RTÉ Guide Homes & Interiors autumn 2017

Home ome Stay sitting

fresh

THE

autumn lookbook

FRANCIS BRENNAN’S household hacks

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The GAFF team takes the strain out of decorating

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INTERIORS AUTUMN 2017

How GREEN is your

winter garden?

How to get your home BABY-READY

9/20/2017 9:22:25 AM

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19/09/2017 15:10

Home

& INTERIORS Autumn 2017

A

s the autumn days lengthen and cool, most of us need little excuse to start preparing for hibernation. Making the house cosy is a big part of this and we’ve taken a look at two very different brands to add a little of that Danish ‘hygge’ to your home.

Until this month, Neptune’s fantastic ranges across kitchens, bathrooms and living were available as a limited selection in a few Irish shops. Now, however, they’ve taken up residence in a historic bakery in Belfast. They’re promising a cosy library feel this autumn, with luxurious teal fabrics, brass and aged oak surfaces.

Heatons, on the other hand, is very much as Irish as a brand can get, even as they look to the international design scene for inspiration. We take a look at their hauls for autumn, once again with reasonably priced comfort and luxury in every one of their 54 locations.

Plus! Francis Brennan’s household hacks, preparing your home for a new baby, the GAFF gals’ décor story and keeping your garden green through the winter.

Stephen Meyler

Jo Linehan of GAFF Interiors and RTÉ’s The Good Room likes nothing better than having a good look around people’s home decoration schemes, and what’s more, they let her!

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IN NEPTUNE’S KINGDOM The interiors brand has a new destination store in Belfast: here’s what they would like our homes to be wearing this season

4 6 BABY PREP YOUR HOME

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WHAT’S ROUND YOUR GAFF?

FRANCIS BRENNAN

With his Book of Household Management, the hotelier and TV star has everything you need to turn a chaotic home into a well-oiled machine, even if he doesn’t spend very much time in his own home

Getting your house ready for a new baby can be a daunting prospect, with conflicting advice about everything from the right mattress to gender-neutral décor. Who better to advise on that baby prep than Jennifer Shaw of the hugely successful Pregnancy & Baby Fair?

Managing editor: Catherine Lee Editor: Stephen Meyler Designers: Niamh Hughes & Jonathan Foley Pre-press: David Mahon Advertising sales: Karen Foster (contact 01-208 2880) Oliver Hayes (contact 01-208 4717) Published by RTÉ Commercial Enterprises 2017 Cover image: Neptune Autumn Winter 2017

SOFA FRESH Whether they’re fabric or leather, your sofa and armchairs sometimes need a bit of TLC – here’s how to freshen them up without worries

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SEVEN DECADES GROWING

With 54 locations around the country, Heatons is a 69-year old Irish success story. Check out some of their key looks in homewares this autumn

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THE GARDEN IN WINTER

It’s hard to regard the garden as an outdoor room when it’s bare in winter. Here are some ‘soft furnishings’ of the evergreen variety to keep your plot looking good through the cold and wet months ahead Home & Interiors

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9/19/2017 11:50:08 AM

Home & Interiors

baby business

The

When Jennifer Shaw went looking for an Irish baby fair, she spotted a huge gap in the market, as there wasn’t one. With some Dragons’ help, she and her business partner Claire Finnan set up the Pregnancy and Baby Fair which returns to the RDS next month

“M

yself and Claire used to work in a hospital, where we shared a tiny little office – she was a manager and I was a PA to the director. We were both interested in setting up our own businesses and we’d both done courses and had our own ideas. When I got married, I’d been to all the wedding fairs beforehand and afterwards, when I was thinking about having a baby, I went looking for baby fairs. I realised there were none in Ireland. That’s when I talked to Claire about it and she was on board, so, as we had no money to set it up, we applied for Dragons’ Den and we were really blessed to make history on the show, as all the Dragons’ invested in us. That gave us five different sets of experience and contacts, so we registered the company in November 2009, went on Dragons’ Den the following April and we had our first event in October, so it all happened in less than 12 months!

Now we have an 85% retention rate, which means the same companies and people have been with us since the start. We’re the only authoritative presence in the market, so combined with a really active online community all year and the face-to-face exhibitions twice a year in April and October, we are really able to help people, at the start and at the end of their pregnancies, or when they’ve had their babies. People come in with issues about accessories like car seats or high chairs, as well as sleeping and teething.

Things change quickly too – I had a baby in 2011 and a second in 2014 and the HSE advice about vitamin D, bottle-feeding and mattresses changed completely in that time. Reading from a book is not the same as sitting down with someone and talking about how you feel or the individual differences between babies.

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Safety is always the number one issue – that never changes.

People want advice on a safe car seat that suits their car model and on sleep safety, as sudden infant death syndrome is always on a parent’s mind, so they want the right mattress and sleep aids.

The second issue is value for money. A lot of people are very concerned about the cost of having a baby. Whether it’s your first baby or your tenth, you still have to buy a certain number of things; for example, we would never recommend that people reuse a mattress. Then of course, there’s all the essentials like nappies and wipes. A very popular way to manage these costs is the baby bundle, which lots of the exhibitors at the show offer now. So for one outlay, you’ll get everything for your baby – a brand new pram, car seat, cot, mattress, cot sheets and bedding and accessories – everything you need for your baby. People can come to the show say at six months’ pregnant, pay a deposit, make a payment plan and then they’ll have a chance to develop a relationship with the retailer and work out which items they want. It means they can walk away from the show with the feeling of being overwhelmed gone – they’ve been able to tick off everything on the baby shopping list.

