MTeriors

Goodbye for Now!

2007-08-30T09:00:00.000Z

Sorry for the complete lack of posts lately, things have been hectic. Well the time has come, today is my last day at work and I leave Ireland in the next few days. I'm spending a week in Japan, 5-6 months in Australia (taking in a fortnight in New Zealand) and finishing off with a week in China. I don't really know what is going to happen tto the blog while I'm away. I will definitely be putting up some posts but I don't know how frequently, please check in every so often to have a look, I should be back in action with a bunch of new ideas by next March. Thanks for all your comments and emails thus far, talk you to soon!

Mary T xxx

Drogheda in Style - by Maz

2007-08-27T14:19:00.000Z

Instyle Designs in Drogheda truly is a store to behold. It never occurred to me to wonder where you would buy an outdoor hot tub or a sauna but never the less, now I know. You can find out more about said saunas and hot tubs on the website. However it was their range of garden furniture and smoke houses that really caught my eye.

This Caravelle Oval table and four bench set was by far my favourite - don't think it'll fit on my balcony though!!

I have to admit that I didn't actually know that you could buy BBQ huts but I am definitely happier for that knowledge...

Here are some of my own pics from the show room

This bubble chair reminded me of Diarmuid Gavin (they also had the ones that hang - and they really reminded me of Diarmuid Gavin!! )

And I'm looking right at home aren't I (I didn't actually realise I had been so cheeky as to take off my flip-flops ;-) )

Lastly I just wanted to show you these amazing chairs - last of the high kings or what??

All in all Instyle Designs is well worth a visit if you're up that side of the country - and if you want exceptional garden furniture then it's worth making the trip specially.

Impulse Outlet Shopping - by Maz

2007-08-20T22:11:00.000Z

I mentioned recently on Style Treaty that I had paid a visit to the Kildare Village outlet centre, well my favourite shop of the day was definitely the Le Creuset shop - almost everything was marked way down so I had an absolute field day. Here are some of my purchases...

The Multi Mat - in white
The Silicone Whisk - in lime green

The non stick basting brush (far right of the picture - in white)

These all came from the silicone accessory range and you can read about them here.

The Pot Handle Glove - bottom right of the picture , basically a tiny oven glove that fits over the pot handle so that you can pick it up!)

And finally - the utensil holder in cream
The whole lot came to about €50 but should have been closer to €75 or €80 so bargains all round :-)

Bazaar

2007-08-16T08:37:00.000Z

Anna over at Absolutely Beautiful Things recently posted a beautiful picture of a beach party from Chez Fifi's blog and commented on the use of mis-matched chairs.

I love anything mis-matched, I think it makes for a much more lived in and interesting look than having everything looking the same. The mis-matched chairs in the pictures above got me thinking about Bazaar, a really interesting restaurant in Brussels (63 rue des capucins).

One of the things Bazaar is known for is its wonderful interior, the building is an old fabric factory (I love anything with a history!). The place is also known for its mis-matched chairs. There are ornate wrought iron chairs, hand-painted Morroccan style wooden chairs, unfortunately the website doesn't have pictures of the chairs but here are a few of the restaurant to give you a feel for the place...

One of the focal points of the restaurant is the hot air baloon above the bar...

I read in a guide book once that the decor of Bazaar was inspired by a dream that the owner had. The walls are draped with fabric and covered in broken mirrors.

Oh and I forgot to mention - the food is great too!

Imprints

2007-08-13T11:46:00.000Z

I was recently racking my brains trying to decide on what to get some friends as a Christening present for their beautiful new baby. Maz suggested that I get the Imprints and I thought it was a fantastic idea so that's what I did!

Imprints are available from Brown Thomas, by appointment. There various shapes and sizes you can get, the website has a full list of prices, you hcan check it out here.

Somewhere Beyond The Sea...

2007-08-07T20:06:00.000Z

I've recently come across a beautiful website called Buy The Sea which sells "a seductive collection of gifts and home accessories that capture the essence of the sea". With our non-existent Summer this year, I've barely made it to the beach and browsing through all these things was like a breath of fresh air.

There are so many things to choose from, I've just selected a few. Everything on the website has a coastal or nautical theme. The seaside look is very popular for bathrooms but as you can see there are also items for the kitchen or anywhere else in your home for that matter. If you're lucky enough to have a Summer Home any of these accessories would look great in it. If you do want to achieve a nautical theme in your home you should go for anything with navy, red and white stripes, natural ropes, circular mirrors and clocks, anything with driftwood...

These storage boxes have a lift-up lid and cost £5.99 (€9. ish) each

I love these lighthouse salt and pepper shakers (I seem to have a thing for salt and pepper shakers but I can't justify buying any more - how many salt and pepper shakers does one home need?!) These cost £29.95 (€44.) for the pair.

The driftwood mirror costs £50. (€73. ish) I love how natural it looks, you can imagine it just floating up to the coast like this, glass and all!

The lobster bucket is £22. (€32. ish) If you don't have any lobsters to hand This would be great for storing sticks by the fire, or potatoes in your kitchen!

The bell costs £54. (approx €80.) A great way to call the kids for dinner!

And last but not least... you can even bring a little bit of the fun of the seaside home with you for a rainy day! This sandcastle kit costs £5.99.

As I said there are many more items on the site, so have a look!

Stakefest 2007

2007-08-07T08:47:00.000Z

Stakefest is taking place in the Racecourse Retail Park, Thurles all this week. A group of us took a trip down there yesterday to have a look, they have a really nice show-room with some beautiful pieces of furniture. There are activities for the kids every day, along with face painting and some free sweets!

There are also great offers on so if you are looking for something in particular it may be worth paying a visit there. There's a week full of activities planned with a key event every day. Yesterday's event was a head to head challenge between two designers. They had to create a living room and the winner was judged by RTE's Showhouse presenter Neville Knott (complete with fake tan and french manicured nails that would put Victoria Beckham to shame!) The competitors were just completing the wall finishes while we were there so unfortunately I got no pictures of the finished room.

I did pick up a couple of items to help feed my kitchen-gadget addiction, including this toast tongs, no more burnt fingers for me - don't know how I ever lived without it!

I got this spaghetti measure, I'm dying to give it a test run - spag bol will be on the menu tonight I think!

I got a couple of other items including a gravy spoon that has a hook half way down so you can hang it on the edge of your pot. All the items are from Gadget Barrell, they don't have a website I can shown you unfortunately as they have lovely bits and pieces.

To have a look at the rest of the events and to see whats on offer at the Stakefest, visit the website.

Post of the Month - July!

2007-08-07T08:39:00.000Z

My favourite post from last month, for obvious reasons was my holiday post!
Click here to read it!

Plaid Flamingos

2007-08-01T20:08:00.000Z

I think I've mentioned a few times before that I love a busy kitchen. I like everything to be neat, organised and orderly but for me this also has to encorporate a friendly lived in look.

When it comes to tableware I love everything to be mis-matched, but matching if that makes any sense! I've got lots of glasses at home that would be the same shape as each other but different colours, or plates that are all matching colours but some are round, some are square, some are rectangular. To sum up - I'm just not one for matching plain white round plates!

I love this plaid and pink flamingo plate set from delight.com. The set costs $25. for a 9" flamingo plate, 11" plaid plate and 13" flamingo platter.

Moulin des Herbes

2007-07-31T22:00:00.000Z

While we were in France, we took a day trip to the city of Avignon. Avignon is a beautiful Provencial city famous for the Palais des Papes (Palace of Popes) where the Popes lived for much of the 14th century. Unfortunately this was closed for the evening by the time we got there so we had to content ourselves by sitting on a terrace cafe sipping a glass of vin rouge instead! Difficult but we managed...

I didn't do much shopping while we were away (the impending trip to Oz has my finances drained...) but I fell in love with this herb mill when I saw it so I had to splash out.

I very rarely use dried herbs as they taste like dust compared to fresh herbs, but its always good to have some on hand for emergencies!

ABC Carpet & Home

2007-07-30T20:23:00.000Z

If you like colour and pattern then you'll love what ABC Carpet & Home have to offer. They are so brave in their use of pattern and there are clear influences from all over the world. Here are some pictures that I like, visit the website to see more.

ABC Carpet & Home are an interiors company based in New York, they also have a store in London.

Garden State

2007-07-30T14:07:00.000Z

Maz from Style Treaty has done a post today on how to brighten up a balcony in need of a little love! Click here to read it.

Woodies Woodies Woodies!

2007-07-30T08:34:00.000Z

I'm back! All chilled and relaxed after my holidays! Just a quick post today to tell you that Woodies DIY finally opened in Limerick this weekend.

In honour of the very rare bit of sunshine we're having today, here are some nice patio sets they have in stock...

Druid Patio Set €599.

Picnic Bench €99.

Mosaic 3 piece set €129.99

Enjoy the couple of hours of sunshine!

A Nice Cup of Tea and a Sit Down - by Maz

2007-07-19T21:10:00.000Z

The Irish thirst for tea doesn't seem to have been quenched even after we've been introduced to Latte's and Cappucino's and Nettle Tea etc we still love to sit down sometimes with a nice cup of Barrys or Lyons Tea and maybe a biscuit or two!! Well with that in mind I've picked out a few items that might make your tea drinking experience even better!!!

One of my favourite shops at the moment is Whittard of Chelsea (as far as I know the only one in Ireland is in Rathdowney Outlet Centre but it was in Scotland that I came across them first.

