(Examiner
& Interiors
01.10.2011
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DESIGNER I've inherited an old sideboard from an aunt, and though I love it, it doesn't go with anything in my home — should I paint it?
Interior designer Xs?wt director of Emerald Interior Design in Dublin (www.emeraldinteriordesign.ie), answers your questions. Email: interiors@examiner.ie
Q. We've just finished renovating our house and are down to painting the kitchen walls. Our kitchen units are painted in Farrow & Ball's Matchstick (pale mushroom) - do you think I should go lighter or darker?
A. Most people are far too quick to take a paint brush to pre-loved furniture. Often, it's the little imperfections that add character to a piece. In this case however, you may want to paint it to better suit your home. Here's how: first remove all the handles and hinges, strip any existing paint or varnish and sand it down. Give it a good clean and once dry, apply the primer and paint. If there's a grain in the wood, apply the paint in the direction of the grain. To give it an antique look again, simply lightly sand some of the raised edges, corners or legs to give the appearance of wear and tear. Finish with a coat of bees wax to protect the wood.
A. F&B Matchstick is a warm, neutral colour that works well with yellowish hues — so I'd go for creams or greens such as F&B's Cat's Paw or Savage Ground. Before deciding on a colour, consider: the size of the room, amount of natural light it receives and aspect (whether it gets sun in the morning or afternoon). If the room is already dark, go for a light colour on the walls — and vice versa. Be sure to test your chosen colour. One little tip is to paint a sheet of white cardboard and Blu-Tack to different areas during the day so you can see how it catches the light.
Q. My bathroom is cold, dated. I can't afford to install a new one - help!
Q. With two small children, our living room is a mess of toys — any ideas as to how my husband and I can reclaim our living room in the evenings?
A. Sometimes, it's the smallest room in the house that proves the most difficult to decorate. The secret is the three S's: Surroundings, Sight and Smell. Surroundings: Use a big, bright bath mat to hide an unsightly floor and matching towels or shower curtain to introduce a splash of colour to the room. Sight: Hide the clutter such as rubber ducks and shampoo and only keep decorative items like perfume on display. Tilt-out bins at the end of the bath are a great use of wasted space. Smell: Light a. scented candle or add a few drops of essential oil to bath water to transform a bathroom into a spa
A. Most of us don't have the luxury of a separate play room for all those toys. But with proper planning and storage, your living room can function as a play room by day and adult haven by night. Multi-purpose furniture such as coffee tables with in-built storage and window seats or foot stools with lift-up lids will help make your space work harder for you. Floor-to-ceiling cupboards fitted into the alcoves either side of the fireplace add symmetry to a room and are great for displaying what you want and hiding the rest. Try Boon Inc's 'Animal Bag' storage sack ($49.99 from
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DESIGNER I'm a bit of a make-up junkie and my dressing table is always a mess with powders and creams — do you have any design solutions? A. If you're fed up of rooting through makeup bags trying to find your I'avourilo lippy. hero's a handy tip for i "i nig n i l voni eosmol ies I i;ot from I
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Q. I love cooking spicy food, but it always leaves a lingering smell in my kitchen. I've tried air fresheners, but none of them seem to work — what do you suggest? A. A ' , yon love cookin) 1 ,, w h v nut Use Ilir Window Mil il.ll I n - i h K.II den I In l l . i l l l l .il i t i l l . < l u l l li <l h In i III.
.in l i . r . I'.u lit)) .mil Kn-.em.iry lloNllon I l i r .in inoi <• ellcci ively and longer than artificial products purchased from a store — and they're cheaper too. Alternatively, try an indoor plant like a vanilla orchid — not only do plants gobble up carbon dioxide and other nasties and release oxygen, they brighten up your home as well. Q. As an avid reader, I'd love to create a cosy little reading corner in my home where I can curl up for the
Interior designer director of Emerald Interior Design in Dublin (www.emeraldinteriordesign.ie) answers your questions. Email: interiors@examiner.ie
winter, but am stuck for space. Any ideas? A. There's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a hot chocolate on a cold, winter night. And even if your home is small, there are plenty of unused nooks and crannies where you get away from the world for a while. Look at spaces like windowsills, under Iho sl.'iirs and in alcoves. With the right MM! mi 1 , in |nnt ii Irw cushions, all I hose HII'IIN i . H I I " i i n , ! • • ! i n . . 1 i i i l u .1 hunk in ' I hill I • lo i herk ih ii ii
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Q. After setting up my own business, I've just turned the spare room into an office. And while it does the job, it's very boring. How can I liven up my work space? A.As someone who also runs her own IIIIMIIOSS, I know l h . i l home olVioos, w h i l e u . M i a l l v h i m l i o n a l a n d eliirienl. a i e n ' l . d w . i y . I l i r i m r . l r x c l l ||||£ work • i i i i , , n i i n ni Hill I I n ' M - . i n - l n l < . i > l 11 i n k v home olTice solutions that don't have to eat into those hard-earned wages. For a quirky storage idea, hang bold wall paper behind a traditional dresser and display funky box files for your paperwork. Ladder desks are a great alternative if you don't have-a lot of space. Create a gallery wall using family photos and vintage accessories such as a mirror — which will instantly double the size of your office.
