The evolution of architectural design in rural Ireland has come a long way from the bungalow bliss that took over the landscape in the 1970s and 1980s. Now, Wexford man Joe Fallon is launching a new book that will prove a practical – not to mention aesthetic – aid to anyone embarking on a home building project, as a guide to restore or reimagine their homes.
Beyond the Back Garden is a compilation of an extensive and impressive portfolio of work by Joe Fallon, a chartered architectural technologist and registered building surveyor SCSI.
Based in Bunclody, Co Wexford, Joe’s team is in increasing demand by those seeking advice, inspiration and expertise when planning their new builds, extensions or renovations.
Speaking to Irish Country Living, Joe says the process of bringing his team’s work together in a literary format has been a labour of love.
“I’ve built up my practice over the past 30 years and have had so many funny incidents with clients where I always thought I’d love to write a book about my experiences,” he says.
“That may have got me into trouble, disclosing clients’ secrets but the concept of writing a book got me thinking about the treasure trove of beautiful homes and one-off houses our architectural practice has designed over the past 30 years, and how we could collate them into a coffee table book, with imagery and descriptions offering an insight into what’s possible with house design.
“My journey into architecture wasn’t the conventional route – I didn’t study architecture at university but worked my way up through the industry. There is so much pressure on young people now, who are expected to know what they want to do at 17 and 18 years of age. I’m 56 and I’m still figuring it out. But the book has been a way to share my own story, as well as offering innovative and sustainable ideas on building or renovating a house.”
Labour of love
Joe, whose own farmhouse in Ballygalvert features in the book, covers everything from single story extensions to new build designs and offers insights on a range of aspects that may not seem important in the grand scheme of things.
“All the small details are what come together to make a home so it’s worth thinking about things like door handles and lighting when you’re at the design stage,” says Joe.
“A lighting plan may not seem important so early at the planning stage, but you need one to ensure you have the right amount of light in the right areas to ensure that space functions properly. The ability to adjust light can also improve the flexibility of a room.
“I’m grew up in Dublin but my father was from a small village, Abbey in southeast Galway, while my mother hails from Templeludigan, on the Wexford/Carlow border and she came from a farming background. My wife Deirdre and I bought our farmhouse in Wexford 20 years ago and it’s been a labour of love since, designing and renovating it. Deirdre is from Mullingar and we both love the softness of the countryside so a lot of things in the house have been salvaged and we’re really happy with what we have achieved.”
Joe Fallon, with his new book Beyond the Back Garden
Joe says the growing tendency for older couples to downsize, where ageing parents want to make room for returning children and their own families by freeing up the farmhouse for the next generation, has seen him commissioned for a lot of renovation and remodelling projects.
“I’ve had a lot of friends sending their children to me when they want to build a home but you’re looking at €500,000 to do that, even with a site.
“It is making more sense for people to buy older properties for half that amount and use the rest of their budget to renovate and remodel. We’re also seeing a lot of commissions where [younger] families are returning to the family home. Many are looking for outbuildings to be renovated to accommodate their parents who want to move out to give houses that are too big for them to their children and grandchildren.
The Maggie Molloy effect
“Maggie Molloy’s TV show, Cheap Irish Homes has had a big effect on people’s willingness to consider what they can buy in rural areas. They are discovering how much value they can get for their money, once they’re prepared to spend money on bringing it to their own vision of a home that suits their lifestyle.”
Beyond the Back Garden offers hints and tips from the colour of your kitchen – to the benefits of high windows and high ceilings in maximising light.
“It’s funny, over the last number of years glass has become an intrinsic part of house design but it has now presented a conundrum. In some properties, these glass boxes are overheating in the warmer months and clients are coming to us with these concerns, asking for more sophisticated air conditioning systems, or for an opening in a flat roof window that wouldn’t have been a consideration before.
“We work around these specifications in renovations or refurbishments and for new build clients we highlight the fact that our changing climate is a factor to consider when implementing substantial glass in their overall design.
“Materials also have their time and place, and while a lot of our clients request zinc for roofs and outside features. I think it runs the risk of dating very quickly.
“The current trend of burned black timber or larch is the same as the cedarwood that was everywhere a few years ago but, it comes down to personal taste.
Pink kitchens are personal taste but make a bold statement in a home.
“We had one client who insisted on having a pink front door, which we advised against. But they persisted with their own choice, which is something we absolutely encourage, and it’s now a feature we are asked about constantly by new and prospective clients.
“It’s the same for our clients who installed a pastel pink kitchen, which was a very brave move. But at the end of the day, you’re the one living in your home and you’re the one paying for the design and features you choose, so you go with your preference, staying away from trends if you can, and you won’t go wrong.”
Joe has dedicated the book to his late father John and younger brother Michael, the latter of whom passed away during the pandemic.
“Losing Michael was so tough, he was only 49 when he succumbed to cancer and I miss him every day. As I do Dad who passed away at 56, which is the same age I am now. They were both huge supporters of mine down through the years. Mam is still with us though, hale and hearty at 83 and I know she’s very proud to see the book come to fruition,” he adds.
Beyond the Back Garden will be launched at Eason in Wexford on Wednesday 29 October, and St Jude’s GAA club in Templeogue, Dublin, on Thursday 30 October.
Proceeds will go to Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services operating in Blackrock, Harold’s Cross and Wicklow.
