Evoking the Fair Isle in Your Home-- Irish Decor

On our way back home from Spain we stopped off in Ireland to spend a week with family. What a great time we had! The countryside was beautiful, the food (believe you me, we weren't allowed to go hungry!) was delicious, and meeting so many cousins was delightful. Highlights of the trip were going back to the farm and house where my Grandpa Pat grew up and sharing a lively night of music with family and friends at a pub in Bray, a little seaside town south of Dublin.

A few years ago, my husband's parents took a trip to Ireland as well. The loved it so much that they decided to make a pub room in their house. It's the coziest little room ever and many good drinks and conversations have been shared around the warm stove. The faux finish of the warm mustard-colored paint makes the walls look like they have accumulated years of pipe smoke stains, the rich dark wood and mismatched furnishings are quirky and look very loved, the pictures are hung low on the wall to keep things on a small and intimate scale. I love it!

Too often we seek to make our homes large and sprawling and the end result is cold emptiness. Smaller rooms invite intimacy of sharing and community. Bigger is not better!

So, in the spirit of St. Patrick's day, I've dedicated this blog entry to creating non-cheesy, vintage-style Irish pub room. Inspiration comes from these photos (and hundreds of photos that my eyes took in Ireland):

Here are some items, from Etsy and various online retailers, that will help you create a charming Irish inspired room.

Vintage Irish Setter Hunting Print by Etsy seller 47thStSupplyCompany, $10

Set of Two Lovable Hand Etched Pint Glasses by Etsy seller twilightdesigns24, $14.95

Vintage Wood Vynl Folding Chair by Etsy Seller Bellela, $20

1922 Large Antique Map of Ireland from Etsy seller bananastrudel, $28

Vintage Brass Lamp with Spiggot Detail from Etsy seller Maximillions, $115

Vintage Woven Plaid Tablecloth from Etsy seller Sweetgrassvintage, $18.50

 

Red Celtic Pillow by Etsy seller ButterMilkCottage, $65

Vintage White Milk Glass Irish Coffee Mug from Etsy seller MietteLove, $2

Vintage Guinness Print from AllPosters.com, $9.99

Chocolate Chunk Funky Milking Stool from Etsy seller Kewpiesfarmhouse, $27.50

 

Homespun Throw from Anthropologie, $198

Vintage Hand Colored Photo in Oval Metal from Etsy seller GemsOfTimeVintage, $175