I would say, however, to anyone who is preparing for a new baby to start as early as they can, for the simple reason that towards the end of the pregnancy you might be tired, you might not be well, you might even be in hospital or it could be as simple as not being able to bend up and down as well, so simple things like going to shop for baby at eight months’ pregnant might not be possible. If you’re well at the beginning, it’s easier to make a start then. It’s as simple as making a wish list of what you want for your baby; a practical list where you have the time to check if things like the cot you’ve seen online will actually fit in the space it’s going. Then of course, some of the items might have a six or ten-week waiting list, so if you leave it till six or seven months’ the house might not be ready when you bring baby home.

I think the old-fashioned superstition about getting things ready too early, before the baby is born is dwindling – just look at how many people now find out the gender at their 20-week scan. The majority of people shopping for the baby now know whether it’s a boy or a girl, which wouldn’t have happened ten or 20 years ago. Back then, they preferred to go neutral and then buy what they needed when the baby was born. Now, as well as knowing the gender, they’ve named the baby and it’s part of the family before the birth. They will then go out and pick gender-specific nursery items. That said, most baby furniture is white, cream or wood, so the gender bit comes in with paint and accessories, which can change from child to child.

Our experts at the events are all highly qualified, with at least ten years’ experience in their fields, so anyone who comes along can be certain they are getting the best advice, from dieticians, lactation consultants, pharmacists, nutritionists and educators. And it’s free!”

Home & Interiors

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9/20/2017 2:11:55 PM

Get ready for your new arrival The founders of the Baby & Pregnancy Fair, Claire Finnan and Jennifer Shaw, have these top tips for getting a room in your home ready for a new baby

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Be practical Choose a room in your home that is going to make things as easy as possible for you and your baby in the coming months. Is it possible to have the nursery in the room next to your bedroom?

Or is the room further down the hall quieter and a better fit for your baby? When making this decision, envisage what your life will be like with this room as the baby’s room. Will you be able to hear baby cry? Is it close enough for multiple trips during the night? Making the right decision now will save heartache, hassle and stress further down the line so choose wisely!

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Start early Preparing your baby’s room is one of the most exciting things to do while anticipating your baby’s arrival. From choosing textiles to colour schemes, designing this space will help you visualise what life will be like with your little one at home in a few months. The best advice when it comes to preparing the nursery is to start early. It will take time to decide on what theme you like best as well as choosing the right furniture for your baby. Taking into consideration delivery and assembly time, the weeks quickly run away with themselves. Once you have your nursery decorated and ready to go, you can settle in with your bump and look forward to bringing your little bundle of joy home to this space.

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Home & Interiors

Textiles before paint It is important to shop around and view all the different textiles and patterns that are available on the market. Are you going for a gender-neutral palette or a more striking pink or blue? It is important to leave the paintbrush alone until you have chosen your textiles, from bedding and curtains to rugs and cushions. Finding the perfect fabrics and then having to repaint the nursery space due to clashing colours is going to not only cause you hassle but it will set you back on time you have to settle in and enjoy the nursery.

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Decorate the ceiling

Your baby will be spending lots of time on their back for a number of months. A brightly coloured room will engage your child’s mind and build their curiosity and there is no reason why the ceiling shouldn’t be part of this fun. From painting cute, furry animals to some well-loved children’s characters, there are many ways to activate your child’s mind. Using a lighter shade on the ceiling than on the walls will also make the room seem higher and more spacious.

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Leave room to grow

Don’t pack a child’s room full of furniture. While shops will tempt you with perfectly designed changing tables and chunky cribs, the reality is that you won’t need everything they sell you. A crib and chest of drawers with a changing table on top work just as well as a stand-alone changing area. Your child will quickly reach their milestones and as much as we would love babies to stay babies, they will soon be crawling, walking and pulling things down from shelves. It is important to decorate your nursery in such a way that it grows with your child and that they have enough space to develop and play within their haven.

For lots of advice and inspiration and a chance to get free tickets to this year’s Pregnancy & Baby Fair at the RDS on October 7 & 8, go to pregnancyandbabyfair.ie, see also @IrelandsPregnancyandBabyFair and @PregandBabyFair Home & Interiors

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9/20/2017 2:12:08 PM

Home & Interiors

Manage your home,

the Francis Brennan way

In his new book, Francis Brennan’s Book of Household Management, Francis Brennan shares the wisdom and experience of his decades of running a busy hotel, turning his attention to the smooth management of our homes. He admits to spending just four nights in his own home so far this year, so why write about household management?

“O

ver my years in the hotel business, people were always asking me how do you do that, where do you put those, how do you put up a pair of curtains or whatever else. So I thought I should put all the answers to those questions in a book and give them to everyone. The hotel business covers all aspects of household management.

The way it is, you don’t even know what knowledge you have about these things, until you sit down and think about all the things you can do with a lemon, for instance.

In that sense, that’s what I’ve been doing all my life and now it’s in book form.

“Every weekend in the hotel, someone spills a pot of coffee on the carpet or a bath overflows or a curtain falls down because it is too heavy for the rail. We have to be on top of it and always get everything right. I’m filming At Your Service in Kilkenny right now and I was in the café that features in the show where I immediately saw ten things that are wrong. I say to myself ‘Just shut up Francis, you don’t need to be telling them what’s wrong’, but it jumps out at me, because I’ve been around restaurants and kitchens for 40 years and you just see things.

