Journal

Irish Design: An Ode to Rust Red


An ode to rust red, a legacy of the agricultural vernacular, and familiar colour that populates the Irish countryside.


The Irish landscape is full of old barns, rusty roofs, gates, outhouse doors, and broken fences all in a familiar orangey red that reminds us of our agricultural heritage and buildings of yesterday.


These were photos taken by Max Jones last year when we first got the keys to our site. He enjoyed shooting the bright oranges and rust reds of dilapidated sheds, barn, and even an old piano.


These colours, as familiar as palettes of grass green and sea blue, are part of our heritage.

We love seeing the agricultural corrugated red making its way into contemporary Irish projects, by the talented Ryan Kennihan (Beach Roach House), Steve Larkin (Ballyblake), Eamon Peregrine (Willow road), Clancy Moore (Writer’s room) and Meitheal Architects (Kerry house) among others.


Photo credits start to finish: Max Jones, Santanu Starick (Beach Road House + Ballyblake), Ros Kavanagh (Willow road), Fionn McCann (Writer’s room),Jed Niezgoda (Kerry house).

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