I absolutely love these little tea for one pots that fit into a lovely mug, this one is about £23 but I actually got one in The Kitchen Range on Catherine Street for about €15.
I also love this Large Chintz filter tea pot for £27.

Whittards is also fantastic to buy tea itself, my favourite is its Earl Grey.

Of course the Irish being known for their tea drinking are not short of some great designers of teapots.This large tea pot from Louis Mulcahy is a design classic , expect to pay about €120 though.

Louis also does really nice mugs - about €20 each

My dream tea set is Nicholas Mosse here's my wish list.

These mugs look so country kitchen, €18.80 each.

And of course the Teapot €85.95

And the necessary accessories, bowl €14.95 and jug €30.75

If you're a fan of loose leaves and are looking for something more practical I got one of these (or something similar) for Mary T last year. It works a bit like a plunger for coffee!!

And if you want to learn more about tea you can always visit the site that dedicates itself to tea.

Holiday Time

2007-07-17T14:16:00.000Z

Holiday Time has rolled around already - Yippee! I'll be back next week so apologies if MTeriors is a little quiet in the meantime! Lets hope the weather's a little better in France than it has been here!

Browsers

2007-07-17T08:31:00.000Z

If you're looking for some classical pieces for your home then you should definitely pay a visit to Browsers, Upper William St. Limerick. (They also have a store in Birdhill, Tipperary). Here are a few nice pieces that they have at the moment...

Red Fabric Chaise Longue €1,995.

Taupe & Gilt Armchair €895.

Mahogany Occasional Table €895.

I love this Burbery Style Blanket Chest (€395.)

To see everything they have, take a look at the Browsers Website.

Cooking With Daisy

2007-07-16T14:02:00.000Z

Have a look at my guest post on Style Treaty today on the cookbook I just bought, Cooking With Daisy.

Some Interiors

2007-07-16T08:37:00.000Z

There's something really appealing about this kitchen, usually I love everything to be organised, neat and tidy, but I love a busy kitchen. This looks like the kind of kitchen where you would find kids covered in flour as they help with the baking, or a great place to sit down to a big family breakfast on a Saturday morning!

I also like the bookshelves in this room. I'm not too keen on anything else in the room but I love the open bookshelves.

Here's a really imaginative idea for a bath-tub, I love that bluey colour at the moment, and I love the tiles but I think this bath-tub is a bit too "bachelor-pad" for my liking!

I really love the colour combination in this bedroom... wonder where she got that wallpaper, I really like it!

All pictures from Orna O'Reilly, a talented designer working in the West of Ireland.

Myths in Life

2007-07-11T21:42:00.000Z

In my opinion, there are three great myths in life. Three items that everyone thinks exist, but in actual fact they don't, a bit like the Loch Ness Monster. These three items are:

1. A good can opener
2. A good iron
3. A good garlic crush / chopper

Well, I have a feeling that I may have unearthed a solution to the third one on the list above! I have a collection of garlic crushers at home that have all been used once before being discarded into the ""useless" drawer (it hasn't ocurred to me that the problem might be the person using these implements...). However, I just stumbled on this Garlic-Pro E-Zee Dice through Sur La Table and I think it may be the answer!

Twenty stainless steel blades perfectly dice garlic in seconds. Changes from coarse chop to fine dice with just a twist of its plastic top, all that for $19.95.

Rock Cottage

2007-07-10T22:34:00.000Z

I love a house with character, with nooks and crannies and a little quirkiness about it. If that's what you are looking for in a house then this one definitely tops the poll!

Rock Cottage has just gone up for auction in Wolverley, Worcestershire, England. The cottage which was hewn out of a sandstone cliff and was last occupied in the 1940s has a guide price of £25000.

The interior could do with a little work! Imagine the challenge of taking this on as a project and turning it into a beautiful holiday home, the house comes with 5 acres of woodland. I would LOVE to do something like this in my lifetime!

Click here to read the full story.

pictures from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ , http://www.ananova.com/ and http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Travel in Style

2007-07-10T08:36:00.000Z

Have a look on Style Treaty for my post on my new purchase...

Eastern Exoticism

2007-07-08T21:25:00.000Z

I've just come across some beauiful silk products imported by Roisin Cross, a silk importer based in Dublin. Silk is just so luxurious, it can hardly be compared to any other fabric on the market. It adds an Eastern exoticism to any room when used for curtains or cushions.

Silk has a long history and gives the impression that it has travelled the world to be in your home. As Roisin days on her website... Silk is the centrepiece of countless myth’s and legends as well as real history, including lending it’s name to the most important overland trading route in human history, the Silk Road that linked the Far East with Europe for hundreds of years.

Here are some beautiful fabrics from Roisin Cross

Click here to read about how silk is made.

Have a Good Weekend!

2007-07-06T08:36:00.000Z

The ad speaks for itself! My plan for the weekend is to get up early in the morning and head to the farmer's market, then on to Carraig Donn to pick up a few bargains (ok in reality I can't actually buy anything as I'm strictly saving for my trip, but I can look!) Then I'm going to rest up in preparation for the Munster Hurling Final on Sunday, good luck Limerick! Have a great weekend whatever you get up to!

All American Floors

2007-07-05T08:37:00.000Z

In Honour of Independence Day (...a day late...) I thought I'd put up a quick post about All American Floors, a great company based in Nenagh Co. Tipperary.

They have some beautiful pieces...

The website gives you details on the appearance, grain, availability and workability of each wood. The man behind the company, Howard Morrissey started up the company following years of experience in the industry in the U.S.A. Having trained in New York City he worked on projects in buildings such as the Twin Towers and Bloomingdales.

If you happen to be in the Nenagh area, you can find All American Floors on 53 Kenyon St.

Post of the Month - June!

2007-07-04T15:22:00.000Z

My favourite post from the month just gone has to be... the elephants. Click on the link at the side to read it again, or if you have any alternative suggestions for the post of the month, let me know!

We're All Going on Our Summer Holidays!

2007-07-03T22:10:00.000Z

My Better half and I are off to the South of France in 16 days (and counting!) for a short 3-day trip. The reason we are going is because my friend Marion is getting married. Marion (not to be confused with Marian from Style Treaty!) was my flat-mate in the first apartment I moved into when I lived in Brussels, she met her soon to be husband in true fairytale style and I couldn't be happier that the two are finally getting hitched!

We've booked accomodation for the wedding in a small hotel in a little village near Aix-en Provence called Venelles. The hotel, Le Mas du Luberon looks really charming and traditional and we're really looking forward to staying there and soaking up la vie francais! Here are a few pictures of the rooms...

And not forgetting the garden... I think we can safely assume that the weather will be a bit better there so we might actually get to enjoy this garden!

I'm hoping that it all looks as good in real life, I'll keep you posted!

In the few days before we head off to France we're taking my better half's daughter to Kinsale for a few days where we'll be staying in one of these cottages overlooking the sea. I'll take a few pictures of the interior when I get there.

I've always loved Kinsale, Co. Cork. I think it is one of the most picturesque little towns in Ireland with the colourful streets...

...beautiful harbour...

...and breathtaking scenery...

So all in all I think July is going to be a good month holiday-wise!

Coat Stand

2007-07-02T21:02:00.000Z

I really like this coat stand from Instore (€199.). I'm not usually one for having things like coats on display in a hallway but I'm strangely drawn to this quaint little one.

It's available in black or white and has a compartment at the bottom to hide away shoes.

I would put this in a utility as opposed to a front hall, depending of the style of your house of course.

Ideas or Inspirations?

2007-06-27T22:50:00.000Z

My little nephew's bedroom is in the process of being decorated by his parents. While I was looking for inspiration for them I stumbled across some wonderful kid's furniture by German company HABA.

Waking up in one of these beds every morning would feed any child's imagination!

Summer House Bed

Sleeping Beauty Bed

This cloud couch is designed deep enough for kids to lie down, while parents sit comfortably to read them stories.

Rugs create the ideal play area, here are a few nice ones from HABA

Ok I've just gone through putting up this entire post, only to discover that HABA is not available in Ireland... Lets just call the items above "ideas" or "inspirations"! The beds would be easy enough to replicate if you know a good carpenter, or if you live in one of the countries listed here you're sorted!

Monsoon Kitchen

2007-06-26T20:10:00.000Z

As promised, here are a couple of more items from Monsoon Home. Maz has been in search of the perfect apron for some time now. Click here to read about it. Well, especially for you Maz, here are a couple more that I've found. I love these country-kitchen style ones that look very Laura Ashley-influenced. Just looking at them makes me feel like baking!

Both GB £22. (approx. €32.)

There are also matching peg bags and oven mits for each item...

Mallow Home & Garden Festival...

2007-06-26T13:11:00.000Z

... will take place this weekend - Fri. June 29th, Sat. June 30th and Sun. Jul 1st at the Cork Racecourse, Mallow Co. Cork

There will be:

Live Demonstrations
Massive Used Car Sale
Energy Show
Free Seminars
Professional Advice
Landscaped Gardens
International Market
Interiors
Self Build and DIY
Renewable Energy

Unfortunately I can't make it as I'll be relaxing in the Aran Islands for the weekend :) but it should be a good one so do pay it a visit if you're in the area during the weekend. Admission costs €10. children are free

A Beautiful Place to Curl Up...