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“With my own staff, who are terrific by the way, I’ll be saying ‘Now table five, what’s wrong with table five?’ and they wouldn’t see that the knife was turned the wrong way or the serviette wasn’t in the right place or whatever.

“In the café, I immediately straightened two pictures, it’s just innate to move the picture a quarter of an inch to make it line up across the top. The other was higher up and I couldn’t reach so I got the café staff at it in a flash.

If you have pictures at shoulder-height in your own home, blu-tac is terrific – a bit behind the picture on each corner to straighten it and keep it flat against the wall so you don’t brush off it every time you go past.

“The thing is, I’m never in my own home, which is a problem. But once a month, I file papers because otherwise it will very quickly get ahead of you. For nine months of the year, I’m hardly there, when the hotel is open and the rest of the time I’m away making TV shows and travelling. Two friends of mine got me a satellite system for my birthday and the barman John at the hotel installed it for me in September. The following February, I noticed this box under the TV and thought ‘What is that?’

I hadn’t used the thing once or even noticed it was there.

Home & Interiors

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9/20/2017 11:00:29 AM

Call our Showroom I’ve slept in my house twice this year, in January and again in April. But even though I’m not there, I will notice dust and I have an ostrich feather duster from South Africa that I have to use before I can settle when I am.

“Everything to do with cleaning has become much more complicated now – with all of these products, all chemical-based, while our parents and grandparents used just vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and Sunlight soap.

Add in some lemons and you’re away. We all like a fresh smell when we’re cleaning, so I would add a drop or two of washing-up liquid to the mix, so you get that little hit of smell. These cleaners are all better for the environment and they have much less packaging too. We use beeswax in the hotel for polishing – we get it from Conor O’Connell in Killarney, who keeps bees – it gives you a great base once a year and then you just have to dust.

“I am a natural planner. Last night we stayed in a hotel in Kilkenny while we’re filming At Your Service and I need to have a different suit for each episode, so I keep a note of what I’m wearing in each for continuity. I spent an hour planning my clothes and putting together my notes and files up to the end of the month, for work and for filming the show. Plan yourself as well as the house.

“It’s essential to plan – we have 100 people coming along tonight to film the finale of this episode of At Your Service, and I was just in to see how it was going. They’re serving quiche and salads and I said ‘Have we a hundred plates?’ ‘No’. ‘Do you have a hundred knives and forks?’

‘No, but we have a hundred forks’. Well a fork is fine for a salad and a quiche, but we need to get plates, go down the town and get paper plates if you have to, because if they all want to eat at the same time, which they will, you’ll need 100 plates.

“I love making the show, because when would I ever be in all the towns we visit or meet the people we work with or see the places we film in? We’re working with the famous Irish artist Elizabeth Cope at Shankill Castle in Kilkenny today and how would I have met her other than doing this show? It’s great.”

The joy of a tidy home “I’m sure there will be those among you who will wonder what I have to say about housework – sure, you must hardly live at home, Francis, I can hear you say. My hotel is my ‘home’, and when I welcome people into it, I want them to feel that they can truly relax, knowing that the silver is polished, the napkins are laundered, the sofas cosy and clean.

In my new book, I hope to help you bring back a sense of order and routine to your household. From budgeting, to working with the seasons, traditional home cleaners that are cheaper to make and better for the environment, I have put together a household management plan that works with today’s busy lives. Modern life isn’t easy, but with a little bit of help, you can get your own ‘hotel’ spick and span, with the minimum of fuss, so that you have more time for the nice things in life, like relaxation, friends and family.

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9/20/2017 9:36:13 AM

Home & Interiors

Low-impact cleaning How much thought have you given to what you’re going to use to clean your home? I used to be a great man for whatever was easy and quick – wipes and sprays, mould removers, special dusting cloths – all that kind of thing. Now, though, I’ve come to understand that things like lemon juice and vinegar and that old favourite, bread soda, will do just as good a job; and they won’t fill your home with noxious fumes – at least, if you are careful.

Here are a few of my favourite cleaning products and where you can use them. Just a note, though – don’t be tempted to take shortcuts with food preparation surfaces – clean them with a suitable cleaner, and do so often, to avoid any chance of germs. Also, if you live with youngsters, old people or anyone who is ill, you may need to take extra care with cleaning.

Lemon juice

is one of those wonder things, with so many uses, from making a soothing drink with honey for sore throats, or a pick-me-up breakfast drink with hot water, but it’s also brilliant around the house.

You can use lemons to clean ovens and microwaves, to remove limescale and (mixed with salt) to clean old pots and remove rust stains. Some recipes even use one part lemon juice to two parts olive oil as a home-made furniture polish! It’s also a brilliant odour remover.

Avoid using lemons on porous surfaces, though, and on surfaces that don’t like acid.

Bicarbonate of soda

mixed with bleach is brilliant at cleaning grubby tile grout, as well as by itself for cleaning bathroom surfaces, fridges, ovens and stainless steel. It can also absorb nasty smells if you leave a cupful in a bowl in the fridge – it’s fantastic! It’s also called baking soda, of course, and I was reminded the hotel’s lovely Christmas services in Kenmare – in both the Catholic and the Protestant churches, with carols and candlelight and that sort of thing – it really is magical.

After the services, we have people back for hot drinks and mince pies. The chefs always make them first and leave them out before they go home, ready to be served, with lots of whipped cream and icing sugar. Delicious, I’m sure you’ll agree. On this particular Christmas Eve, the chef left out a bowl of ‘icing sugar’ which we all liberally sprinkled on our mince pies. I bit into mine and had the funniest burning sensation on my lips. I looked around the room and there were puckered lips everywhere! Only later did I realise that the icing sugar was baking soda!

