Two run-down stone cottages in the Irish countryside provided an ideal setting for a revamp that mixes traditional with modern. Peter Legge Associates took on the derelict Connemara Residence and remade the two small buildings into a single family residence joined by a glass-enclosed staircase.


From the exterior, the cottages retain much of their old-world charm. They were built from local stone and seem to be a part of the surrounding landscape itself.


Closer inspection reveals plenty of modern updates. The glass-walled staircase, of course, adds a very elegant element to the cottages. Skylights are positioned to let in the maximum amount of natural light.


The dining room culminates in a gorgeous set of bi-fold glass doors that open up wide to let the residents enjoy the stunning surroundings.


Elsewhere in the home, native stone mixes with rich wood while splashes of orange and copper complement the muted, minimalist color scheme.

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Thanks to the unifying glass stairwell walls, the family occupying the residence has twice as much room as the original residents would have. The breathtaking modern home is truly a testament to the power of connections: connections between the old and the new, the natural and the human-made, the earth and the sky.