Breac house, Holiday Gift Guide
Cathrine Burke, Breac.House Christmas wish-list featuring Irish Craft and Design
About Breac.House
Niall and I opened the doors to our first guests in July 2017 with a very simple objective – we wanted visitors to this beautiful and unique part of the world to leave with a real connection to the place, its people and its heritage.
Our approach has been to ensure that everything our guests see, touch, taste and experience during their time with us represents the very best that Donegal has to over. This starts with the house itself. Designed by award-winning local architects, MacGabhann Architects, and built by a talented team of local builders and craftspeople, Breac House is the physical representation of our vision. Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the spectacular Derryveagh mountains, it was important to us that the structure sat comfortably within the landscape rather than imposing itself upon it.
This is achieved in a number of ways, not least with a nod to the low slung linear form of the traditional longhouse farm buildings which have been commonplace in the region for centuries. The angular profile of the slate roof is inspired by the iconic Muckish mountain which dominates the surrounding landscape. Critically, the use of the traditional vernacular materials, predominantly wood and stone, throughout the house helps connect Breac.House with the Donegal landscape outside. The simple, almost monastic, aesthetic is also designed to create an atmosphere of calm where guests can be at one with nature and themselves.
Our relationship with makers
Throughout the house, the work of talented Donegal and Irish makers is firmly part of the experience. It has been one of our great joys to work closely with so many makers, some just starting out and some representing the very best of Donegal’s craft heritage. From weavers to textile manufacturers, furniture designers to soap and candle makers, print artists, joiners and woodturners, the joy of this experience for us is the absolute connection between every element of the Breac.House guest experience and our friends and neighbours. These relationships have continued to evolve and deepen as we have worked on a range of bespoke elements with many of the makers from our beautiful linen sauna towels, to our bathroom rituals collection with many more plans for the future.
My Christmas list
Lists are a huge part of my life so it’s particularly fun to create a list of Christmas gifts that represent some of the very best makers from Donegal and other parts of Ireland. From art and print to jewellery and clothing and of course beautiful textiles, there is something here for all lovers of contemporary Irish craft and design. What unites them all is that they are made by small makers and they all represent what, for me, is the core of great design - the ability to make everyday, functional objects beautiful and last a lifetime. Some of these pieces will be future heirlooms.
Happy shopping!
Cathrine
1.The Bespoke Wooden Box – The Veneerist
Specialising in the art of Marquetry, Ciaran McGill based in Fintown Co.Donegal creates beautiful wooden objects ranging from chess boards and tabletops to beautiful boxes and large scale wall panels. My choice this year would be a beautiful bespoke wooden box with a marquetry top to hide away my little treasures.
2. The Irish Linen Napkins- McNutt of Donegal
Nothing quite completes a table setting like pure Irish linen napkins and no one does linen quite like our friends across Sheephaven Bay, Mc Nutt of Donegal. The beauty, quality and durability of Irish linen is well known – in fact, Irish linen gets better with age, washing and use. Buy these now and use them forever.
Set of 4 €55.00
3. The Fireside Stool -Studio Harris
Inspired by stools that would have been common in Irish rural dwellings. My love affair with Irish oak is well known and I can see this simple but beautiful oak and ash creation beside any sofa with a good book and a mug of coffee. A beautiful piece to start an Irish vernacular furniture collection with, perhaps.
€360
4. The Seaweed Print - Superfolk
I simply cannot say enough good things about the work that Superfolk create. From beautiful prints to oak trivets and more, their work essentially tells the story of their life on the West Coast of Ireland and their love for the great outdoors. I would love anything from their portfolio but I am going with their recently launched Giant Atlantic Wakame Block Print. It is simply impossible to look at it without imagining walks on the windswept beaches of the West of Ireland.
Giant Atlantic Wakame, €440.00
5. The Donegal Tweed Throw- Eddie Doherty Handwoven Tweed
Nothing says relaxing in front of the fire like an Irish tweed throw. But not just any throw. If it’s tweed, it has to be Donegal and if it’s Donegal, it has to be the legendary Eddie Doherty., Still weaving by hand from his workshop in Ardara, there is simply no other throw like his. Available in a beautiful range of colours and designs.
€180.00
6. The Perfect Card Selection - The Pear in Paper
Emails and DMs are all very well but nothing will ever beat a beautiful handwritten card whether it’s for Christmas or just to say Hi. Created by Lynn Costello Erskine, in her studio in the Donegal Craft Village, her cards are printed on a restored letterpress, called ‘Florrie’, from 1872. There are cards for every occasion, all printed by hand with a lot of love. So a selection of these to get me through 2022 would go down nicely.
7. The Contemporary Neckpiece - Hannah McGuiness Jewellery
Yes, we all love a little jewellery but there is something quite special about the work of local maker, Hannah McGuiness. Her work focuses on the interplay between form, texture and colour, and is sculptural and individual in style. She uses a mix of precious and alternative materials for her work stretching from gold to Perspex and mixed media. This year, I will be asking for one of her amazing neckpieces to add a little colour to the season.
8. The Modern Tweed Coat- Bernie Murphy Textile Artist
One for the girls again but clothing remains an area where we all need to focus on buying less but buying better quality. The recently launched ‘Identity’ Collection from Bernie uses the finest natural materials combined with her immaculate tailoring. I could go for any piece in this new collection but I am going for the Maghery Coat – a truly modern take on the heritage tweed coat and one to cherish forever.
9. The Artistic Basket- Joe Hogan Baskets
A regular contributor to exhibitions all over the world and a recent recipient of the Design Council of Ireland Lifetime Achievement award, Joe’s work is another example of elevating the everyday object of a basket to a piece of art. Traditional and contemporary at once, these baskets are conversation starters and would sit well in any contemporary home. Another piece for the collectors among us.
10. The Handmade Soap Collection The Donegal Natural Soap Company
I am obsessed with beautiful soap and there is none more beautiful than the range made by Isobel Sangha in her workshop outside Glenties. Using only the finest natural ingredients from locally foraged seaweed and heather to oats and goats milk, these soaps are pure and an easy way to be kinder to yourself and the earth. So instead of a traditional selection box, I will be asking for the Family set containing 12 varieties of soap.
Find out more and book your retreat and Breac.House here
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