Inside Kasha Connolly's Stunning Burren Self-Build

It’s the stuff of dreams, or, at least, romantic movies – girl goes on a walking tour, meets the guide, falls in love, and they marry and build a beautiful chocolate-making business, complete with a Nordic-inspired home with stunning views over the Burren.

When building their home, Kasha Connolly and her husband, John, were inspired by their travels to Norway. “We both knew that if we are building a house outside of the city, it would be very much inspired by Nordic design,” she says. “John and I both love snow, mountains and winter.”

The house, a single-storey build complete with a grass roof, is nestled next door to the business, Hazel Mountain Chocolate, a thriving bean to bar chocolate factory, café and visitor centre that also has a store in Galway city.

“It was important that it felt warm and comfortable.”

Designed by Kasha and John with Swedish interior architect Jon Eliason, the home is a lesson in creating a space that is both minimalist and welcoming. “Sometimes minimal can be associated with cold and not cosy,” notes Kasha. “But I think it’s quite serene, akin to a skiing lodge somewhere in the mountains. It was important that it felt warm and comfortable.”

Crisp white walls contrast beautifully with slatted American oak ceiling and tons of colour and texture through soft furnishings and decor. The single-story home is generously proportioned but considered, with the main house featuring just two bedrooms, one bathroom, and an open-plan living area, with picture window frames and breathtaking Burren views.

As well as standard energy-efficient additions, like an air-to-water heating system and triple-glazed windows, the house also features a beautiful grass roof, which helps with insulation (and matches the grass roof of the café next door).

A standout feature is a traditional folk ceramic stove, reflecting Kasha’s Polish heritage. “I had a screenshot of that stove on my phone for years, I just loved it. Having those cultural influences was very important,” she says. “I do come from the mountains in Poland, and we do have a very similar style to Nordic style, though perhaps a little bit warmer.”

“It’s definitely my favourite feature of the house – sitting by the stove, working near the stove, doing anything around the stove, really!”

As a winter lover, Kasha relishes bringing out the big blankets, switching out cushion covers and cosying up her home with sheepskin rugs and candles. “It’s the time of year where you really feel you’re allowed to just go in,” she reflects. “You’re not expecting yourself to be outside making the most of the weather – that inner space can come to the surface.”

“I had a screenshot of that stove on my phone for years, I just loved it. Having those cultural influences were very important.”

“This is a very special time of the year for me, especially being in a new house where the kitchen layout is so inviting for cooking and baking,” she continues. One of the things she loves to make in winter is spiced hot chocolate, made with Hazel Mountain’s own blend, natch.

Made using Hazel Mountain’s trademark ‘bean to bar’ approach, their hot chocolate is made with beans from Ecuador. “We knew that we wanted to offer hot chocolate that is not sugary, but that is still delicious and indulgent,” she says.

“The industry norm would be to have maybe 35% cocoa beans if you’re lucky, and the rest is sugar and milk. But we settled on 65% cocoa and 35% sugar, so it’s a really pure hot chocolate.” For the recipe she shared with us, Kasha added a cherry liqueur. “It just takes the whole cup of hot chocolate to the next level,” she says. “It’s very rich, warming and indulgent.”

“It’s quite serene, akin to a skiing lodge somewhere in the mountains. It was important that it felt warm and comfortable.”

It’s clear that Kasha is passionate about food, and the stories that come with it, so it’s no surprise to hear that she has started her own online cooking and travel show, Food for Stories. “I always felt a special connection with the people visiting us at Hazel Mountain,” she says. “I’m still friends with some people that I met ten years ago!”

The show’s format sees Kasha cooking beloved recipes in her own kitchen, then strolling across to the Hazel Mountain café and factory to “trade” them for stories from locals and visitors alike. “We have guests from all over the world, and they have such amazing memories and stories to share,” she says. “Food really connects people in a way nothing else can.”

Photography by Nathalie Marquez Courtney.