Susan Jackson is a wife, mother of five, and social media influencer known for her impeccable taste, and in 2022, took on a challenge with the renovation of her 1970s Dublin home.
The property was love at first sight for Susan and husband Damien, and the three of their children who are living at home - eldest daughter and makeup mogul Suzanne Jackson moved into her own dream home back in 2018 - and they just “got the feeling” it was the place for them.
After extensive renovations, Susan has been tackling the interior design herself, taking it slow but steady as she curates a tranquil, elegant space for her busy life. “We bought the house in September 2021, and we didn’t realise at the time how much needed to be done to it,” she explained, with their to-do list including redoing the floors, windows, wiring and insulation, plus an extension to the back and front and garage conversion. They also created an en-suite and walk-in wardrobe from a small upstairs bedroom.
However, it was an immediate “yes” for Susan and her family, and they could see the potential beyond the old-fashioned flowery carpets.“The day we looked at the house, we thought we were going to get it. It was built in the early 1970s and we knew when we put our foot in the door, we fell in love with it. We just got the feeling.”
Opting for local builders - who they had spotted working on a neighbouring home during their viewing - the renovations began just after Christmas with a promised time frame of six months for all of their work.
Susan highlighted the importance of going local with your tradesmen, calling hers “exceptional” as they were familiar with other similar homes in the area and came well recommended from people she could trust.“ They were spot on!”
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“We did everything to futureproof the house, as well as underfloor heating so now it’s a very comfortable home,” she said, and since they moved in, she has been slowly working on their interiors. “I love interiors, I always have, and I did it all myself. The curtains are only going up this Friday!” she laughed. “Years ago you wanted everything done right away, but at this stage of our life, you learn lessons and we took our time.”
Her top priorities were to create more light and heat in the home. “I would be the coldest creature on the planet,” she joked. “I feel the cold and love the heat, so we went for the underfloor heating and did lots of insulation and the windows. We also did glass along the back of the extension and we wanted as much light as possible.”
The main bump in the road for Susan was the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which made it difficult to house hunt and find suitable properties after selling their previous home, which sold within a day.
They struggled to find their dream home, but it eventually came their way: “There were no houses for sale. We looked and looked and looked, and there was nothing, and at the last hurdle, this home came up. We jumped at it as we loved it and we loved the area,” she recalled.
The renovations also ended up costing more than intended, due to the steep rise in the cost of materials in the past few years due to world conflicts - in fact, her budget for this home could have covered the renovation for two homes a number of years ago, according to her architect.
However, it was all worth it in the end, and a gem for Susan is their back garden. “All I wanted was a mature garden. We aren’t overlooked and we have a beautiful garden I can spend time in. Our previous home, we had extended it and took up a lot of our garden, and I wanted the greenery around me.”
The garden will be the scene of Susan’s future plans for changes, as she looks forward to planting flower beds and creating an outdoor BBQ area.
For those who want to take on a renovation project of their own, Susan recommends turning to your community for help and inspiration.
“I would ask people for their advice and not rush things, as it is too costly to make a big mistake. Knock on people’s doors - people knocked on mine asking where our windows and doors are from, and people always ask me questions on Instagram. I would never be afraid to ask people, it's not being nosy, it’s worth it to avoid any mistakes. Take your time and do your homework.”
Follow Susan’s interior projects on Instagram at @susanellenjackson
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