A smaller home for a better life in a Greystones bungalow: ‘Everyone thought we were crazy’
A couple in Greystones, Ireland, shares their experience of renovating a 1970s bungalow to better suit their family's needs. They opted for a smaller, more efficient design to improve their quality of life and connection to nature.
Why it matters
The story highlights a growing trend in architectural design that prioritizes functionality and lifestyle over traditional notions of home size.
T here have been some strange design ideas through the years, but what would you say if an architect suggested you make your house smaller?
Maria Cheung and Maggie O’Brien’s home in Greystones, Co Wicklow , had been a child of the 1970s. In 1971 Bungalow Bliss by Jack Fitzsimons helped establish a new vernacular in housing across Ireland, while the advent of the Dallas TV show in 1978 added ranch-style features to many dwellings.
The Bellevue estate was built in 1975, a few years before Southfork edged its design aesthetic into the aspirational homes of Ireland. However, the large, arched porch seemed sufficiently American, Cheung says, and the house was used as a location for an advert for Oreo cookies.
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