications, including Italian and Australian Vogue, Architectural Digest, Living ETC and The Wall Street Journal.

On taking on the role Róisín has said:

“It is an incredible honour to take on the role of President of the Institute of Designers in Ireland and to follow in the footsteps of designers and practitioners who have inspired and trail blazed over the years. I am humbled with the trust that has been put in me to lead the organisation and I look forward to working with the IDI and the Irish design community to not only showcase and promote the exceptional work of Irish designers but to bring design to the forefront of the Irish cultural narrative.”

The Institute of Designers in Ireland is the largest and longest established association of design professionals, and a major creative forum in Ireland. This cross-discipline network of Irish designers is committed to advancing the value and impact of design, and works to represent and empower design creatives across the country and overseas.

Congratulations Róisín and best of luck with this new adventure, you will make an amazing President.

We at Kingston Lafferty Design are thrilled to announce that we are short-listed for 2x IDI awards this year. We are short listed in both the residential category and the retail category. We can’t wait to celebrate in style in the Marker Hotel on the 20th of November…. fingers crossed it all goes well!

The project that is shortlisted in the residential category is the large Residential project we recently finished in Mount Pleasant Square, Ranelagh. This project is titled Ranelagh Residence.

Structurally unsound, conservation protected with highly restricted access, the development of this mid terrace, Georgian Town house remains our most challenging project to date. Located on a quiet square in one of Dublin’s most sought after residential postcodes, this 18th century , 2 storey over basement property was in a dilapidated condition. The property had been neglected for a number of years, which subsequently proved detrimental to the properties structural integrity. Extensive structural works were required to support both the existing and proposed structures and to retain the neighbouring properties. Although the property has a generous floor area, the existing layout and rear garden were negatively impacting the usability of the space. The main objective of the design was to maximise the space available and direct as much natural light as possible into the existing property.

The entire basement floor level was reduced to improve floor to ceiling height and the rear garden was extensively excavated to allow for the construction of a large conservatory extension. A tiered garden was designed to increase the quality of natural light entering the basement level. The linear forms and raw materials create a contemporary space which juxtaposes beautifully within the period features of the original property and the traditional style conservatory.The project short-listed in the Retail category was Renova Flagship Showroom.Info about the project: Renova is  a deep retrofit company, established by long term business partners, John Martin and Alan Stevens. Having previously worked with KLD on a residential development, Quantity Surveyor John Martin, approached our design firm to design the new company’s showroom. The brief was to create a space which would successfully portray the company’s services whilst providing a practical working environment for its employees.

The main design objective was to ensure that the spatial and technical information was showcased in a way that would be intimidating, relevant and clear to the average home owner (the target market). The clean geometric spatial plan divided up the space into three sections, with the reception, meetings room and office running the full length on the right hand side, the showroom to the front and the technical information to the rear. The finishes were kept raw yet sharp and professional. The dark grey timber floor contrasts beautifully against the white plastered walls, reinforcing the geometry of the plan. The exposed concrete ceiling mirrors the circulation path, drawing the eye further into the space. The finishes within the show home were carefully considered to ensure the design was individual and current yet inclusive and achievable. The design also included a considerable amount of bespoke joinery, including a walk-in-wardrobe, an island unit, reception and meeting room storage and a media and log storage system for the living room.