2019-08-01_25_Beautiful_Homes

H

ouse-huntingwhilelivinginanothercountrycan

bechallenging,asClaireJohnstondiscoveredwhen

shemovedfromIrelandtoScotlandin2017.Her

husband,Alistair,hadalreadyreturnedtohishome

cityofGlasgowforwork,whileClairestayedinDublin.However,

unsurprisingly,thecouplewantedtobetogetherfulltime.

‘We’djustfinishedrenovatingourbeautifulDublinhouse,

soI wasquitesadtoleave,’saysBelfast-bornClaire,whowasable

tocontinueheroldjobremotely.‘Alistairandhisbrotherviewed

afewproperties,thenI flewovertoseetwoofthemmyself.’

OnepropertyinparticulargotClaireexcitedaboutmoving.

‘Itwasa three-bedroomground-floorapartmentwithina converted

periodproperty,’shesays.‘Thelovelybigdrivewaymadea goodfirst

impressionandtheporch,too,butit wastheperiodpanellingand

livingroomceilingthatreallyclinchedit.’Thebuildinghadbeen

splitintotwoflatsbya developerandit wasa blankcanvaswith

originalfloors,whitewallsandfireplaces.ThissuitedClaire,who

wasplanningtolaunchherbusinessI AmNomad– a ‘shop-curated

home’,whereallfurniture,accessoriesandartwouldbeforsale

onlineandatopen-houseevents.‘I hadtheideaaftervisitingan

apartmentinNewYorkwheretheydida similarthing,’shesays.

ClaireandAlistairhavesincefurnishedtheirhomewitha

mixture of mid-century pieces and modern designs from Denmark

HALLWAY

Thedaybedisa

luxurioustouch,butit’s

alsotheidealspotfor

puttingonshoes.

AirdaybedbyBroste

Copenhagen,£1,200,

I Am Nomad

LIVINGROOM

‘Thissubtleshadeofgreyfeels

warmerthanplainwhite

wouldhave,’saysClaire.

WallsinPavilionGray,£46.50

for2.5L,Farrow&Ball.PinkAir

armchairbyBrosteCopenhagen,

£675, I Am Nomad

50 | 25bHAUGUST 2019