A pad fit for a star guild wars 2 gold St

A pad fit for a star

The gilded doors of the elevator help to create the wow factor of this luxurious penthouse in Ballsbridge. MARIANNE HERON reports 'It's a town apartment in an old building, came Mary Daly's voice over the phone. I had visions of a pad that was convenient but spatially challenged. When I arrived at the address I found my supposition couldn't have been more wrong as there was a dazzling foyer leading to a sumptuous drawing room about 30 feet long which looked fit for a film star.

In fact the apartment complex where Mary and David Daly have their home from home is film star territory as Jackie Chan and Thorn Birds' Rachel Ward have stayed in the same complex.

It's the kind of home that definitely hits the wow factor from the moment you step out of the gilded doors of the elevator into a circular atrium panelled in pale Canadian oak and floored with a mosaic of coral and cream Portuguese marble. The colours of a custom-made circular carpet from Vsoske Joyce catch the light flooding down from the glass copula above and a quartet of classical busts on marble columns give a touch of classical gravitas.

Faced with the conversion of two early Victorian terraced houses, the developer and architects - Conroy, Crowe, Kelly - for the five-year-old scheme didn't go the conventional route of dividing the property into small units. Instead, they knocked the two houses into one, allowing the luxury of a dramatic living and dining room stretching three quarters the width of the two houses.

The parapet of Mary's penthouse suite was raised, creating a private terrace with sliding plate glass doors leading from the drawing room. This parapet baffles the sound of traffic from the busy street below and screens out the surrounding buildings, limiting the view to trees and sky.

What makes the place breathtaking is the 'bone structure': the use of spatial relationships and light combine with the interior design scheme created in collaboration with Michael Kinsella of Kinsella, Bray.

The look is contemporary classic, marrying French and Italian influences to the Victorian origins of the building with a dash of pure Hollywood drama. The colour palette is soft gold and russet throughout, making the rooms seem sunny and warm on the greyest of days and is limited to two colours only for a harmonious effect. "I love easy-on-the-eye warm colours, says Mary. "I like wow gear the idea of not having a separate dining room too. I think they are a waste of time,

The French fireplace in limestone by Le Droff provides the focal point of the main room. And the leading dramatic role is taken by a glass-topped table resting on gilded hand-carved Florentine columns with a supporting cast of Italian-made chairs. The stars of the show are the conversation piece candelabra in moulded copper and brass on marble bases, a holiday find by Mary and David in Marbella, and a series of paintings created especially for the apartment by painter Brian McCarthy depicting peacocks and a Majorcan scene.

There are pieces of occasional furniture, such as a sofa and side-tables in steel and glass with golden detailing from France, custom-made sofas teamed with flange-fringed cushions and an inviting guild wars 2 gold wing chair cover in striped silk by Schumacher. Even the gilded French fleur de lys light fittings were custom made.

The kitchen has been given a Provencal flavour with custom-made units hand-painted with guild wars 2 gold Prussian blue glaze and a French limestone floor. In the informal dining area with Louis 16th chairs covered in silk brocade by Schumacher, the glass-top table rests on a hand-carved and gilded Italian column, its top filled with pot pourri.

The circular atrium acts as the hub of the apartment, with a corridor to one side leading to an oak-panelled study wow gold and the guest room and another to the master bedroom and bathroom. The bedroom decor continues the gold and russet theme with hand-painted, custom-made cupboards and beds with headboards and foot-boards for the beds covered in check silk.

There are lots of ideas to inspire, including display shelving of glass supported by a series of gilded columns, an idea which could be copied inexpensively. Crystal by John Rocha and Dresden figurines are on show.

The apartment comes into its own in the evening light. It's a wonderful place to entertain and wow po to meet up with friends from both sides of the city.

"We have friends in for dinner or for drinks before we go out together. It's a great place for parties. It's easy to keep and it has a great atmosphere,

After a career in banking and then as home-maker for children Joanne (22) and David (20), Mary started a new venture. "I was redundant, she laughs. In partnership with her friend Catherine Brannigan she turned her long-time interest in fashion into a business and the pair opened Sans Souci boutique in Malahide last September.

"I just love it. The only thing I'm sorry about is that I didn't do it years ago. We go buying twice a year and there is a great social aspect to it. And Malahide is a lovely town, a great place to go for a day's outing. There are good shops and cafes and the marina. You could spend a whole day there between shopping, having lunch and having your hair done,

With a mission to find really different fashion, Mary has a knack of finding new names on her travels, like the Danish label Isabel de Pedro which she found through a friend in England.

Lifelines

Married to David Daly with two children - Joanne (22) and Paul (20) - Mary Daly opened her boutique, Sans Souci, with friend and partner Catherine Brannigan. "It was something we had talked about for ages, says Mary. Their Malahide-based shop carries international and Irish labels including Isabel de Pedro, Nathalie de Garcon, Aideen Bodkin, Gillian Gavin, Lulu Guinness bags, M by Amour and Avoca Anthology