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FABRIC COLLECTION
COLLECTION

Helen Turkington Fabric stores offer a unique product to the interior market
in that we stock over 300 unbranded designer fabrics at 40% less the
recommended retail price. We stock linens, silks, velvets, cottons and wools in a
wide range of colours and designs.
Our buy off the roll ethos means we are giving customers a straight forward
way to buy premium fabrics with prices starting from only 8.50 per metre.
Customers may also avail of our in house Interior Design and curtain
making service.

Helen Turkington fabrics

Unit 7, Terminus Mills, Clonskeagh, Dublin 6.
T: +353 (0)1 260 2524 F: +353 (0)1 260 2529
E: helen@helenturkington.ie www.helenturkington.com
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Helen Turkington fabrics

4-5 The Parade, St. Johns Hill, Clapham, London SW11 ITG
T: 020 7228 9435 F: 020 7585 1571
E: info@helenturkington.co.uk www.helenturkingtonfabrics.com
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INTERIORS
COLLECTION
FABRIC COLLECTION

Since opening Helen Turkington Interiors in Dublin over nine years ago,
Helen has established herself as a market leader in Interiors. The stores are
well known for their intimate and inspirational room settings presenting a
contemporary classic style which is strong in symmetry and rich in accent
colour many of which can be viewed in Helens new paint collection. The stores
feature a wide range of furniture, lamps and accessories. In addition we aim to
consistently source new products at affordable prices; heavily reflected in our
new Spring Summer stock. Our team of interior designers are on hand to offer
clients the very best professional service and advice. Our Irish made furniture
range can be customised to meet our clients varying needs.
Our new in house fresh flower shop Flowers on the Avenue is the latest
addition to the Turkington brand bringing a hive of colourful activity to the
Dublin store. Whatever your needs our aim is to provide original, interesting
and elegant floral arrangements.

4-5 The Parade, St. Johns Hill, Clapham, London SW11 ITG
T: 020 7228 9435 F: 020 7585 1571
E: info@helenturkington.co.uk www.helenturkingtonfabrics.com
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47 Dunville Avenue, Dublin 6.

T: +353 (0)1 412 5138 F: +353 (0)1 497 8425
E: helen@helenturkington.ie www.helenturkington.ie
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PAINT COLLECTION
FABRIC
COLLECTION

The Helen Turkington Collection of paints, is a unique palette of contemporary,

classic colours in a premium quality acrylic paint. Helens paint colours work in
harmony with her unique style and vision.
The collection offers a range of paint colours created to compliment the
projects undertaken by Helen and her team of designers, with all of the colours
marrying comfortably with Helen Turkington fabrics and soft furnishings.

Helen Turkington fabrics

4-5 The Parade, St. Johns Hill, Clapham, London SW11 ITG
T: 020 7228 9435 F: 020 7585 1571
E: info@helenturkington.co.uk www.helenturkingtonfabrics.com
Helen Turkington Interiors
47 Dunville Avenue, Dublin 6.
T: +353 (0)1 412 5138 F: +353 (0)1 497 8425
E: helen@helenturkington.ie www.helenturkington.com
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Turkington Interiors
27 Sweep Road, Cookstown, Co.Tyrone, BT 80 8JW
T: 048 867 63438 F : 048 86763456
E: information@turkingtons.co.uk
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A lesson in restraint
Built and twice extended, all in the space of
ten years, this large family home showcases
the best in timeless design.
Compared to our last home it felt like we moved into Beverley Hills!
jokes Sophie Smith of her spacious Kerry house. Built in 2001 it took
almost two years to complete. Her husband isnt an architect, rather
a chartered surveyor and project manager, and he spent at least an
hour and half on the plans every evening in the painstaking quest
for their dream home. The builder is my husbands best friend, and
despite what people say about never mixing business with pleasure,
weve had very happy results. The house has been extended twice,
and the same team have come back to do all the work.
The hall represents the more formal side to the house, and shows
how its style has evolved. Wall panelling was added to the stairs and
landing two years ago and the mahogany stairs has been painted. One
thing that has stayed the same is the soft palette of gorgeous neutrals
that run harmoniously throughout the whole home.
The light-filled sitting room was originally planned as a playroom, but
once built the couple realised it would make a lovely living space. The
furniture and fabrics came from interior designer Helen Turkington
who was brought back in Phase 3 to work her magic on other parts
of the home.

Words: Jillian Bolger / Photography: Barry Murphy

Sophie found it hard to visualise the spaces but knew what she
liked as soon as she saw it, Helen explains. She wanted something
timeless rather than trend driven, which is exactly the way I approach
design. The mix of check and herringbone seats and elegant coffee
table were first teamed up in Helens shop in a room staging, and now
sit handsomely in Sophies room surrounded by Farrow & Ball Light
Gray walls, Manuel Canovas curtains and curvaceous wooden lamps
from Hicken Lighting.