The evolution of architectural design in rural Ireland has come a long way from the bungalow bliss that took over the landscape in the 1970s and 1980s. Now, Wexford man Joe Fallon is launching a new book that will prove a practical – not to mention aesthetic – aid to anyone embarking on a home building project, as a guide to restore or reimagine their homes.
Beyond the Back Garden is a compilation of an extensive and impressive portfolio of work by Joe Fallon, a chartered architectural technologist and registered building surveyor SCSI.
Based in Bunclody, Co Wexford, Joe’s team is in increasing demand by those seeking advice, inspiration and expertise when planning their new builds, extensions or renovations.
Speaking to Irish Country Living, Joe says the process of bringing his team’s work together in a literary format has been a labour of love.
“I’ve built up my practice over the past 30 years and have had so many funny incidents with clients where I always thought I’d love to write a book about my experiences,” he says.
“That may have got me into trouble, disclosing clients’ secrets but the concept of writing a book got me thinking about the treasure trove of beautiful homes and one-off houses our architectural practice has designed over the past 30 years, and how we could collate them into a coffee table book, with imagery and descriptions offering an insight into what’s possible with house design.
“My journey into architecture wasn’t the conventional route – I didn’t study architecture at university but worked my way up through the industry. There is so much pressure on young people now, who are expected to know what they want to do at 17 and 18 years of age. I’m 56 and I’m still figuring it out. But the book has been a way to share my own story, as well as offering innovative and sustainable ideas on building or renovating a house.”
Labour of love
Joe, whose own farmhouse in Ballygalvert features in the book, covers everything from single story extensions to new build designs and offers insights on a range of aspects that may not seem important in the grand scheme of things.
“All the small details are what come together to make a home so it’s worth thinking about things like door handles and lighting when you’re at the design stage,” says Joe.
“A lighting plan may not seem important so early at the planning stage, but you need one to ensure you have the right amount of light in the right areas to ensure that space functions properly. The ability to adjust light can also improve the flexibility of a room.
“I’m grew up in Dublin but my father was from a small village, Abbey in southeast Galway, while my mother hails from Templeludigan, on the Wexford/Carlow border and she came from a farming background. My wife Deirdre and I bought our farmhouse in Wexford 20 years ago and it’s been a labour of love since, designing and renovating it. Deirdre is from Mullingar and we both love the softness of the countryside so a lot of things in the house have been salvaged and we’re really happy with what we have achieved.”
Joe Fallon, with his new book Beyond the Back Garden
Joe says the growing tendency for older couples to downsize, where ageing parents want to make room for returning children and their own families by freeing up the farmhouse for the next generation, has seen him commissioned for a lot of renovation and remodelling projects.
“I’ve had a lot of friends sending their children to me when they want to build a home but you’re looking at €500,000 to do that, even with a site.
“It is making more sense for people to buy older properties for half that amount and use the rest of their budget to renovate and remodel. We’re also seeing a lot of commissions where [younger] families are returning to the family home. Many are looking for outbuildings to be renovated to accommodate their parents who want to move out to give houses that are too big for them to their children and grandchildren.
The Maggie Molloy effect
“Maggie Molloy’s TV show, Cheap Irish Homes has had a big effect on people’s willingness to consider what they can buy in rural areas. They are discovering how much value they can get for their money, once they’re prepared to spend money on bringing it to their own vision of a home that suits their lifestyle.”
Beyond the Back Garden offers hints and tips from the colour of your kitchen – to the benefits of high windows and high ceilings in maximising light.
“It’s funny, over the last number of years glass has become an intrinsic part of house design but it has now presented a conundrum. In some properties, these glass boxes are overheating in the warmer months and clients are coming to us with these concerns, asking for more sophisticated air conditioning systems, or for an opening in a flat roof window that wouldn’t have been a consideration before.
“We work around these specifications in renovations or refurbishments and for new build clients we highlight the fact that our changing climate is a factor to consider when implementing substantial glass in their overall design.
“Materials also have their time and place, and while a lot of our clients request zinc for roofs and outside features. I think it runs the risk of dating very quickly.
“The current trend of burned black timber or larch is the same as the cedarwood that was everywhere a few years ago but, it comes down to personal taste.
Pink kitchens are personal taste but make a bold statement in a home.
“We had one client who insisted on having a pink front door, which we advised against. But they persisted with their own choice, which is something we absolutely encourage, and it’s now a feature we are asked about constantly by new and prospective clients.
“It’s the same for our clients who installed a pastel pink kitchen, which was a very brave move. But at the end of the day, you’re the one living in your home and you’re the one paying for the design and features you choose, so you go with your preference, staying away from trends if you can, and you won’t go wrong.”
Joe has dedicated the book to his late father John and younger brother Michael, the latter of whom passed away during the pandemic.
“Losing Michael was so tough, he was only 49 when he succumbed to cancer and I miss him every day. As I do Dad who passed away at 56, which is the same age I am now. They were both huge supporters of mine down through the years. Mam is still with us though, hale and hearty at 83 and I know she’s very proud to see the book come to fruition,” he adds.
Beyond the Back Garden will be launched at Eason in Wexford on Wednesday 29 October, and St Jude’s GAA club in Templeogue, Dublin, on Thursday 30 October.
Proceeds will go to Our Lady’s Hospice and Care Services operating in Blackrock, Harold’s Cross and Wicklow.
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