Vinegar – not your best aged balsamic, but plain

old white spirit vinegar – is excellent for cleaning mirrors and windows and shining taps, as well as cleaning the loo, even removing stains. Both bicarb and vinegar can be bought in large quantities for home use in DIY stores, as can liquid bicarb – to save you the bother of mixing.

Citric acid

can be bought in the hardware store or chemist and will remove limescale from appliances like dishwashers, washing machines and kettles. Check to ensure that your item is made from stainless steel.

Toothpaste – might seem a little ‘out

there’ but it can be just the ticket for removing certain stains, from buffing up grubby shoes and trainers to removing stains from your iron, getting rid of ink stains on clothes, cleaning

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babies’ bottles (add a little dab to your scrubbing brush to get rid of that sour milk smell), defogging glass and swimming goggles (you apply a thin layer and then wipe off) – even cleaning piano keys! Make sure you use the old-fashioned white toothpaste, though – no blue gels or whitening toothpastes.

Borax –

an old-fashioned sink and drain unblocker and also a good stain remover in the washing machine.

Borax itself is no longer available as a cleaning product, but look out for ‘borax substitute’ in your hardware store, which gives the same cleaning results.

Methylated spirits – this purple spirit is good

for removing things like candle-wax stains from your favourite coffee table, as a paint thinner and for cleaning metal.

Washing-up liquid –

this might not seem to fit into the category of ‘low impact’, but washing-up liquid isn’t nearly as harsh as other modern cleaners, and you can use it everywhere. A tiny drop added to a spray bottle with vinegar provides you with an instant bathroom cleaner, for example. One lady used it to clean her horse’s tail – it’s cheaper than horse shampoo and just as good, she says! Horse lovers among you can let me know if this is true.

Salt – can be used to remove red wine stains from

carpets and upholstery, as well as things that might leak in your oven or onto your lovely hob. Soak the spillage in salt and then wipe it away. If you have copper pots and pans, you can make a paste with salt, lemon juice and a dash of vinegar. Rub it on and your copper will shine once more. Salt is also a brilliant de-stinker of smelly shoes!

Sprinkle some into your pongy trainers, leave and then hoover up.

Kitchen cleanliness Here are some of my top tips for a clean kitchen: • Use a different chopping board for vegetables and meat, to avoid crosscontamination, and wash each board with hot soapy water after using it, giving it a really good scrub, before drying thoroughly. I use heavy plastic chopping boards that are dishwasher safe, so even after scrubbing, I can pop them into the dishwasher to disinfect them.

• Use your sink to wash lettuce and veg – not to scrub your muddy trainers, or clean the dog! If you want to do anything other than rinse food – use a mop bucket or plastic basin that you keep handy.

• Empty your kitchen bin as regularly as you can – not only does this cut down on nasty smells, but keeping mouldy chicken in it is not a good idea, so out to the main bin it goes. Maybe, like me, you’ll have one of those handy bins that has different compartments in it for recycling, composting and rubbish. Either way, keep your rubbish bin under control and wipe around it regularly.

• Have you ever had that awful suction as you pull your bin bag out of the bin? Simply drill a couple of holes in the side of the bin – no more vacuum. If you have a stainless steel bin, you can drill a hole in the plastic liner.

You can also drill a hole in the bottom, but look out for leaky rubbish bags!

• Sweep the floor after every meal and mop the floor regularly.

• Be careful about tea towels. I can still remember Mum boiling them on the stove – the smell! – nowadays, a very hot wash will

Home & Interiors

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9/19/2017 5:04:15 PM

Home & Interiors

HOW TO…do HYGGE You might have heard a lot about the Danish concept of ‘hygge’. It’s a term we don’t have in the English language, but the closest thing to it would be ‘cosy’ – a way of looking at life that places value on little things that make life happy. Not money or stuff that we can buy, but rituals and ways of being that are comfy and relaxed and that we share with others. We could all do with a bit of hygge in our lives!

I like to drink my tea in a particular china cup when I’m at home, because it gives me a real sense of safety and peace – I’m at home in my own kitchen, looking out at the garden. I like to sit beside my Aga and be cosy and warm. That’s hygge – and it doesn’t cost me a penny.

Irish people could quite easily do hygge I think, because we are friendly and open, and we like our creature comforts: woollen blankets, fluffy slippers, warm mugs of tea – all very hygge. We also like to be around people, to share our time with others – not to mention our weather, which encourages us to sit indoors in front of a roaring fire. Yet, when the weather allows, we have a beautiful landscape to explore – also very hygge. In fact, Ireland is a hygge country, now that I come to think of it.

How can you bring the concept into your life? take care of those germs, but make sure that you change your tea towels often. I don’t wipe my hands in a tea towel after handling chicken or meat though – I use a paper towel and throw it away afterwards, just to be sure. And don’t use a tea towel to dry your hands after washing – keep a nice clean hand towel for that purpose.

• Make sure that you wash your hands after you prepare any kind of meat or fish: I often perform this little dance as I try to turn the taps on to wash my hands with my elbow! Better that, though, than to get nasty germs on the taps.

