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The Recovery House, Limerick: A Colour Story With Real Purpose
Introduction
Some projects stay with you long after the last coat has dried. Earlier this year, we were asked to supply the paint for a makeover of the living room at the Novas Recovery House in Limerick, a home for women transitioning out of residential addiction treatment. The room was designed by James McNamara of JMC Studios, who is one of our colour consultants and part of the team behind our interior paint colour consultations in Dublin, Kildare and further afield. The finished room ran as a two page feature in the Irish Examiner in August. Here is the story behind it.
Why This Project Mattered
Novas is an Irish charity and approved housing body that works with people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or experiencing addiction and social marginalisation. Its Recovery House in Limerick gives women a safe environment as they leave residential addiction treatment behind and begin rebuilding their lives. Many of the women referred there have experienced homelessness or are at risk of returning to it.
Niamh O'Carroll of O'Carroll Consulting works with Novas and DFS on projects like this one, and having previously worked with James on the Ideal Home Show stage, she invited him to lead the design.
"I had always wanted to work with a charity on a project that extended beyond creating a beautiful space," James told us. "It was also about creating an environment that felt safe, warm and carefully considered for the women staying there. I felt it was important to give that level of care and attention to a space that might not ordinarily receive it."
The Brief: Warm, Welcoming, Safe
The brief was to make over one room in the house using DFS furniture. Within that, James wanted something that felt less like a designed space and more like a home.
"I wanted the space to feel warm, safe and like a home," he said. "It was important that the women staying there felt valued and could see that the room had been carefully considered for them. I also wanted it to feel inspiring, because interiors can have a real psychological impact on how we feel."
That last point is the heart of what a good colour consultation does. Colour is not decoration. It changes how a room feels to be in, which is exactly why we work with in house colour consultants on our own projects.
Choosing Paint Colours Around What Was Already There
This was not a blank canvas. Several core furniture pieces were already in place, including a coral sofa from the Ideal Home Show that James was keen to give a second life.
"Because the existing furniture was so colourful, it opened up a lot of scope to introduce even more colour, which was really exciting," he explained. "Despite the coral, blues and greens, the room still feels earthy and grounded rather than overwhelming. The colours all work in unison, and many of them are colours we see throughout nature, which gives the space a very harmonious feeling."
Working outwards from what a client already owns is one of the most useful habits homeowners can borrow. It is also one of the most common mistakes we see people make when choosing paint colours for their home, picking a shade in isolation, off a card, in a shop, under the wrong light.
Texture, Quality And The Details That Finish A Room
Alongside colour, texture carried a lot of the warmth. DFS supplied tactile, well made furniture. JMC Studios provided curtains made in Ireland from a Parisian fabric, heavy enough to soften the whole room. A large hessian rug from Kukoon added further texture underfoot, and original artwork was donated by artists Carol Ahern and Caroline Duffy.
"It was also important that everything felt structured, high quality and fully considered," James said. "Overall, colour, texture and creating that sense of warmth and safety were the most important elements."
We were glad to supply the paint, which was applied as part of the final paintwork coordinated alongside deliveries, curtain poles and styling.
The Moment That Stood Out
For James, the project's meaning landed after the work was done.
"The moment that stood out most was hearing the feedback from the people involved with Novas once the room was finished," he said. "It had all been such a blur that hearing the feedback afterwards was incredibly special. It brought the purpose of the project back into focus and gave us a chance to step back and appreciate all the work, kindness and collaboration that had gone into creating the space."
The room was featured by Home Editor Eve Kelliher in the Irish Examiner Weekend Edition on 8 August 2026, alongside several online publications and a follow up mention in the Mayo News.
Working With A Professional Colour Consultant
A project like this shows what a considered palette can do, and the same thinking applies to any home. Our interior paint colour consultations, delivered with interior designers James McNamara and Tammy Lane, are built around:
- A proper look at your space, your light and how each room is actually used
- A cohesive palette across the whole home rather than room by room decisions
- Shades chosen from our Premium Collection of richly pigmented, non toxic interior colours
- Practical guidance on finishes, ceilings, woodwork and where to hold a colour and where to change it
- Clear recommendations you can hand straight to a decorator, or to our own painting team
Consultations are currently available in Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Mayo, Galway and Sligo, with an online option for anyone outside those areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed the Novas Recovery House living room in Limerick?
Interior designer James McNamara of JMC Studios led the makeover. James is also one of Farrelly & Co's colour consultants.
Who supplied the paint for the Recovery House project?
Farrelly & Co donated the paint for the makeover.
What is the Novas Recovery House?
It is a Limerick facility run by the Irish charity Novas, offering women a safe and supportive environment as they transition out of residential addiction treatment.
Where can I book an interior paint colour consultation in Dublin or Kildare?
Farrelly & Co offers interior paint colour consultations across Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Mayo, Galway and Sligo, and online elsewhere in Ireland.
Which brands were involved in the project?
Novas, JMC Studios, DFS, O'Carroll Consulting, Kukoon, Farrelly & Co, and artists Carol Ahern and Caroline Duffy.
A Room That Feels Like Home
Colour, texture and care can change how a room makes you feel, and in a house like this one, that matters more than usual. We are proud that our paint played a small part in it, and prouder still of James and the wider team who made it happen. If you would like to see what a considered palette could do in your own home, our interior paint colour consultations in Dublin and Kildare are a good place to start.
Ready to transform your home? Book your interior paint colour consultation with Farrelly & Co today, or browse our Premium Collection to find your colour.