Clockwise from top: Brighten up your home office with a section of bold wallpaper to liven up your home office. White living room cjroen window seat and cushions built in bookshelf real home. Make-Up Magnet Board idea by Laura Thoughts (www.laurathoughts81. blogspot.com).
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DESIGNER Interior designer Karen Hughes, director of Emerald Interior Design in Dublin (www.emeraldinteriordesign.ie), answers your questions. Email: interiors@examiner.ie With no windows, the entrance hallway of my apartment is dark and depressing. Have you any /suggestions? A. Mirrors are great for dark rooms as they help 'bounce' light around the space — try hanging one behind a table lamp for maximum effect. Alternatively, stand a large mirror on the floor, loft-style, to break up the wall space. If you have the ceiling height, go for a chandelier. For lower ceilings, recessed spotlights are best. Finally, place a softlighting lamp on a console table inside the door to create a welcoming glow. Willie Duggan Lighting Ltd in Kilkenny "^^v.^illiedugganlighting.com) has a great selection. Q. We have a wooden floor and two mushroom-coloured sofas in our sitting room, but it's very boring — what colours do you recommend using to liven it up? A. Cerise, fuschia. lime green, burnt orange and cranberry are all back with a bang for winter. Then just add some scatter cushions, a rug and artwork in the various colours of your chosen fabric to bring the scheme together. Designers Guild (www.designersguild.com), Prestigious Textiles (www.prestigious.ie) and Zoffany (www.zoffany.com) have some fantastic colour collections this year. Q. After living in a 92m2 rented apartment for the past few years, I've just bought my own 76m2 one.
And though I already have all my own furniture, now it feels too big for the place — should I downsize? A. Where space is tight, my advice is to go for light wood or reflective glass or mirrored furniture. Choose furniture that multi-tasks — like a coffee table with a lift-up lid — and take advantage of your walls for storage units instead. If you can't afford to replace your furniture, perhaps think about getting rid of one or two non-essential pieces. Q. The back of my telly is a mess of cables and wires - do you have any tips for tidying it up? A. Try JML's Cable Tidy, which will also keep cables tucked safely away from children and pets (€5.99 from www.jmldirect.com).
Trevelyan fabric by Designers Guild — see www.designersguild.com
DESIGNER
Interior designer director of Emerald Interior Design in Dublin (www.emeraldinteriordesign.ie}, answers your questions. Email: interiors@examiner.ie
LAST year we installed a wood-burning stove in an existing fireplace — but due to the limited space, whenever the door is opened, embers fall out onto the carpet what should I do? A. I think you might need to look at whether your stove meets the safety requirements that should be adhered to during installation. For instance, the area of "non-combustible material around the stove" (ie the hearth) should be at least 6" deeper than the stove door - so if the door is 12" deep, the hearth should be 18", and so on. If it's not possible to redress this, you will need to 18
either replace the hearth or lay a stone, marble or tile trim to bring it up to standard.
Ideas for beech wood floor colour scheme.
Q. After my mum died, I moved back into the family home. Although the living room is very small, I can't bear to part with any of the ornaments and photos she left behind. Any thoughts?
keep your mum's personal touch, is to get some storage boxes and separate the items into groups (eg family heirlooms, winter ornaments, etc) - and then simply alternate the items whenever you feel like a change.
A. We Irish are a nation of hoarders — and in this case, it's entirely understandable that you don't want to simply toss items of sentimental value. However, we don't have to have everything we own on display. A great trick to de-clutter your living room, but
Q. I have a south-facing top floor apartment with beech wood floors — what colour scheme would you recommend for the space?
IRISH EXAMINER Property&Interiors | 22.10.2011
A. Balance is the key here — dark colours will absorb light, while colours
that are too light will appear clinical. As beech is a light wood, you can afford to introduce darker colours into the space and still maintain that allimportant balance. As it has a pink/orange hue in the grain, I'd steer clear of that side of the colour palette. Go for the opposite side of the colour wheel. Greens or even blues will work well as a south-facing room gets plenty of light. Try a textured wall paper to add interest to the room and pull the scheme together with a large patterned or shaggy rug.