Meet The Team: Sean O'Donnell - Burlanes Design Consultant

Describe your dream Kitchen?

My dream kitchen would have to reflect our friendly and open personalities. My wife is excellent at baking and cooking which is her real passion so we need a lot of layout space for baking and a mixture of latest cooking appliances. Ideally, we would have a Barn style open plan living space in the countryside.

I would embrace colour as I feel this makes your kitchen pop by using different materials to bring all features out with a great balance within the design. I would have two islands one for cooking and another for entertainment with wine fridge and a tropical fish tank to bring a bit of nature to the kitchen. Nature is mostly my inspiration in all my designs.

Tell us a little bit about yourself?

I grew up in an extremely creative family with my Mum an art teacher and my Dad a design technology teacher. I always knew that Art and design is what I wanted to do as a career. In my free time, I love to paint nature, especially sunflowers and small insects as I find them fascinating. I believe that a healthy body helps to maintain a healthy mind and I really enjoy running, swimming and HIIT workouts. I have completed 4 marathons.

Tell us a little bit about your career. How has it unfolded?

I started off by getting BTEC in General Art & design which lead me to go further to study HND Industrial design in Southampton and then onto Teesside to Study Product Design with Marketing where I graduated with BA Honours. My final major project which I designed, got a Patent design. I then went back to Ireland to work as designer & illustrator for luxury a manufacturing design firm. I was self employed for over 10 years working as a professional artist & designer. I have worked in many leading companies in the kitchen & interior furniture market where I have completed designs for many clients and places around the world.

What do you think makes a happy home?

A happy home will have the aroma of baking and cooking going on with an open door for all family. There has to be an open fire and a spoiled, happy cat to bring good energy and warmth to home environment.

Name a kitchen gadget that you could not live without!

I would have to say Magimix as it is used every day in our kitchen and it simply does everything.

What would people be most surprised to know about you?

As an airbrush artist I have exhibited my ‘Art with Soul’ collection in Ireland in 2012. I have been commissioned to paint canvasses and feature walls all over the world from Ireland, Poland, Spain , Monte Carlo to Africa. I created Cinema Rooms, Games Rooms, custom painted lorries and artistic objects like cows for the Cow Parade. I love using an airbrush as it allows me to paint any surface with water-based paint.