Interior designer adds some polish to Finglas scheme

Dublin 11: from €270,000:The first phase of 40 homes at Creston - a development of 141 townhouses, duplexes and apartments on St Margaret's Road in Finglas - goes on sale today from plans through Gunne New Homes.

Prices start at €270,000 for a one-bed unit. Two-bed apartments start at €320,000, two-bed plus study apartments at €355,000 and three-bed duplexes at €375,000. Townhouses start at €385,000 for a two-bed house, three-bed houses are from €425,000 and four-bed houses cost from €465,000.

The developer, Durkan Residential, has a reputation for innovative design and, in the case, it's enlisted the expertise of interior designer Maria MacVeigh, who has spent the last 13 years in Barcelona, to put some polish on the living spaces. MacVeigh won an Institute of Designers award in 2005. "Some of my work could be described as minimal," says MacVeigh. "I aim for it to be clear and orderly."

At an early stage MacVeigh took the architectural drawings and tweaked them, making small changes, such as moving a door to highlight the flow of space from one room to another. The kitchens were reworked to integrate the dining and living space into one multi-purpose room. This was achieved by creating a sweep of workspace as one piece of furniture.

High-gloss units will feature in the finished designs.

Generous-sized bedrooms are 2.5 by 5.5 metres in size. Again, the use of a continuous piece of furniture, encompassing wardrobe storage and a study area or television viewing post, will open up the room to other uses. Bedrooms will also be capable of accommodating an armchair, so the look and feel of the space is more multi-purpose. "The bedroom becomes a recreational area," says MacVeigh. "The secret to living in a contained space is letting go of the stuff that we amass and living with the essentials. Cut clutter corners by doubling up storage with display. Invest in one large piece of furniture instead of various small pieces."

She also advises clutterbugs to ensure everything has its own space. "Pare back the dining area by placing fewer dining chairs around the table and invest in extra chairs that fold away."

In tight spaces she suggests sliding doors instead of the traditional swing types. "New home owners should also choose furniture that is in proportion to the space it will sit in," says MacVeigh. This will prevent Alice in Wonderland syndrome, where the furnishings feel too big for the room.

Creston is being launched today in the Ardmore Hotel, Tolka Valley, Finglas from 11am.