• Hands up who has a cooker that has a lovely layer of grease and grime on it? I know, cleaning the cooker can seem like the most unpleasant of jobs, but like so many others, it can be made a bit easier if you do it fairly regularly, rather than a once-a-year, hold-yournose job! And you don’t even have to use foul-smelling oven cleaners: try wiping down your oven with a sponge soaked in vinegar to keep things under control. If your oven requires a bit more of a clean, a good handful of sugar mashed into the top of half a lemon and used as a scourer is just the job – and it smells good!

• The floor should be mopped regularly, of course, which reminds me of Mum again, because it was the last job she did every night, shooing us out of the kitchen and laying pages of newspapers down on the floor.

* Get candles and a soft blanket in lovely Irish muted colours to throw over your knees. * Find a lovely squishy cushion or pillow case that just fits your head to rest on while you are reading your book. * Gather friends or family around the table for an easy supper – no posh dinner party needed – just soup, crusty bread, a big bowl of stew – good Irish food! * Banish the laptop and smartphone for the afternoon. I know, it sounds impossible, but you won’t get that hygge feeling if you’re stuck in front of a computer with a bright light shining in your face. * Sit in front of a warm fire, if you can. If you’re in an apartment, you might not have an open fire, but all you really need is a warm blanket, a hot drink and a book in which to lose yourself. * Wrap up warm and take a walk outside in a park or in the country; just be in nature for a while. You have to do things properly though – no Irish wearing of a T-shirt in December! You need lots of warm layers to get that hygge feeling. * Enjoy the little pleasures in life – a warm bath, a cosy pair of socks, a nice woolly jumper, a hug from a friend – these are simple, don’t have to cost anything and will make us feel better. * Live in the moment. Hygge is all about slowing down, resting and taking stock – what could be nicer in our busy, stressed-out world? * Surround yourself with things and people you love. You don’t have to have lots and lots of stuff, just a few things that matter, and the people who matter in your life close by.

This is an edited extract from Francis Brennan’s Book of Household Management, out now, Gill Books, €16.99

Home & Interiors

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9/20/2017 11:01:17 AM

Home & Interiors Jo Linehan & Caroline Foran

Glamming up your gaff

Caroline Foran and Jo Linehan of GAFF Interiors have a pretty simple business plan – they do the decorating legwork so you don’t have to. Jo talks about how she became a home décor whizz and why she thinks people are so keen to let GAFF judge their homes

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hen we did The Good Room show for RTÉ Player, we wanted it to be a real beginner’s guide to painting and decorating a room. We’re not looking at any

We did six different rooms, with varying degrees of mess and functionality – we’ve got a living room, two teenage boys sharing a bedroom, a living room-cum-dining room, a nice mix. There was one room in Sligo that they were just dumping everything in, but the guy who lived there really wanted to make it into a music room, where he could display his collection of Irish music memorabilia from the ’70s. We took everything out and remade it as a very indulgent room. Actually, if you have the space for a room like that – it’s an amazing luxury.

We filmed each room in about 18 hours – we didn’t have to take out the hairdryers to dry the paint, but it was pretty mental. We really enjoyed it, as basically Caroline and I were on a road trip.

We were doing renovations, which we do all the time, but doing them on camera was a different experience – we were like a little travelling circus and people were so welcoming and excited to have the rooms done.

It was great fun, but it also really opened our eyes to what is available in homeware and décor shops around the country. We were in places like Sligo or Kimmage in Dublin and found these great shops with amazing stuff. They might be in the middle of an industrial estate and their websites or advertising might let them down a bit, but the stores have the most beautiful pieces and they’re not expensive.

structural changes, but a room in your house that’s become a

I think the middle ground is so much better now – places like

bit of a mess and not doing what you’d like it to do. So where do

Dunnes, Penneys, Harvey Norman, even Tiger – all have hugely

you start? What do you keep? What colours do you use? It’s a

improved what they offer. It’s great quality stuff and it really has

job to do in a weekend.

changed with new brands coming here all the time.

Home & Interiors

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9/19/2017 5:22:02 PM

Home & Interiors

country! It’s something I wanted to do from the start. Anyone I’ve approached has been really open to letting us into their homes.

They take it as a massive compliment; it’s people’s passion, even if it feels like it’s never finished. There’s always an interesting story in there too.

One of the big trends right now is for pink – people can be a little scared of it, as it’s such a feminine colour, but there’s such a variety of pink out there, so you can be very bold, you can be very subtle, you can be as fluffy as you like with it. The way to incorporate that is through the soft furnishings, a few cushions, a duvet. Have them for a few months and then maybe switch them out.

People are also still enjoying the more ethereal textures of wood, wicker and natural tones. It’s a follow-on from hygge that’s been My background is in publishing and in styling. I was working at IMAGE magazine when Caroline joined the team and we became friends. Two years ago, I left for New York to pursue styling: I was looking for a business venture there that might work at home.

When I came back, Caroline had left IMAGE and was freelancing.

She had just bought a new home and she was eking out cheap and simple ways to make the most of her decorating budget, so we thought let’s document our experience with a website.

We started GAFF a year ago and it’s really taken off. I think that right now, there are a lot of people who are very house-proud but don’t have a lot of disposable income. Also, a lot of people are renting, like myself, so we thought we’ve got a good balance

so huge for a few years now. Another huge trend that’s still very much with us is to incorporate greenery, either faux plants or real ones. It was a big thing in the ’70s and then people kind of became allergic to it, but now you’ve got these gorgeous cacti and air plants that look after themselves. Especially if you live in a city apartment, even a small bit of greenery can completely transform your home.