2007-06-26T08:34:00.000Z

Some beautiful bedclothes from Monsoon Home...

I love the rich fabrics of Monsoon's bedclothes, they obviously use the same inspirations when designing their handbags. More from Monsoon tomorrow!

Victorian Salvage

2007-06-21T22:37:00.000Z

I noticed looking at MTeriors that I have only one entry in the bathroom tab! Luckily this co-incided nicely with some great bathroom items that I recently came across.

The Victorian Salvage and Joinery Company reclaim beautiful pieces where they can see potential and painstakingly prepare them for re-use. They also specialise in handcrafted furniture from seventeenth century to contemporary designs.

Have a look on the website to see the full range of products. Here are a few of the bathroom items that caught my eye...

This Old Original French Toilet brings a whole new meaning to the word throne!

They have lots of great items, not just for the bathroom but kitchen items, flooring or these fitted wardrobes which I love!

The Victorian Salvage Company are located on South Gloucester St. Dublin 2, or you can visit the website here.

Tagines

2007-06-20T20:24:00.000Z

One of my favourite restaurants when I lived in Brussels was a place called Hemisphere which served world cuisine, mostly Moroccan, Indian, Tunisian, Asian. As a vegetarian it's not always easy to find somewhere to eat that has a lot of choice for us herbivores (... do I have to eat dried-up pasta again??) so over time the food has taken a back seat when it comes to my enjoyment of a night out. Having a meal out is still my favourite thing to do, but the ambience of a restaurant has become more important to me when choosing a restaurant.

The reason that I liked Hemisphere is because not only did it have a very extensive veggie menu, but the decoration is fantastic. I've actually gone there on my own a couple of times, had a nice meal with a glass of wine and just looked around me at the proprietor's collection of this that and the other thing from all over the world.

One of the great things about this restaurant though, is that they serve most of their food in tagines.

A tagine (or tajine) is a cooking or serving pot that has found its origins in Morocco. There are two types - the cooking one is (understandably) made of tougher material and works in a similar way to a pressure cooker or slow cooker. The serving one is more decorative but can't withstand high temperatures.

You can really serve anything you like in a tagine but the usual recipe of a tagine (the meal has the same name as the dish) is like a stew of meat, fish or poultry simmered with a mix of veg and spices - usually served with bread or cous cous.

I'm on a recent quest to acquire a couple of these serving tagines, I then plan to round up a couple of people, serve them dinner in the tagine and force them to ooh and ahh over my new gadget!

Here are a few nice ones I've seen on tagines.com

The ones I've shown cost in or around $40. post and packing is extra. I've a vague memory of seeing these in TK Maxx lately, where I'm sure you'd get them cheaper. I'll let you know if I track one down...

Somethings from the Weekend

2007-06-18T08:38:00.000Z

Here's a selection of a few things I stumbled across during the weekend:

These cushions from Zara Turner Gifts & Interiors would be a great way to dress up a dull dark couch.

€40.00

This Millie Vase is €21.95 from Yesterdays

These picture frames from Carraig Donn range from €29.95 - €59.95. I love the aged silver look of them (at least they look silver from the website...) these would look good if you have a room with an Indian or Eastern theme (lots of colourful silk, old lanterns and silver trinket boxes).

These can pants (!) are such a clever idea! As a cold-blooded person I love these! $6. from Etsy.

This dynamite door stopper is £26.95 from Not on the High Street.

New Feature

2007-06-15T22:29:00.000Z

Just in case you didn't notice I've added a new feature to the left bar on the blog, as soon as each month ends, I'm going to pick my favourite post and put a link to it on the left, unfortunately the thing that allows me to put pictures on the left bar isn't working, but bear with me! Check out May's top post - Interiors in the City!

Artists With a Difference!

2007-06-13T20:34:00.000Z

Would you be surprised if I told you that the artists who created the paintings above didn't paint them with their hands? In fact, would you be surprised if I told you that the artists didn't even have hands!

The pictures above are the result of an initiative in Asia who's goal is the protection and preservation of elephants. The paintings above were in fact created by elephants who have been taught how to paint!

Elephants are my favourite animal, I think I fell in love with them years ago when I found out that they are the only animal (apart from humans) that will cry from sadness or pain! That's why I was so excited about this project The Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project.

30% of the profits from the paintings goes directly to the elephant's manhout (owner) or the camp where the elephant resides, with the condition that the money is used to provide the elephants with additional food, proper veterinary care, and improved shelter. The remainder of the profits goes towards other initiatives set out in the Mission Statement.

Here is some info. on a few of the artists and an sample of their work!

Lucky was found orphaned, wandering the bush near Mornambrae, Cambodia. She was brought to the Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center near Phnom Penh in 1999.

Lucky began painting in 2003. From the beginning Lucky demonstrated great artistic talent. Lucky's strokes are loose and gestural. She often creates circular patterns combined with striking beats of the brush on the canvas. Once she starts on a painting it is hard to stop her. If she ever happens to drop the brush while she is working, she immediately picks it back up and finishes the work with a smile and a twinkle in her eye. She would also hand over a brush after finishing with a colour and immediately grab the next brush so as to begin painting again with a different colour. Lucky is extremely enthusiastic about painting and always has a smile on her face.

Wanpen was born at the Maesa Elaphant Camp in 1998 to coe Noy and bull Sidor. Wanpen means "full moon night" in Thai as she was born on a full moon. She began painting in 2000 along with the other elephants from the Maesa camp.

It was one fateful day a few years ago now that a traditional Chinese artise by the name of Chaowalit began teaching Wanpen and another elephant, Gongkam, how to paint in a realistic Chinese style. In the six months since their introduction, Chaowalit has been working closely with Wanpen and her Manhout, Khun Chien. With much patience and perseverance, Wanpen was soon painting beautiful landscapes, trees and flowers. The works are truly astounding. Wanpen has amazing control of the brush and will carefully create a variety of brushstrokes upon the canvas and keeps her eyes fixed in front of her the entire time, whether she is making the downward stroke of a tree trunk or the single dot of a flower bud. The expression in her face reveals a deep wisdom despite her young age. We are looking forward to the unimaginable possibilities that the future may hold for Wanpen.

The paintings start around $350. Ok I can't afford that right now but I would love to own one some day, what a talking point it would be in your home! They have a calendar for $14. which will do me for the time being!

Visit the website to learn more about the project.

My New Breadboard

2007-06-12T08:47:00.000Z

Here's my new breadboard from Avon! It's got a removeable crumb catcher, a little creamic bowl for butter or oil, and an integrated bread knife. €12. from Avon. (My sister is an Avon lady!)

100th Post! Yeah Me!

2007-06-08T08:34:00.000Z

For the last 10 posts or so I've been racking my brains trying to decide what to do for my 100th post. According to The Humble Housewife there are traditions in place and it is customary to write 100 things about yourself, I don't think I would be able to think of 100 interesting things about me, and I don't think anyone would be interested in reading them! So as a compromise here's me in 10...

1. I lived in Belgium for two years. When I was 19 (for a year) and again when I was 22 (for another year!)

2. I have one nephew, Fionn who is almost 6 months old and is the apple of my eye!

3. I'm leaving fair green Ireland for the warmer pastures of Australia (with stop overs in Japan & China along the way) this September for a 6 month working holiday (alhough I haven't figured out the working part yet...)

4. I drive a '91 starlet, which I never want to part with. It's my 1st car, a Christmas present from my better half on our second Christmas together. I vow that whenever it stops going I plan to plant flowers in the engine and make it the centrepiece of my garden!

5. I'm vegetarian for the past few years, the only thing I really miss is mince but since I've discovered Quorn my life is complete again!

6. I spent time in prison in the Philippines when I was 21, don't worry, not as an inmate - I was working with prisoners!

7. I hate cucumber, I mean really really hate it, as in - if it's in a sandwich and I take it out I still can't eat the sandwich because of the lingering taste!

8. My confirmation name is Lucia

9. I have an Arts Degree in Media & History which I know I'll never use but will never regret as it took me to Belgium

10. I have 6 piercings and a tatoo but I'm not in the slightest bit punkish or rebellious! Honest!

And on a final note, here's me!

My Perfect Working Space

2007-06-07T12:57:00.000Z

Anna from Absolutely Beautiful Things featured this image on her blog during the week and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since! This is my perfect working space, it's the perfect balance between organised and busy. I plan on recreating this exactly for myself some day!

Petchie's Adventures

2007-06-07T08:04:00.000Z

My good friend Petra has just recently started up a blog of her own. Petra has lived in more countries than anyone I know and travels more than anyone I know so, as a result has plenty of stories to tell! Petchie's Adventures is a wonderful report from Petra on recent travels, life in Brussels (where we met and where Petra still lives, for the time being anyway!).

The beautiful banner on Petchie's Adventures is from a recent trip Petra made to Jordan, to the city that bears her name, the city of Petra! Very appropriate!

I've put the link on my site so take a look!

Limerick Now

2007-06-06T20:50:00.000Z

All of the other Limerick bloggers have done a post on this so I thought I'd better jump on the bandwagon!

Limerick Now is a new glossy mag dedicated to all things Limerick! I picked up my copy yesterday and had a quick look through it last night. It's basically a lifestyle magazine but focuses on whats available and whats happening in Limerick. The topics covered include health, beauty & fashion, food & drink and best of all: interiors!

