My favorite piece: “The house was in ruins, but I couldn't wait to renovate it” — in an interior designer's house renovation

Sarah Louise and Cormac Dunne bought a house that was falling apart because of two of its trees. However, they have since created a stunning home for their large family and the renovation led to a career change for Sarah Louise

Sarah Louise Dunne in her living room. It’s the adults’ room, but she doesn’t want her kids to feel unwanted, so she opted for performance fabrics that look like linen on her sofas. The fireplace comes from King Fireplaces in Athy. The sofas, cushions and accessories are from Sarah Louise Interiors. Photo: Tony Gavin

When listing the most stressful life events, buying a house and moving always top the list. Yet even among the top 20 stressors, renovating a home is never mentioned. Still, it can be demoralizing to see roofs torn off, walls torn down, piles of rubble filled in, and your home dismantled. Sure, the homeowner undertakes work to improve their home, but with delays, supply chain issues and rising costs, there is a deep fear that things will go wrong and the house will never become a home again . This is one reason why many people who have remodeled say “never again.”

Sarah Louise Dunne, a former teacher and mother of four, is an exception. She was so enthusiastic about every step of the renovation of her home in Mount Merrion, Co Dublin, that she decided to make interior design her new career and return to school, despite having worked for nearly a decade in a job she loved. “We moved in with my parents while the work was underway and I loved coming in every day to see what was happening. I loved the process, watching it all evolve and take shape. I just knew I had a strong passion and I was right,” enthuses Sarah Louise.