This month though, I’ve really fallen for the IKEA collaboration with the Danish brand Hay, It’s called Ypperlig and it combines the rich colours of Hay with the home saviour that is IKEA – a match made in heaven.

of what people are looking for and are in a good position to

As regards trends I’d like to see the back of? Oh my God, if I see

“house-teach”.

another pineapple…it was a massive trend that we embraced at

One of my big reasons for wanting to do this was a feeling of frustration when I would come across a really cool house that someone had done up with IKEA and mismatched furniture and it would be really amazing and creative, but editors weren’t interested in a house tour of a place done on a shoestring, they wanted Grand Designs. I thought ‘feck this’, who’s this talking

the time, but then it was everywhere on everything, so no more.

I think we’re also over those ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ prints too – there are so many cool prints out there now, that’s there’s no excuse for them!

In The Good Room, Caroline Foran and Jo Linehan visit six homeowners around the country to help them rescue a room in

to? It’s certainly making me feel alienated. Our aim is to speak

their house from oblivion, taking the fear out of decorating your

to people who have €50 to spend on a weekend on their home

home. See all the episodes exclusively at rte.ie/player/ie

and are trying to make that money go as far as possible.

Much like the fashion and beauty industry, which was a very high-falutin’ area in the past, interior design has been democratised too. For a long time, it was in the hands of expensive interior designers who had to have personal contacts at furniture companies to do their job, but now, so many of the high-street shops have interior looks and all the trends are laid out for you. They’re inexpensive, and you don’t have to invest a lot of money or your time.

I think people may still be a little bit intimidated when it comes to decorating, but we should do the same thing we do with our wardrobe: find bits and pieces that are seasonal and use them to dress up the things like the bed or couch that you will have forever and have a bit of fun with it. Experiment with colour – you can always change it with the seasons or as you get older or if children come into the picture. It needs to be malleable – people want to spend a little less, but experiment more.

The home tours on our website are the most popular thing there.

It’s the first place people go to on the site – we’re so nosey as a

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9/19/2017 5:22:18 PM

Home & Interiors

Cosy

inspirations

I

nspired by the cosiness of a traditional library,

International interiors brand Neptune this month opened its first Irish flagship store in the historical former Ormeau Bakery building in Belfast. We take a look at what’s on offer there and at the brand’s stockists around the country

Neptune invites customers to curl up with a good book, surrounded by rich colours, treasured possessions and soft lighting.

The new Collector’s Edition explores ways to bring elements of refinement, cosseting and warmth to every part of your home.

This autumn, it’s all about rich, dark teal, a shade which conjures up images of rooms filled with treasured objects and the calm, intimate feel of a library or a private club. Team teal with the russet tones of chestnut and fox to create the warmth and cosiness of a fireside. Touches such as brass lamps, velvet and decorating with books help make a room feel even warmer and cosier.

Of course, to properly luxuriate beside a fire, you need a sumptuous sofa. The new Olivia sofa in a sumptuous velvet teal, has wide, plump cushions just ripe for sinking into, while their button-backed Charlotte grand sofa is as comfortable as it is good-looking.

Some of us need more compact furniture, which is where the new smaller sofas and armchairs added to the Shoreditch collection come in. With sophisticated looks, the slightly deeper Shoreditch corner sofa can be combined with other pieces to build a seating arrangement to suit your space.

The Matilda armchair is curvaceous and comfortable but with a low profile and neat proportions, designed to fit easily into a living room, bedroom or even a bathroom.

Displaying your treasures is essential for creating a homely feel and the new Carter shelves do just that. Simple and modern with a timeworn look in solid oak and blackened steel for added warmth, they create a cosy sitting room or study. The Carter range includes a timber and dark metal desk which is the

Warming russet and teal tones in this Neptune Rupert footstool in Isla Fox, price €445, with duck feather filled cushions, prices from €79, and Fleming round mirror, prices from €160.

perfect spot for a brass lamp such as the Brompton desk light.

Also demonstrating brass’s qualities are the Keswick console, coffee and side tables. Inspired by the art deco-era, Keswick tables are like a little black dress for your home: their brass frames and tempered glass shelves are understated in appearance, but robust enough to function in any setting.

Other eye catching gilt-edged items are the new Fleming round mirrors. Their burnished gilt finish is perfectly set off by the glow of an autumn fire.

Neptune Belfast, Neptune by Browsers, Limerick; Neptune by The Orchard, Co Kildare; Neptune by Global Village, Dublin and Wicklow; Neptune by Malone and Smyth, Fermanagh; Neptune by 1933 Furniture, Co Meath; Neptune by Trevor Morrow, Co Mayo; Castle Cabinets, Kilkenny; Deanery Furniture, Co Offaly. See neptune.com for more information.

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Neptune’s Carter Desk, price €1,560, with Shoreditch carver chair

Neptune’s 3ft Chichester bookcase

in teal velvet

hand-painted in Shingle, price €2,240.

Isla Kingfisher, price €455 and Brompton desk lamp in antique brass, price €180.

Neptune wall art with mirror edged frames, Chelsea Boat Yard, price €135, and Chelsea Bridge, price €245.

Simple and modern in shape Neptune’s Carter bookcase, price €1,700, and Carter desk, price €1,560, in solid oak and blackened steel, create a sense of cosiness in a sitting room or study, with Shoreditch carver chair, price €455 and Hanson leather office accessories from €22.

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9/19/2017 5:11:43 PM

Home & Interiors Curvaceous and comfortable Neptune’s Matilda armchair in Isla Otter, price €990, with Art-Deco inspired Kewsick square coffee table, price €590, and Fitzroy table lamp with Oliver Flint shade, price €174.

