If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise, contemporary cabins in a sylvan setting featuring the best of Irish design talent.
West of the village of Killinchy, outside Newtownards in Co Down and within 200 acres of rolling countryside, is the kind of contemporary cabin that may already fill your social feeds.
Birch Cabins at Florida Manor takes the idea of sleeping in the outdoors to a sleek new level.
Designed by 2020 Architects, with interior design by Crown Creative, the one-bedroom units, there are eight in total, offer a stylish self-catering experience for couples and solo travellers.
The blackened Japanese charred timber exteriors fade into the background and bring to the fore the surrounding trees, explains Karen Wilson of 2020 Architects. The cabins are spaced out to such a degree that no unit is in the sightlines of another.
The interiors are designed to be both functional and calming, while still offering a touch of luxury, Lauren Evans, Crown Creative’s lead interior designer, explains.
In contrast to the dark exterior, the interior is warm and uses pale wood, European oak cladding, with polished brass detailing and lots of soft textural layering, thanks in no small part to the use of handwoven Irish textiles and linens.
Great effort has been made to showcase local designers.
They include woven throws by Mourne Textiles, a third-generation firm based in Rostrevor, whose woven designs have been used by Margaret Howell, Terence Conran, and Robin Day.
Bespoke textile artworks by Emily McIlwaine Textiles, handmade ceramics by Annadale Brickwork, shower products by Field Day, and outdoor furniture from Belfast interiors boutique, Maven.
The result is a gorgeous piece of Irish design that steals some of its sensibility from Scandinavian design but puts an Irish twist on it.
It is no surprise that the project has been shortlisted for this year’s IDI Awards.
There is a kitchenette, with a combi-steam oven cum microwave, kettle, and toaster, but for big meals it’s best to book a table at Bib Gourmand gastropub Balloo House in Killinchy or its sister restaurant, The Poacher’s Pocket in Lisbane, each about a four-minute drive away.
Each cabin comes with an outdoor wood-burning hot tub, a good place to soak up the night sky overhead.
Florida Manor is an Irish Georgian estate that dates to 1676. The Palladian manor house, the centrepiece of the property, dates from 1780 to 1800.
Prices start from about €259 per night, Monday to Wednesday, and from €288 per night Thursday through Sunday. Guests who stay two nights mid-week, Sunday to Thursday, can avail of a 15 per cent discount, while those staying over the weekend, Friday and Saturday night, get 10 per cent off. Book here