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Texture plays an important role in the homes timeless styling, with a

mix of fabrics right down to the contrast-piped cushions all chosen
from the same palette. If you buy a flamboyant dress youll only wear
it a few times. If you buy a black dress you can dress it up, change
accessories and it doesnt date. Your house is like this and you can
live with it longer too, explains Helen, who prefers to introduce
colour through flowers.
You cant rush a house either, she explains. A place always looks
better if you take your time to get it right. Ive worked with Sophie for
years and gotten to know what she likes. She now trusts me enough
to call from London, for example, and tell her Ive found the perfect
cushion fabric. A relationship evolves with a client.

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Helen is pictured here in one of her and the familys favourite rooms
the conservatory. Unlike many sunrooms it is used year round thanks
to the relaxed styling and limestone floors. Its a really bright space,
Sophie tells me, Even in the depths of winter its so cosy, whether
looking out at the snow or morning sun. The walls are painted in
Farrow & Ball Stony Ground, a warm neutral well paired with the
wood panelling and bookcases, which contain a secret door to the
home office.
A real fire is a welcoming feature in the formal sitting room, which
once looked out onto the expansive gardens. When the house
was extended they decided to keep the French doors by the fire,
mirroring them to capture light from the big bay windows. Theres
stronger beige and bronze tones in this room, and this is capitalised
on by using only lamps and candles rather than ceiling or spot lights.

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Distressed leather chairs in rich toffee create a clubby feel in this

smaller reception room which has become something of a reading
and chess room for the family. The wooden set came from Belgium,
as did the chairs while the leather trunk, used as a table, was sourced
from SKI Interiors. The linen-effect wallpaper introduces a green tone
while staying within the natural range of the houses palette.
It would be easy to be envious of all this space, but the Smiths have five
children and Sophie is proud of the fact that every room in the house
is well utilised. Some large homes feel like museums, and although I
dont like clutter, every room in this house is lived in and used.

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Mealtimes in the Smiths are enjoyed around a large solid table that took
months of sourcing. I couldnt find a big enough round table anywhere,
despite trawling the internet and looking in countless furniture shop
while on holidays on the States, recalls Sophie. Eventually I found a
picture of one I liked so we had it made by Seabury in Naas. The base
is painted in Stony Ground by Farrow & Ball while the top is washed
white oak.
Placed beneath a trio of windows the table is bathed in natural light
and enjoys views over the large garden. The two smaller windows are
dressed in Roman blinds fashioned from a pretty botanical Colefax &
Fowler print, neatly connecting the views to the interior.

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Adhering to the classic style choices the kitchen is a hand-painted

farmhouse affair in cool Farrow & Ball colours with teak counters.
Crafted by David Duggan it was seamlessly extended in 2009 when a
beautiful cream Aga was added. It quickly became like another family
member! jokes Sophie. The kids and dogs love it.

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The sunroom enjoys wonderful light and generous doors that open
onto the leafy garden. Originally conceived as a larger room to run
the length of the house its size was reduced when Sophies daughter
asked if the plans could be changed to give her a different bedroom.
In summer time its a great space for entertaining, with access onto a
terrace with a large dining table.

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A fan of Helens elegant styling Sophie admits that the console table,
lamps, and mirror in this second hallway were all spotted together
in her shop. They were all paired up and looked great together so I
knew theyd work well here. The walls are painted in Harbour Gray
by Zoffany, although most of the paint throughout the house is Farrow
& Ball, most notably String, Cord and Stony Ground. (Since 2010
Helen has her own range of paints for Colortrend, which she now
uses instead.)
The space has been personalised by the addition of family photos
in silver frames, and it is these personal touches are something very
important to both women. A home should never be completed by a
designer, otherwise it will always look like a show house, Helen feels.
It should feature a collection of things that mean something to the
owner and that tell a story about the journey of their lives.

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The master bedroom is a luxurious and restful space that enjoys lovely
natural light. The wallpaper features the same leafy Colefax & Fowler
pattern used in the kitchens Roman blinds. The house is surrounded
by tall trees and lush greenery so we wanted to have that lovely
botanical feel inside, Sophie explains.

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Upon entering the vast home office accessed through the secret
bookshelf door you find a large open plan room illuminated by two
antler-effect chandeliers with a distinctive Ralph Lauren vibe. (The
secret door was designed to keep the office separate from the family
space, while also avoiding the conservatory feeling like a corridor.)
Thanks to its garden access and smart storage, including a staircase
with in-built filing this room easily transforms into another reception
room for family gatherings.

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The boys bedroom is tricked out in fresh Linum ticking thats been

T H E

cleverly accented by denim throws. Its a good example of Helen

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Turkingtons innate understanding of txextures, and illustrates how

colour and patterns can stay timeless if handled in the right way. Its
her signature look and its been stamped rather beautifully on the
Smiths delightful Kerry home.
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