Ómós guesthouse in Ireland blends ruin restoration with tactile design

Asca Studio and Relief Gallery have completed the interiors of Ómós, a 16-room guesthouse and restaurant near Abbeyleix, Ireland, transforming a dilapidated Victorian house into a hospitality destination. The renovation was led by local firm Ryan W Kennihan Architects, who also designed a new restaurant building informed by Irish farmsteads. The interior design, by Asca Studio and Relief Gallery, aimed to unify the two spaces through shared material palettes and symbolic details. Key materials include Kilkenny limestone, ash, and lime plaster, chosen for their tactile qualities and durability. The designers preserved period details such as fireplaces, skirtings, and mouldings, while adding new elements like a stone basin in the entryway. The color palette, featuring soft beige and green hues, was inspired by the surrounding nature of County Laois. Furniture combines vintage pieces, custom designs, and works by Irish craftsmen, including dining chairs by Michael Murphy and a sideboard by De La Espada. The project's name, Ómós, is an Irish word meaning homage, duty, and respect, reflecting the brief to celebrate people, place, and produce. Co-founder Cassandra Bradfield noted that the design aims to feel both unique to Ireland and deeply familiar. Relief Gallery founder Rebecca Norberg expressed that the design succeeds when Irish visitors find it unprecedented yet reminiscent of their grandmother's cottage kitchen. Photography is by Irina Boersma César Machado.