The interiors feature this month tells you how to decorate your home in French Provence style. Its a nice article with some inspirational pictures, it gives tips on how to achieve the look such as:

Don't try to match the elements in your room. Furniture and accessories should look old and used, but not shabby.
Use large vintage mirrors, architectural elements (columns, corbels), garden statuary, black wireware, clocks, hat boxes, vintage candelabra, flowers, plants, china and delicate porcelain figurines to accessorize a Provence room.

The Interiors section in Limerick Now also has a "Colour Page", I'm guessing the idea is that they choose a colour each month and show you a collection of items in that colour that are available in Limerick. This month's colour is green, which happens to be my favourite colour! It features some lovely items from Meadows & Byrne, Debenhams and Next.

I think Limerick Now was well worth the €3.50 and I'm looking forward to seeing what the next edition has to offer!

Another Mirror...

2007-06-04T21:15:00.000Z

Hmmm... Why does this always happen? I spend ages looking for some item that seems impossible to find and when I actually purchase I start seeing them everywhere!

Found this mirror on the Marks & Spencer website over the weekend and can't decide if I prefer this one or my recent ebay purchase...?

Although at £39.99 (€58. ish) its almost double the price of my ebay one so I guess that's the decision made!

French Shabby Chic

2007-06-01T08:54:00.000Z

Here's my latest e-buy! I won this on eBay yesterday. I've been looking for a white or off-white French Shabby Chic style mirror for a while now but any one that I liked was about 5 times what I could afford so you can imagine my delight when I found this one on eBay last night for a grand total of €32. including postage!

Here were a couple of others that I liked...

Transition Wallpaper

2007-05-31T20:41:00.000Z

I'm a thief I know! I found this wallpaper through Homebug a few weeks ago and just had to post about it myself. I love how unusual they are.

The designs, by Danish designer Lene Toni Kjeld are designed as transition wallpaper. There are 8 designs that can be blended to fade in to one another.

The idea is to create an individual design and bring up different atmospheres. This would be a great way to define living spaces if you are living in an open plan apartment.

Interiors in the City

2007-05-29T22:03:00.000Z

The interiors you create can really reveal a lot about your personality. As your personality and your life changes you will probably subconsciously change your interior along with you.

Take my sister and I for example, we've always had quite different personalities and while we were growing up I had my bedroom decorated with deep blues and purples while my sister decorated her room with lemon and cream. As we got older Catherine changed her room to mostly purple and I changed to pale greens and creams.

I think you can tell a lot about someone by how they choose to decorate their home, stepping into someone's home will give you a sneak peak at their personality. To show this I'm going to use the example of my favourite show - Sex in the City!

Carrie's apartment (my personal favourite!)

Carrie's apartment has a lived in look, verging on messy. It's got a real beauty about it but is far from flawless with bags under the hall table, mail on the floor, drawers open...

Charlotte's apartment...

Charlotte's apartment is elegant and classical. There are a lot of floral patterns to give a feminine appearance. Everything has it's place and the finishing touches are not forgotten.

Miranda's apartment

Miranda's apartment is safe to the point of being boring. There seems to be a fear of introducing any colour or pattern, she chose to use sensible dull and muted colours.

Samantha's apartment...

Samantha's apartment has a drama about it! There is no fear of colour here. There is a vibrancy and excitement about this interior. Oh and the bed is the focal point of the whole place!

Visit the HBO website to find out more about the girls and their interiors!

Olio & Farina

2007-05-29T20:20:00.000Z

One of my favourite shops in Limerick is Olio & Farina. Hailing from Genova, Olio & Farina have the world famous Italian passion and enthusiasm for quality food. Their store on Little Catherine St., Limerick has the most delicious pasta and bruschetta sauces, not to mention their collection of olive oil and wines!

Apart from their delicious food they also stock some great "home" items and gifts. They specialise in Olive wood, a beautiful wood with a natural warmth and depth. Olio & Farina tell us that Olive wood requires a good number of years before reaching maturation point. A true work of art, owning one of our handmade products is to own a piece of history.

Here are a few beautiful pieces from their collection

Spaghetti Measure €11.99

Lemon Squeezer & Honey Drizzler €13.99

Mortar & Pestel €36.99

There's just something about using wooden utensils and tools in your kitchen, it feels really traditional, like you're really creating something as you cook! Apart from the items above there are great gift sets available from Olio & Farina. You can either get one ready made or create one yourself, these would make a really personal and very useful house warming present!

Visit Olio & Farina to find out more about them.

The Search is Over!

2007-05-28T09:28:00.001Z

Another Interior Design free day today. Today I've done a fashion post on Style Treaty.
Click here to read the article and to see my new dress!

Next Please

2007-05-25T08:48:00.000Z

Earlier in the week on our lunch break Maz and I took a trip to Childer's Road Retail Park, a bad idea (it was Maz's idea...) as I ended up buying a pair of shoes from Dorothy Perkins, although they were on sale so I paid a ridiculously cheap price for them so I don't think it really counts! The fact that they don't really fit need not be mentioned...

I digress! My point was that we also visited Next while we were there and I just love all of their reasonably priced homeware. I don't know why but I never remember to visit Next and each time I do I'm pleasantly surprised. Here are a few things I liked...

This dinner set is €36. for 12 pieces, as is the Tahiti one below...

These Black conical glasses are €22. for a set of 4 and the best thing about them is that they are dishwasher safe

I loved these ceramic place mats, the picture shows the coasters as the Next website doesn't have a picture of the placemats but you get the idea! The place mats cost €19. for a set of two as far as I remember. Maz and I agreed that we would hate the sound of the plate on top of the ceramic place mat (!) and if I was to buy these I would actually use them as serving plates for hors d'oeuvres or starters like the Brazilian Agate ones I posted about earlier in the week, obviously this wouldn't work if your starter was soup! But would be perfect for little nibbles, crackers and cheese etc.

Maz spotted this bread bin which is very similar to one from Nigella Lawson. The great thing about this is that the lid is your bread board. At €32. however its much much cheaper than Nigella's one!

Its barely distinguishable from Nigella's one shown below, I know which one I'd be "splashing out" on!

Canvas Prints - A Reminder!

2007-05-23T21:49:00.000Z

One of my first posts back in January was about putting your favourite picture onto a canvas print, its so much more unique than just putting the picture in a frame and is a really great way to display your favourite pictures.

The reason that I'm doing a reminder on this is because just last week I got this done for my gorgeous little nephew Fionn as a Christening present for his parents and it turned out so well, his parents were delighted with it!

Click here to read the original post.

And here's the star of the show! This is the picture I used.

Fabric Fit For a Queen!

2007-05-22T22:19:00.000Z

Its more than a little intimidating to consider using some Sanderson fabric or wallpaper in your home when you consider that they were awarded the Royal Warrant as Purveyors of Wallpaper to the King of England in 1923 and continue to supply to the Queen today... but if its good enough for the Queen...

I think I love everything on their website, I could post every picture from there to here, but as that would be more than a little time consuming here's a few of my favourites!

I've ordered my book of samples from them and as soon as it arrives I intend sitting down in a quiet room with a glass of wine and drooling! I really hope I get the chance to use some of their products in the future. There is currently just one supplier in Ireland, in Dublin. You can find out more about Sanderson here. Ok here are just a few more pics...

A Wine Glass But Not as You Know It!

2007-05-21T22:02:00.000Z

Well here it is - my final post on Elsewares! (I find it funny that I'm even pretending as I know I'll have another one up here probably by next week...).

I'm really struggling with the temptation to buy this fab Ming Oil and Vinegar set. I love it because it's stylish and novel at the same time!

As you can see its a very simple design made to imitate a wine glass turned upside down. The designer from Dutch company Jansen + Co. apparently takes particular enjoyment from deconstructing familiar items and redefining their use. According to elsewares this item is not just attractive its clever too as the narrow stem reduces flow making the liquid easy to measure as you pour.

For the reasonable price of $28. (approx. €20.) you get the two glasses in a stylish box along with a funnel for easy filling and a cleaning brush.

I love how the oil and vinegar actually look like red and white wine. I think these would make a great house warming gift. Anyone who likes cooking and enjoys wine would get a kick out if these.

Brazilian Agate

2007-05-20T21:08:00.000Z

Yes I know I've probably done enough posts on Elsewares at this stage, like here... and here... but I just love their products. Ok I'm doing this post on Elsewares today and one tomorrow but that's it - promise! (maybe...)

I just had to share these Hors d'Oeuvre plates with you, how fantastic would it be to serve your guests with these plates, dismissing their oohs and ahhs with mutterings of "oh these old things, they're nothing special, just some Brazilian agate...". Am I the only one that's not exactly sure what agate is? As far as I can find out agate is a type of quartz...

The plates (which can be ordered here) cost $68. each, not exactly cheap for a 9 inch plate but if you do happen to get a set as a present I want to be invited to the dinner party!

Reclaimed Comic Decoupage Chair

2007-05-17T22:27:00.000Z

I think this "re-designed" vintage 1950's cafe chair would be such a novelty piece to have in your home! I love how unique it is, for GB £225 (approx. €330) you can be the proud owner of this chair. I know at that price you wouldn't go buying a full set for your kitchen table, but one wouldn't be out of this world...

The great thing is that you get to choose your own comic, or magazine, or newspaper, whatever you like and then choose the seat fabric.