Neptune’s Fleming round mirrors are gilt edged in antique style, prices €160 (small) and €245 (medium), with Badminton 111 framed print, price €120 and Alderney Vase, price €57.

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Home & Interiors Sumptuous in deep, rich velvet teal, Neptune’s Olivia Empress sofa, price €3,560 and Charlotte grand sofa, price €2,540, both in Isla Kingfisher, with Manhattan square coffee table, price €1,360, and Matilda armchair in Imogen Holkham Sand, price €990.

A bespoke Henley 5ft glazed dresser from Neptune, price €4,000, with Matilda armchair in teal velvet Isla Kingfisher, price €990 and

Neptune’s Shoreditch corner sofa in Hugo Pale Oat, price €3,420, with Keswick square coffee table, price €590 and Fleming round mirror, prices from €160.

Camilla cushions in Isla Kingfisher and Angus Teal, price €82.

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9/19/2017 5:12:02 PM

Home & Interiors

Sofa,

so good!

Nothing makes a worse impression in someone’s home than a sticky leather sofa or a musty smelling fabric-covered armchair, so here’s how to keep those seats fresh

T

16

he first and most obvious step to keeping a sofa or

and suck up all the dirt that’s worked its way down the sides and

armchair fresh is to remove traces of dirt, dust and

into the seams. If you think there might be a treasury of coins

breadcrumbs. Put the upholstery attachment on the

or lost earrings down there, attach a piece of stocking tight

vacuum cleaner, as the soft brush won’t damage the material.

material over the nozzle with a rubber band.

One of those hand-held dustbusters is also ideal. Work your

Now it’s time to tackle the actual cleaning. Small areas of dirt

way from the top to the bottom, moving from left to right in

can be spot-cleaned. For minor blemishes, use vinegar and a

overlapping strokes. This will ensure you’ve picked up all the

microfibre cloth to wipe gently at the mark. You can also make

dust particles, which can build up especially heavily on high-

your own upholstery cleaner for this job: add a teaspoon of

nap fabrics like velvet or chenille. Set the suction to low if you’re

washing-up liquid to a small bowl of warm water, and whisk it

cleaning a delicate fabric like silk.

until the mixture forms soft peaks. The key with this is to keep

Next, switch to the crevice attachment (the long narrow one)

the suds as ‘dry’ as possible, so they don’t soak the upholstery.

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Home & Interiors

Gently apply your soap suds to the stain with a soft bristle brush and rub until the dirt lifts off. Use a plastic edge, like an old spatula, to remove the dirty foam and then gently wipe with a clean cloth and a few drops of fresh water. Let it dry for a bit and then check if it needs to be repeated.

Next, an overall wash. Use the stiff soap suds again and with the spatula or an upholstery brush apply them gently to the whole piece of upholstery. Gently use the soft bristle brush to clean all over and then use a clean damp cloth or sponge to wipe it away. The key is to not over-wet the fabric.

When you’re happy you’ve got as much of the grime off as you can, it’s important to let it dry – if there are normally cushions on the seats, leave them off until it is completely dry; otherwise, you might end up with a case of mildew. Open the windows and turn on the heating.

For leather sofas, after the vacuuming step, make up a home leather cleaning solution of equal parts white vinegar and water in a bowl. Soak and wring out a microfibre cloth in the solution and wipe over the leather surfaces. Use only a dry towel to wipe off the solution. If you would like to condition the leather, mix one part white vinegar with two parts linseed oil and apply with a clean soft cloth using large circular motions. Leave overnight, then buff the leather with a clean rag to bring up its shine.

Grease stains on leather can be removed by sprinkling on some baking soda for a few hours before brushing off.

What do upholstery cleaning labels mean?

S W X This means you must clean with cleaning solvents. Water will damage these fabrics. For spot cleaning, use a solvent product meant for home dry cleaning use and use a cool hairdryer to dry the spot afterwards or you might end up with a ring!). For bigger scale cleaning, you will need the professionals, but don’t let S-labelled furniture get completely filthy, as even professionals won’t be able to return it to its original state.

The easiest cleaning label, it means your sofa or chair can be cleaned with water. It’s safe to use the homemade cleaner or a proprietary upholstery/carpet cleaner on spills or stains.

Choose W-labelled furniture for lots of use or in high-spill risk rooms like the dining room or kitchen (or anywhere, if you have kids).

S/W

A combination of dry cleaning

solvents and water can be used. It’s not often seen and furniture with this code is best for very careful households and low-traffic use. Clean spills and stains as soon as possible before they have a chance to become fixed. Use a solventbased cleaner if you have it on hand.

This code isn’t seen often seen any more, but it may be on some older pieces.

It means the furniture is not cleanable and may only be vacuumed – not very practical! If you’re saddled with an X-label, seek advice from a furniture restorer on the best method to clean.

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9/19/2017 4:54:19 PM

Home & Interiors

Autumn Heatons at

H

eatons has stocked up with some great new homewares, from copper cutlery and pans for the kitchen to dove-grey linens and towels for the

bedroom and bathroom.

As the days get shorter and the nights draw in, autumn is the perfect time to transform your home into a snug and sophisticated sanctuary

Touchy-feely textures

There are some exciting new ranges ot check out in the 56 Heatons outlets around the country, such as Ethnic Harvest, a modern twist on country tradition that mixes and matches cool tones of blue with warming ochres. Mulberry Tales has some beautiful dark winter florals and opulent berry colour schemes that team perfectly with neutral soft greys.

