Client Name: Louelle Designs
Location: Draperstown, Mid Ulster
Project Type: Renovation
Products Used: Skirting (SAM5650), Architrave (SAM5651), House Sticky (SAM115), Tongue and Groove Wall Panelling (SAM3012), Window Board (SAM53), Dado Rail (SAM37 & SAM85)
1960’s House Transformed into Timeless Dream Home
Interior Designer Louise McKenna of Louelle Designs set out to transform a 1960s property into the perfect family home. While the location was ideal, the house required a full renovation along with a small extension.
Having previously bought, renovated and sold several homes of her own, Louise approached this project with a clear vision. It was important that the finished home felt as though it had always been there, a space that felt lived in from day one. To achieve this, she embraced a layered, colourful traditional style, while also incorporating timeless features alongside meaningful, sentimental pieces.
The circa 5,500 sq. ft. home was completely transformed over 16 months, with Louise’s husband working on the project full-time and overseeing the build and project management throughout.
Designing the Classic Range
When it came to selecting mouldings and hard finishes, Louise was keen that everything felt classic and enduring. Flooring, skirting, sanitary ware and architectural details all needed to stand the test of time and avoid dating quickly.
During the design process, Louise identified a gap in the market for a truly classic moulding profile that would complement traditional and heritage-style homes. This led to the creation of the Classic Range, designed in collaboration with SAM. The bespoke collection features SAM5650 skirting and the matching SAM5651 architrave.
The profile is elegant and timeless, with a detailed mould that enhances traditional interiors while also adding character to more modern homes. Manufactured from high-quality, moisture-resistant MDF and supplied primed, the range offers a smooth, knot-free surface ready for painting in any chosen colour.
As Louise explains, “All the hard finishes needed to be classic and timeless so they wouldn’t go out of fashion. I worked with SAM to design a classic heritage-style range to complement any traditional or classic home, and I’m delighted with how it turned out.”
The Importance of Upgrading your Skirting and Architrave
Louise believes that both skirting and architrave are often the first elements that date a home, as their style and height evolve with each era. With modern homes typically featuring higher ceilings, design trends are now moving towards taller skirting profiles in order to maintain correct proportions.
To suit her own home, Louise selected 8-inch (194mm) skirting downstairs and 6-inch (144mm) skirting upstairs, ensuring each space felt both balanced and visually proportionate to its ceiling height.
She also incorporated SAM1151 Hockey Stick moulding to enhance the architrave, adding depth and creating a more refined, grand appearance. This additional depth allowed SAM3012 wall panelling to run seamlessly into the architrave, delivering a cohesive and considered finish throughout the home.
Proportion was a key factor in the design, which is why the Classic Range was developed in multiple heights to suit varying ceiling heights, ensuring successful design across different homes.
Project Outcome
The transformation of this 1960s property has resulted in a warm, character-filled family home with an authentically timeless feel. By pairing the Classic Range with a carefully curated selection of other SAM profiles, Louise successfully introduced traditional detailing that elevates the home’s heritage appeal. This collaboration is a true reflection of what thoughtful design and quality craftsmanship can achieve. We’re proud to have been part of Louise’s renovation journey and honoured that the Classic Range was piloted in her own home
Would you recommend SAM?
“I’m delighted with how it turned out; it compliments everything else we have carefully curated and created for the renovation of Hillcrest Home”. Feeling inspired by Louise’s 1960’s home renovation? Shop the Classic Collection here to bring that same timeless style into your own home.