Wouldn't it be great to do this with photos of all your family and friends! Or photos of every holiday you've been on! The chair is designed by Bombus and is available from www.notonthehighstreet.com click here to order.

Absolutely Beautiful

2007-05-16T23:20:00.000Z

Last week, Maz had the brainwave that all of the lovely lady Limerick bloggers should finally put faces to the posts and meet up. And that's exactly what myself, Maz, Laura and Lorraine did on Saturday night when we met for dinner and some vino in Limerick's new swanky Absolute Hotel.

If you fancy a few cocktails or Aperitif on a girl's night out then I would recommend the Absolute Hotel, the great thing about it is the decor, it makes you feel that you are somewhere special as soon as you walk in the door.

One of the nice things about the decor is that its not confined to the beige and cream of a lot of hotels and you will find a splash of colour and pattern here and there. Here's Maz waiting on one of the Damask patterened couches.

The attention to detail is superb, even their fire extinguishers look interior designed, in chrome so that they don't clash! Yes I did get a few funny looks when I was taking photos of the fire extinguishers...

A good night was had by all in these beautiful surroundings, we joked that the next time we meet up Lorraine can cook, Laura can be in charge of deserts, I can design the table settings and Maz can decide on all of our outfits!

Best Invention Ever!

2007-05-16T09:15:00.000Z

I love cooking, I could happily chop, roast and sautee all day long, however I'm not the world's best baker. Last night however I tried Laura's Honey Cookies thinking that if her daughter could manage them I could surely attempt them! And I'm happy to report that they were a complete success! I have so many gadgets and tools to make life easier when I'm cooking and filled with a new found confidence in the baking stakes I decided that I need to update my baking utensils!

Unfortunately these silicone bowls from Isi are not on the shelves yet as I've decided that I have to have them! Are these or are these not the best invention ever! They're the kind of thing that you look at and think - why didn't someone come up with that sooner!

These flexible bowls can be used as a regular bowl for mixing and stirring or they can be manouvered into the shape of a spout for pouring, the clear plastic lid lets them hold their shape so they can be used for storage, as I said - best invention ever!

Isi are also responsible for other innovative kitchen items that you might be familiar with, like this silicone oven mitt.

Flower Power

2007-05-14T20:29:00.000Z

I was browsing earlier on the beautiful Inspire Co. website and came across these felt tulips that I love!

I'm not generally a fan of dried flowers (although you can get some nice ones that can work in the right setting) and I absolutely abhor plastic flowers (they remind me of graveyards...) but I do know that fresh flowers are not always practical. That's why I love to find funky alternatives like these felt flowers.

If any of you have been to Amsterdam you'll know that almost every shop you walk past has an abundance of these painted wooden tulips that will only set you back a couple of euro for a bunch.

I love these tulips and the last time I was there I bought a bunch of plain white ones. I displayed them in a large tall vase filled with white sand to keep them in place.

If you are going to go down the route of artificial flowers then the best advice I can give is to find something like these felt or wooden ones that make no apologies for the fact that they are artificial and are not trying to look like real flowers and make a feature out of them!

Pomegranate Soup

2007-05-14T09:16:00.000Z

I'm having a day off from Interior Design posts today and have done a book review instead! My thoughts on Pomegranate Soup can be found over at Style Treaty!

Bargain Buys!

2007-05-11T08:45:00.000Z

Now I know that the general rule with kitchen tools and appliances is that you get what you pay for. That being said however I do believe that there are great bargains out there if you look in the right places. I've bought a few things in the Lidl special offer section with the frame of mind "at that price, if I get a few months out of it I've lost nothing!" but I've been pleasantly surprised and the quality is actually impressive.

They have a few bits and pieces in next weeks offers that have caught my eye.

I've been meaning to buy one of these Grill pans for ages now so I'm going to splash out (!) on this one for €12.99 when it hits the stores next Thursday. It's got a teflon anti-stick coating by DuPont.

My mother bought me this mezzaluna a few months ago when it was last on offer and I don't know how I ever managed without it! She always regretted not picking one up for herself so I'm going to get her one this week as it's in store again for €5.99

I'm undecided about this electric pasta maker for €69.99. I'm always promising to make my own pasta (and this one even comes with the recipe!) but in reality I think I would make it once and then admit that the shop-bought pasta is much easier (not to mention tastes better!)

They also have these kids bedclothes on offer that would be ideal if you're looking for a spare set. They cost €17.99 and they are available in (tune out if you have no kids...) Bob The Builder, Disney Princesses, Cars and someone else that I can't remember... They are 100% cotton and there are matching cushions available for €5.99!

I'm a sucker for a bargain!

Bank Holiday Homeware Hunting by Maz

2007-05-10T08:45:00.000Z

A tale of the trials and tribulations of finding the perfect ware, by Maz at Style Treaty!

I hope everyone had as productive a bank holiday weekend as I did. My search for the perfect white tableware is over (Mary T has had to listen to this for months so I’d say she’s as relieved as I am!). I wanted to find the plainest whitest ware I could get, I wanted to buy them separately as I only wanted plates and side plates. (I have cereal bowls from the simply white collection in Dunnes and I have an impressive collection of Disney mugs that I have collected from holiday destinations with Disney Stores).

On the suggestion of my significant other we took a drive to Bunratty on Bank Holiday to have a look at Avoca and Meadows and Byrne. First we called into Avoca to look at their collection of books. I found a great book on Dining spaces and a great one on Kitchens, I think I’ll be making the trip back out there to get those at some stage. They also have a great selection of Cookbooks and luxury food items. Of course they also have clothes and accessories but on this particular day our focus was household!

It was then onto Meadows and Byrne, where I found the holy grail of tableware from this collection. I was able to buy these separately so I got 6 plates (€4 each) and 6 side plates (€2 each).

Here are some of my other favourites from Meadows and Byrne

This table would fill our whole apartment at the moment but in the meantime I can imagine it in the house I don’t have yet….

It would comfortably sit 8 people and is a lovely light colour, €799 for the table and €198 for the chairs. You can also get an extension set to make the table even bigger!!

This Onda dinner set has 50% off at the moment

They also have some lovely glassware, like these Zara wine glasses.

€4.95 each

I would definitely recommend Meadows and Byrne if you’re looking for any Kitchen or home ware. It’s a lot more reasonable than I thought it would be!!

Past Times

2007-05-08T20:33:00.000Z

Do any of you remember the Past Times store that used to reside on Cruises St. in Limerick? I think it was where the current Thornton's shop is... wasn't it? I used to love that shop and was devastated when it closed, it was always a great place for Christmas and Birthday presents for Mums and Grandmothers!

I was just browsing on their online shop and they have such beautiful quaint gifts such as...

These planters would look great in a conservatory or even by a window in your living room, you can either rest them on a shelf or hang them from the ceiling. They cost £39.99 (approx €58.). To me they look like an old birdcage. If you do happen to find an old bird cage in an antique shop or car boot sale then I'd advise you to snap it up, paint it white and you've got a budget version of these planters!

I love this dragon fly perfume bottle, it's costs £12.99 (€19. ish) and has a dropper inside. I love the ornate detail.

This Blue & White Ball Box which imitates Staffordshire ironstone design would be the perfect home for any treasures or trinkets that you currently have thrown on your dressing table! £10. (approx €15.)

And here's a pretty way to hide your dirty laundry! As the website suggests, this would be very handy to take with you on holidays. This costs £16.99 or €25.

Unfortunately they only seem to ship to UK addresses but they do still have a store on Wicklow St. in Dublin and Fountain St. in Belfast, definitely on my "to be visited list" next time I'm in Dublin. I remember years ago when the store was in Limerick I spent all of my birthday money one year on a Christmas Snow Globe (which seems unusual seeing as my birthday is in August!). It had a mahogony base and a large globe with a girl ice-skating and when you wind it up it plays an Austrian waltz, this still has pride of place on my mantel piece every Christmas!

Past Times also has some beautiful garden pieces, but in protest of the disappearance of our heat-wave I'm going to hold off on doing a post about these until the sun comes out again!

Compliment Your African Art

2007-05-08T08:32:00.000Z

I love these Klondike lamps from Minnie Peters. I think these lamps would be perfect if you have a few pieces of African Art in your home, little statues etc. The dark wood would go great with the ebony and walnut of African statues and ornaments. They would also work just as well in any room with walnut furniture and cream soft furnishings. These lamps remind me of tribal African shields and are very different to Minnie Peter's usual pieces which are usually ornate and elegant like this Parisian wall light.

Garden Party Essentials

2007-05-07T21:16:00.000Z

In preparation for my BBQ Friday evening I paid a visit to Dunnes to look for some of those lanterns that I spoke about in the last post. I went to the one on Childer's Road but unfortunately they didn't have any. But I did find some gorgeous tableware. They have tough plastic items in beautiful bright summer colours, I could have bought everything there! Pay them a visit if you want to brighten up your garden party with some colourful serving dishes, salad bowls, salad spoons, wine glasses, coloured ice cubes, coloures cocktail sticks... the list goes on!

Hope everyone had a great long weekend!

La La La La La La Long Weekend...

2007-05-02T20:25:00.000Z

With the long weekend so close you can almost reach out and touch it, and with the unexpected heat wave we're having set to continue then I'm sure there are more than a few of you planning a BBQ over the next few days!

If you haven't already got your BBQ sorted for this summer then you should take yourself down to Cunningham's Garden, Tipp. Road, Limerick as they have a great range of Sunshine and Legend BBQs in stock. But the best thing about these is the accessories you can get for these BBQs that could actually help to turn the cooking part of the BBQ into an enjoyable task!

I love BBQs but as a veggie I'm often left just eating bread with a few roasted onions, that's why I think this Wok Hot plate is the best invention ever! You remove the griddle or char-grill plate and insert it with this plate so you can stir-fry to your heart's content! Genious!

This warming rack can fit a lot of the BBQs that Cunningham's have in stock, it's the perfect way to keep food warm while your guests are queuing up for seconds!

This Barrel cooker lid means that you can roast whole joints of meat (and maybe some bread or a pasta bake for us veggies!) as it transforms your BBQ into an oven.

If I haven't convinced you yet then these gorgeous garden lanterns might encourage you to decorate your garden and invite your friends over this weekend. These gorgeous colourful lanterns were featured on Homebug last month and are avaliable from Dunnes. Perfect for some cheap and cheerful decorations!

And if there really is no convincing you then I give up, let the experts do the cooking for you by heading to Limerick City for Riverfest this weekend and sample the goods at the River-Feast BBQ on George's Quay.

Rectangular Vase

2007-05-01T21:59:00.000Z

Maz pointed out this vase to me earlier in the week and I immediately fell in love with it. She suggested that it would look great with some short stemmed flowers - I couldn't have suggested anything better myself!

You could also fill this vase with some colourful summer posies or some simple daisies and use it as a pretty centre piece for a brunch or lunch with friends, dress the table in a nice white table cloth with white napkins and you'll have an instantly elegant table.

If you're looking for good quality flowers on a budget then take yourself down to Lidl or Aldi. I buy flowers here almost every weekend. Last week I bought a really nice bunch of white tulips in Lidl for €2.99, on my way home I stopped for petrol and saw the exact same bunch for €6.99 at the petrol station, I don't think there's any justifying that!

The vase above costs €24.50 from Instore

Design Onion

2007-05-01T10:53:00.000Z

I love unique or unusual pieces of furniture and I've just recently learned of the work of Limerick born furniture designer Eric O'Donnell. Design Onion was formed just this year by Eric and another very talented furniture designer, Donegal-born Ronan Lowery.

Both men studied Furniture Design & Manufacture at Letterfrack furniture college and their website tells you that they "strive to create unique and innovative pieces of furniture combining traditional woodworking techniques with modern and unusual materials".

This is certainly true of Eric O'Donnel's thatched bench, this was made as a live project for the National Museum of Ireland and was recently featured in the Sunday Times. Click here to read more about it.

Here's another beautiful piece featured on the website, this Walnut coffee table (I love anything walnut!) is said to draw its inspiration from ocean swells.

To check out more of their work or to contact Design Onion go to www.designonion.net

Time for Tea

2007-04-26T20:19:00.000Z

If you're on the look out for a nice tea set then Carraig Donn is always a good bet. Here are a few nice ones that they have at the moment, I love the grey one, I think it's the cake stand that's winning me over!

Keep that Fire Burning in Summer

2007-04-25T22:57:00.000Z

Despite all those global warming warnings I doubt we can be really guaranteed a Mediterranean summer here in Ireland just yet! In the event of some chilly evenings I think a patio fire is so much nicer than one of those big ugly patio heaters. I would light a fire inside nearly every day of the year as I think it brightens up the room so much, so this is the perfect way to give me a good excuse for lighting a log fire even in summer!

This one is from Unicahome and costs $450.

If the designer option isn't for you then there are plenty of the ones below available on ebay.ie with prices starting from around €72. I actually prefer this one! I think it would look great with some nice black wrought iron patio furniture with cream cushions.

I know that Lidl did a simple one for a much cheaper price last year, no doubt it will be coming soon again!

Changing Rooms

2007-04-24T08:19:00.000Z

My Dad bought me this book for Christmas, it was just a few months after I had qualified in Interior Design so he thought it would be a good practical present. Dad's are always great for buying practical presents, mine especially - he also bought me a torch to keep in the boot of my car, practical!

This turned out to be a great little book, if you are pretty good at putting a room together but you find yourself lacking in the final steps, the little decorative touches that transform the room to an actual designed space then this is the book for you.

Amazon review:

There are no wild premises or promises here. This is about handy hints to
update, transform, or liven up your home. According to Barker it's the
"essential finishing touches that bring a room scheme together and contribute so
much to the first impression as the owners walk through the door".

In the first section, Styling from Scratch, the main text (and there's
a lot of it) amounts to basic common sense about creating a new look home, with
advice such as covering sofas with throws, thinking about storage, and throwing
out clutter. This advice continues in the following section, Instant Make-overs,
which focuses on specific rooms. The eye-catching 5-minute facelift tips, are
largely sensible reminders: use floral patterns for a strong message, add a
sensual touch with throws, use lights for a sculptural as well as lighting
element.

It's the final section, Makes, which is the strongest and which won't
disappoint fans of the Changing Rooms TV series. There are 25 projects to have a
go at, making this an adult child's delight. Choose from making laminated paper
blinds, Japanese style seating, or even the sunburst mirror--a an ideal handmade
Christmas present?!

3 Beautiful Seating Areas and a Beautiful Bedroom

2007-04-22T20:23:00.000Z

Vacation

Seasons

Seashore

Colonial

All of the images above are from Prestigious Textiles, a textile company based in Walkinstown, Dublin. Prestigious have been in the market as a trade supplier of soft furnishings since 1995. They went from strength to strength and just 12 months later had developed into the largest brand in the market.

The reasons I love the images above are because of the life provided by the fabric. Without the soft furnishings each room would be so plain. Its important to remember this if you are decorating a rooom in your own house. You could take a room that is white from floor to ceiling, a blank canvas, and create the most vibrant, colourful room just with the soft furnishings - if you're brave enough!

Love Them or Hate Them..?

2007-04-18T21:24:00.000Z

If there's a Goth lost in you somewhere then you'll probably love these! I'm sure there's a market for these out there somewhere but I wouldn't be parting with $75. for one of these mall mounted hooks, or $95. for the vase or candle holders! These were designed by designer Harry Allen and are available from Elsewares. I just can't stop thinking of Thing from the Adam's Family!

If you want to buy one for your inner Goth you can purchase by clicking here.

Beautiful Junior Rooms

2007-04-18T08:32:00.001Z

I came across a really nice website recently, treehouse has some inspirational kids rooms (a few of my favourites are shown below). The great thing about the website is that if you click on an image it will give you the details of items in the image so you know what you need to achieve the look.

They have some beautiful pieces of furniture click here to see more.

More Wallpaper

2007-04-16T21:43:00.000Z

As a recent convert to the world of wallpaper I'm always on the look out for interesting new patterns. I just love how you can take a dead plain room and instantly bring it to life with a section of wallpaper. Here are a few that I love from Debenham's, probably not to everyone's taste but I think they would be fantastic in the right setting. The first 4 are from Debenham's Julien MacDonald collection and the last one is from the Graham & Brown collection.

Red Paradise

Green Dazzle

Green Mysterious

Purple Mysterious

Pink Figaro

All of the wallpapers shown above are approx. £16.99, I'm not sure what range they have in their Irish stores but if you can't find what you're looking for then you can always order online. To view the full collections click here.

Nice Way to Pass an Afternoon!

2007-04-15T23:58:00.001Z

A Day Bed is described as a bed that is for resting and not for sleeping. I think that a Day Bed is a lovely feature in a house if you have the space for one (and if you have the time for resting during the day!). It would be so nice to have a day bed just by a window in your house and to have the time to settle down with a good book for an hour in the afternoon. Here are a few nice ones that I found. The first one is from Minnie Peters and the second one is from Instore

California 1955

2007-04-12T18:00:00.000Z

As a way to ease myself gently back to the world of blogging I thought I'd do a quick post and share with you my favourite ever photograph so you could tell me what you think! This image California 1955 was taken by the extremely talented French born photographer Elliott Erwitt. Before I knew of his work, a friend took me to an Elliott Erwitt exhibition and I spent so long staring at this photograph, I vowed there and then that I would have (a copy of!) this print hanging in my hallway someday!

Elliott Erwitt has such a beautiful collection of Black & White snippets of people's lives, his photos don't need any lengthy titles or sub-headings, the photo in itself is enough. Take a look at www.elliotterwitt.com To view his most beautiful and famous pictures go to the Collector's prints section.

Thoughts?

Sick Note

2007-04-11T22:23:00.000Z

Just a note to apologise for the complete absence of posts in the past week, spent last Wednesday in hospital getting my wisdom teeth out. I planned on getting loads done on MTeriors while I was convalescing at home but completely underestimated how sick I would be! Feeling much better now that all the swelling and bruising has gone down (!) so I should be back in action in the next few days!

Guest Post by Maz @ Style Treaty

2007-04-04T08:23:00.000Z

A couple of weeks (possibly months at this stage) I did a post about my ongoing search for a new table lamp. Well I finally found one in Homebase last week. It’s as simple as I wanted and yet there are a few details that I like on it. You’ll find the picture on the website here, but it’s not a great picture.

Here is a picture that shows the details I spoke about above.

Please ignore the mess that is the CD/DVD stand - we have so many it's impossible to keep them tidy!!

I was wondering what to do with the old lamp and since I didn’t know anyone who needed a new one I dropped it into Oxfam on William St. I found out that they are more than happy to take home ware so if you’re doing a cleanout or redecorating, please keep them in mind.

I almost forgot to mention - it was about €30

A Splash of Life

2007-04-03T08:25:00.000Z

A nice rug is a great way to introduce colour and pattern into a room. With the minimalist and monochrome look so fashionable at the moment there seems to be a lot of quite plain looking living rooms around and I really think you can't beat a good splash of colour or pattern to bring a room to life.

If you have a blank canvas of a room to start with then I would recommend choosing a rug you love first and use that as your starting point for co-ordinating everything else in the room. If you already have your room furnished, there are so many beautiful rugs available at the moment that you shouldn't have too much trouble finding the perfect one to compliment your room.

Here are some nice ones I've found. The first three are from Hal Lou in Tralee. There are no prices on the website but you can check out the website here to find contact details etc.

The next three are from Habitat. I love these, I was in Habitat in Galway on Friday and I decided that I want to live there, yes right there in the store, it's my new favourite place!

Mosaic Rug €295.

Glasgow Rug €250 (small) €450 (large)

Decotrail Rug €450.

A Rug is also a great way to cut down on echo and noise in a room, especially if you have a solid wood floor.

Summer is on the Way!

2007-04-02T08:25:00.000Z

With this lovely weather we've been having I'm really starting to feel like summer is on the way! I know we have a while to wait yet but there's no harm in planning ahead, I've been looking at garden / patio furniture lately and here are a couple of nice ones that I've found at Cunningham's, Tipperary Road, Limerick.

This Sienna Sofa Set costs €999. for the sofa and armchair with cushions, along with the granite/marble coffee table.

This Hamptons Set is €1,999. for the sofa and armchair with cushions and the rectangular coffee table.

This Provence Set costs €359. for 2 chairs with cushions and the round granite coffee table.

I'm dreaming of long summer evenings in the garden already! The pictures don't do them justice so either visit Cunninghams at the Crossagalla Business Park or online by clicking here.

Pretty Files

2007-03-29T14:37:00.000Z

I hate all the paperwork that builds up in a house and i go through phases of good intentions about filing. I think if I had a set of box paper files like these that it would make the job much easier!

These cost £36. from www.cabbagesandroses.com

Tableware for Rural Living

2007-03-29T08:25:00.000Z

If any of you have an older home, or if you are trying to achieve an old country-kitchen look then I can't recommend Nicholas Mosse pottery highly enough. I used to work in a store that sold pottery and I could happily while away a few hours doing displays of his pottery. The colours are so vibrant but the designs are down-to-earth so that its not overpowering.

I learned on his website that Nicholas Mosse trained in England and Japan and made it his mission to produce beautiful, functional pottery in the style of Irish Spongeware. Irish spongeware was the traditional pottery of Ireland used in the 18th Century. It was mainly made in simple honest shapes with a decoration applied with a cut sponge.

The modest company was set up in an old flour mill in 1976, it has since gone from strength to strength but has not lost the personal touch and attention to detail, with all of the pottery still made and decorated by hand.

There are a number of patterns to choose from, here are just a few:

Wildflower

Clematis

Landscape

Strawberry

For me, Nicholas Mosse pottery evokes thoughts of rural living and natural inspirations. To find out more have a look at the website at www.nicholasmosse.com

Beautiful Scandinavian Simplicity

2007-03-28T08:05:00.000Z

Words that you would associate with Scandinavian design include minimalist, uncomplicated, functional simplicity. Tonfisk Design, a design company from Finland are no different.

Tony Alfström from Finland and Brian Keaney from Ireland met while studying for their Master's Degrees at the University of Art & Design in Helsinki, they believed there was a gap in the market for innovative tableware and so on December 17th 1999 they founded Tonfisk Design.

I love how they take contemporary designs and create a uniquely functional item. I love this style of design. Here are my favourites...

The sugar bowl in this milk and sugar set rests on top of the jug as you pour the milk.

There is something so inviting about this tea set from Tonfisk's Warm range. I can just picture curling up on the couch with a good book while warming my hands around this tea set!

Tonfisk Designs can be found in Ireland at Nordic Living Ltd. Blackrock, Dublin and Siena Design, 29 Patrick St. Kilkenny. To find out more you can visit their website by clicking here.

Louis' Lights

2007-03-27T08:31:00.000Z

You might know from previous posts that I'm a huge Louis Mulcahy fan! Well I was having a look on his website last night and I found these gorgeous lights.

Louis Mulcahy often uses strong colours, which I love, but these have a beautiful simplicity about them.

Prices for the conical lights shown above start at €114. (inc. VAT) for a small one or €170. (inc. VAT) for the large one. Prices are usually a little cheaper in the stores than online, as post & packing is quite high with the items being so fragile.

The pendant lamps shown below cost €102.80 for the small, €109.80 for the medium and €159.50 for the large, all including VAT.

I think the best way to hang any of these lights would be two or three (depending on your space and budget) in a straight line, low-hanging over a dining table. If you have a round dining table they would look equally great as a cluster hanging at different heights.

Visit the Louis Mulcahy site by clicking here.

Madrid & New York

2007-03-26T09:02:00.000Z

I'm just after spending the weekend in Madrid with my better half. It's a gorgeous city with a great feel and its full of some very stylish people! I came back with this item that I've been waiting months for!

This handbag caddy is one of the most ingenious ever! I did a guest post about these on Style Treaty in early February. Click here to read the article.

To top off a great holiday, I came back to find by New York deli cups waiting for me - now thats what I call a good weekend!

Little Sweetie & Little Tinker

2007-03-23T08:30:00.000Z

What child would not love these little pieces of furniture in their room! I would have probably sold all of my toys in exchange for one of those rocking chairs when I was a child!

All of these items are from the Little Sweetie & Little Tinker ranges from Carraig Donn. I love the amount of detail in the chairs, whoever designed them obvioulsy saw them through a child's eyes!

Little Sweetie Chair €74.95

Little Tinker Chair €74.95 (Sorry about the picture quality in this one...)

Little Sweetie Box €24.95

Little Tinker Box €99.95

Carraig Donn can be found at the Crescent Shopping Centre of nationwide.

Reader's Question

2007-03-22T08:40:00.000Z

Have just bought a new and small apartment and was wondering if you had
any ideas on hallway furniture (little tables etc)……what exactly to put in
one…as mine is completely empty!
It’s a cream/beige hall with wooden floors …a bit boring and lifeless!
Lauren

Here's a summary of a few of my favourites!

A Console table is always a good bet in a hallway, you can get some nice ones in Instore or even Argos, but this one is my favourite. It's from Habitat and costs €325. If you're going for a contemporary look then this would work really well. I love the dark wood and the glass on top.

In Ireland you'll find Habitat in Galway, Dublin and Belfast. I needed to find something a few months back to store shoes, books etc. but had a very narrow space to work with (between a bed and a wall). I found this understair unit from Argos, I loved the shape of it so I put two back to back to create this kind of open-storage look.

If you're feeling a bit more creative then why not make something like this. I shamelessly stole this idea from Absolutely Beautiful Things. I love these boxes which have been covered in wallpaper and glass placed on top. You could easily get these boxes made by a local carpenter and if they were made with a removable lid then they could also be used as storage. The wallpaper would be a great way to introduce colour into what you've described as a lifeless hallway!

I'd get three boxes made, of descending sizes, keep your phone on one, a plant on another etc. then if you've room, place a tub chair next to it with a co-ordinated cushion. If you like this idea but don't fancy the work of the wallpaper, the same look could be achieved with a nice nest of tables.

There's something drawing me to this Console Table from Woodies. I love its simplicity, I know its quite plain but it could be brightened up with some colourful vases or lamps on top. It costs €379.

And finally, if its storage you're after then you can't go wrong with some seagrass baskets, here's a nice piece from Argos.

Decisions Decisions

2007-03-21T08:45:00.000Z

Designer's Block is a blog that I often look at. Every so often the designer will post up a couple of pictures and you have to choose which one is your favourite. Both pictures will be of a living room or a dining room or a bedroom or whatever, but both have gone for a very different look.

Well on that note, I was browsing through pictures of sitting rooms last night on Crowson and I found these three and I couldn't decide which one I preferred. In the end I decided that my favourite is the second one, Kaimana. I love how the designer wasn't afraid to use colour. It was a brave move to introduce all that pink into the room and it really brings the whole room to life.

Alaska

Kaimana

West Coast

My second favourite is Alaska, but I decided that it was too cold to be really comfortable.

IKEA

2007-03-20T09:26:00.000Z

Here's the latest update on a much coveted event - the opening of Ireland's very first IKEA. (I can't wait!) This article appeared in this morning's Irish Independent...

An Bord Pleanala is due to begin a public hearing today into plans for a
massive IKEA outlet on the outskirts of Dublin city.

The Swedish furniture giant has already secured planning permission for the 30,000 square metre retail warehouse in the Ballymun area.The move was
approved after the Government lifted a cap on shop size that had limited all
retail outlets to 6,000 square metres.
A number of parties have appealed against the planning permission, including the National Roads Authority and Green Party TD Eamon Ryan.

Their concerns include the lack of infrastructure to deal with the extra
traffic that would be caused by the IKEA store. An Bord Pleanala's hearing into
the matter is expected to last three days, with the organisation set to make its
final decision known in late May.

Flowers & Butterflies

2007-03-20T08:58:00.000Z

I think this has to be one of the most beautiful chandelier's I've ever seen. It's just so pretty! The flowers are so cute and pretty, then the brass border on the top and base make it look a bit more grown-up and antiquey!

It costs £40. from Monsoon Accessorize Home. I can't find out if they have a Home section in any of their Irish stores but you can order online, delivery to Republic of Ireland costs £7.95.

How great would this light look low-hanging over a dining table, set for dinner with a group of your very best girl-friends! Maybe with these napking rings and votive holders decorating the table... These are also from Monsoon Accessorize and cost £15 for a set of 4 napkin rings, £8. for the votive holder.

Reader's Question

2007-03-16T08:45:00.000Z

Was just having a read of your blog and saw your post about glass doorknobs… I wonder if you know of a good place to source crystal-type cabinet knobs? Either online or instore. Finding it very difficult to get ones that don’t have a big lump of white plastic at the base ...
Thanks, Lynda

I seem to be having the same problem as Lynda as most of the cabinet knobs I've come across have the chunky plastic base that you described. Some of the better ones I can find are shown below...

This one does have a chunky base but as its chrome instead of white plastic I think you'd get away with it. This one costs US$15. from Rejuvenation

Antique Hardware do an Astoria Glass Cabinet Knob for US$4.99, This one has slightly more detail in the glass so it may not suit every cabinet, but it has a glass base which you might prefer.

This is also a nice one, with a very simple base from Period Features It costs GB£6.50 before post & packing.

I spoke to Maeve from Yesterdays, where the door knobs in the last post came from and she has informed me that they have a selection of drawer pulls in brass/crystal that might suit the need. They cost a very reasonable €6.95. There are no pictures on the site yet but if you email her she can email you some pictures. You'll find Maeve's contact details through the yesterdays website.

Otherwise I'd suggest keeping an eye out in antique shops or fairs, you need a lot of patience for this but its so rewarding when you do eventually stumble across exactly what you're looking for! And finally, there's always ebay!

Feel free to email me with any more questions (that I may or may not be able to answer!) Contact details are in my profile.

Door Knobs that Sparkle

2007-03-15T08:54:00.000Z

If you want to feel like you're opening the door to a secret hideaway each time you enter your bedroom / living room then I've found what you need! I found these glass door knobs on yesterdays. I love the simplicity of the clear glass one and there's something so glamorous about the amethyst one, which would look great with in any room with a lot of black in it.

What a great way to finish off any room with a bit of charisma!

These cost €29.95 for a pair, €3. delivery cost (worldwide), not bad for an instant touch of glamour!

Tubs

2007-03-13T09:10:00.000Z

I'm a big fan of tub chairs, I love a room where you have a matching set of furniture and then a mis-matched but co-ordinated tub chair. It can be a great way to introduce some pattern into an otherwise plain room.

I love these two that I found at Woodies. The detail in the pattern is eye-catching but not distracting.

The chairs cost €379.99 each from Woodies, if they're not exactly what your looking for then Argos have plain cotton covered tub chairs (click here to view) for €134.99 that could be easily covered in different fabric. If you go down this road then why not use a nicely patterened fabric, get a little extra and get some cushions made for your sofa (if it's plain) to carry the look throughout the room.

The closest Woodies to Limerick are in Tralee, Cork or Clonmel, but I've been told that there's one coming to Limerick very soon, it will be next to the Jetland Shopping Centre.

New York Deli Cup

2007-03-12T09:53:00.000Z

Here's my latest have-to-have item - I have to have these cups! The New York deli cup is described as the icon of New York City. This famous paper cup has been around since 1963 and currently there are more than 180,000,000 per year carried out of New York delis full of hot coffee!

Now you can have your very own ceramic one that you can pop in your microwave or dishwasher. I found this on elsewares for just $12. before post & packing.

What a perfect way to have your coffee and a newspaper on a Saturday morning!

Unusual Bed Linen!

2007-03-09T08:38:00.000Z

Ok so this probably isn't the classiest post I've ever done... but a friend forwarded me an email with these pictures of bed linen and towels so I thought I'd share them with you as they gave me a laugh!

Don't think they're widely available yet though... or that I'd let them in my house if they were! I'm sure there are plenty of bachelors that would like to furnish their pad with these though!

A Collection of Coat-Hangers

2007-03-08T09:09:00.000Z

I've been on the lookout for a nice wall-hook for coats recently and I thought I'd share a few of my favourites that I found on a website called Yesterdays.

I love this chestnut one beause its so traditional, I love the idea of leaving notes and messages for the rest of the family and there's even a little ledge to store your chalk (and to stop the dust getting all over your coat...). This one costs €99.00 with €5. worldwide shipping

This next one is, in my opinion, an even better version of the one above. My better half (incorrectly..) tells me that I'm an obsessive planner so if he was to buy me a coat hanger I'm sure this would be the one he'd pick! It costs €124.95 with €10. worldwide shipping.

The one shown below is so old-fashioned with the brass nameplates and chestnut base. It costs a very reasonable €19.95, €3. worldwide shipping

And if you'd like something a little different or more feminine (it is National Women's Day after all!) then this is a gorgeous piece. This one is made from hundreds of pieces of old mosaic tiles and is best described on the Yesterdays website by saying "A pastiche of gentle rose images on a mosaic background evokes playful childhood memories of scrapbooks and sticky fingers. What little girl wouldn't love to hang her coat up on these hooks..."

That one costs €59.95 with €5. worldwide shipping. Yesterdays has some really beautiful products, the website is well worth a look. There are stores in Cork and Kilkenny, but they ship worldwide.

On the website, Yesterdays describe themselves as having a "reputation [which] has been built on an ability to rediscover the forgotten beauty of the past".

Chandelier Chic

2007-03-07T10:00:00.000Z

I love chandeliers or unusual lights. I think a large detailed chandelier can make such a statement in the entrance hallway of your home, if you have the space for one. Here are a few of my favourites that I've found from Light Design Ltd. a lighting company on the Tramore Road, Co. Cork.

Barleycorn Pendant

Autumn Sprig-Style Pendant

They also have more classical ones like this...

Ages Antique 12 Light Chandelier Pendant

Or this one...

Cream/Gold Candle Effect Chandelier Pendant

Or slightly more "off-the wall" designs like this one, this wouldn't be my taste but might look good in a trendy bar or cafe!

Cognac Glass Pendant

There are many more to see on the website and there are many many more to see in the showroom, details on the site.

Martha in Waterford

2007-03-06T09:23:00.000Z

I read in the most recent Image Interiors magazine that Martha Stewart, has been commissioned to create a bridal tabletop and giftware line for Waterford Wedgwood.

Peter Cameron, the group's chief executive has said "With Wedgwood's heritage, expertise and prestige, and Martha Stewart's authority on the house and home, we are confident the Martha Stewart Collection will be exceptionally popular with consumers".

I'm really looking forward to seeing this new collection, which is due to launch in Spring 2008. The range will be widely available in Ireland but is exclusive to Macy's in the USA.

Inspiration from Japan

2007-03-05T08:30:00.000Z

I came across this Bamboo coffee table in Instore yesterday. I love unusual looking coffee tables and this one really took my fancy. The picture doesn't do it justice, the wood is much paler than it looks in the photo and its so smooth and soft to run your hand along.

Bamboo Coffee Table - €399.

The Instore website says that the Bamboo range takes its inspirations from Japan. Here's another piece from their store that clearly also has Japanese influences. The Tokyo Console Table is made from beached-oak and is described as "very modern and at the same time, ancient".

Tokyo Console Table €399.

Sanctuary by Argos

2007-03-01T08:53:00.000Z

I want these bedclothes! These Sanctuary duvet covers are available at Argos for just €36.99 for a Double Set. I think these would be great in a guest room which is mostly white, with some nice white voile curtains, a summer breeze through the window, maybe some wind chimes and a little bunch of wildflowers resting on the bedside table - your guest would never leave!

European Chic

2007-02-28T09:02:00.000Z

I think this bedside cabinet by Minnie Peters is fabulous! There are strong European influences in all of Minnie's furniture and this piece, named "Regence Commode" has definite regal influences.

I also love this De Fontenoy, 15th Century Style bookcase...

In fact I love most of the pieces from Minnie Peter's collection so expect to see a few more pieces here from time to time! Minnie is based in Dublin and has been collecting furniture and accessories from Europe for the past 12 years. To see more click here.

Rock a Bye Baby

2007-02-27T09:52:00.000Z

I love how this cradle looks, there's something very traditional about it and it looks so peaceful with the fabric draped around it, if only they made one big enough for adults!

The cradle is from Danish designers Leanderform who say that they "think at the level of the baby and the child. We experience the world through our little ones' need for comfort and development". The natural swinging motion of this cradle is said to provide a soothing environment for baby by simulating motion in the womb. It comes with 3 ceiling pins so you can transport it around the house.

Also available is this teepee style tripod made from natural wood, I think this really completes the look beautifully.

You can find out more about Leanderform from their website by clicking here. There are local stockists in the Wilton Shopping Centre Cork, Ennis Co. Clare and Macroom Co. Cork. For other stockists nationwide click here.

pictures from www.cleverclogs.ie