Winter cries out for luxury textures like velvet and chenille cushions, while cut metal lanterns and rope-cut rugs create a boutique look. Country Escape celebrates rich autumnal palettes with rust and mocha shades to achieve a cosy country cabin feel. Just add faux fur cushions and gold and glass lanterns and the look is good to go.

LL chenille cushion, €8, LL 3D geo felt cushion, €12, LL link chenille cushion 81, €10, LL twigs cushion 81, €8, LL printed drum pouffe 81, €35, LL rope rug 81, €35, LL rope rug 81, €55

Soft as a dove

Grey Egyptian cotton facecloth €5; Egyptian cotton hand towel, €5; Egyptian cotton bath towel, €9; Egyptian cotton bath sheet, €13.

Available from September 25: Matelasse soap dish, €8; Matelasse soap dispenser, €9

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Copper tones

Home & Interiors

Marvellous mulberry

Copper handle large acacia board, €10, 16-piece copper cutlery set, €20, glass kitchen jar, €3, rose gold bread basket with canvas, €5, blue print small bowl, €2, rectangular plate, €4, blue print side plate, €3, copper handle small acacia board, €8. Available in early October: mini copper roaster, €5, mini copper frying pan, €6, mini copper saucepan, €8, mini copper square roaster, €5

Eastern promise LL mulberry cushion 74, €8, LL velour cushion 81, €12 (available mid-October), LL flannel fleece cushion 81, €7, LL velvet mulberry cushion 74, €8, LL velour cushion 81, €12 (available midOctober), LL velour cushion 81, €12, SH hydrangea pot 74, €12

Into the blue Grey ethnic print duvet cover set, from €20; MV mulberry lanterns, €10 & €12; LL rope rugs 81, €35 & €55

Sink into bed

Matelasse duvet cover set in white, from €40, Matelasse pillow sham, €11, Matelasse bedspread, €40 (all available from September 25)

Blue print side plate, €3, dinner plate €5, rectangular plate, €4, small bowl, €2, blue print bowl, €3, 16-piece copper cutlery set, €20, mango board, €6 (available October)

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9/20/2017 11:03:20 AM

Home & Interiors

Not so BLEAK

midwinter

O

ne of the basic elements of planning any garden, whether it’s a window box, balcony, suburban plot or bigger, is to have a basic structure that not only provides a backbone for the plants and furnishings

of the garden, but makes it an interesting space when most of the flowers and plants are dormant. Evergreen shrubs, shaped

As the autumn colours blaze, now’s the time to take the soon-to-be bare look off the winter garden with some evergreen shrubs

into hedges or topiary or allowed to take on a more natural look, achieve both of these aims. Here are some of the most useful in an Irish setting.

Euonymus fortunei The spindle is perfect for a low-maintenance garden, as it will do well in most situations, tolerating poor soil, shade and a coastal site. The varieties have variegations of yellow, gold, white and tinges of pink in winter and many

give them a spot they can stay in and grow as they want. The

are easily encouraged to climb if planted against a wall. Prune

reward of that winter scent is well worth the effort. Evergreen

Euonymus in spring to get more compact and bushier plants.

varieties include D. bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’, D. cneorum ‘Exima’

‘Emerald Surprise’ is a bushy shrub with bright green leaves with

and D. odora ‘Aureomarginata’.

wide bright yellow margins that tinge pink in winter; ‘Emerald Gaiety’ is a fast-growing ground-cover for sun or partial shade.

Fatsia

The leaves have a white margin and turn pink in winter. ‘Silver

Unlike most of the

Queen’ is bushy with dark green leaves margined with white and

typical evergreen

often tinged pink. Inconspicuous pale green flowers in summer

shrubs you’ll find in

are sometimes followed by pale pink fruits. ‘Emerald ’n’ Gold’

the garden centre,

has yellow margins that turn reddish in winter.

Fatsia japonica is

Daphne

tropical-looking, with large, glossy hand-shaped

A number of

leaves borne on

Daphne varieties are

upright stems on

evergreen, but what

a shrub that can

they have in common

eventually get to the

with their deciduous cousins is a display of

size of a small multi-

highly scented flowers

stemmed tree. Despite its

in late winter and early spring. All the better if

20

appearance, it is hardy and will cope with coastal exposure as well as shady areas. In autumn,

you can plant them somewhere the scent will hit you every time

it produces large spherical umbels of creamy flowers that are

you pass, near the front gate or near the back door. There are

a valuable source of food for bees and other pollinators late in

plain-leaved or variegated forms and all are best-grown in a

the year. These are often followed by black berries that can look

sheltered sunny or semi-shaded spot in well-drained, humus-

striking on the shrubs for many weeks. Fatsia is a pretty easy

rich moisture-retentive soil. All Daphnes are quite slow-growing

shrub, if you give it the space to develop those big leaves fully,

and many are cultivated by grafting, so large plants can be

but it will also be happy as an architectural feature in a large

quite expensive. They hate being moved and pruned, so try to

container on a balcony or patio.

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Sweet box

Sarcococca species have become very popular in urban planting schemes – if you catch a rich musky, honey scent as you walk by the greenery around an office block in winter, chances are they’ve used a Sarcococca confusa or hookeriana variety. Sweet box is a bushy evergreen with pointed dark shiny leaves and although the flowers are usually small and inconspicuous, their scent can carry long distances. Sweet box is a good choice for dry shady spots and they cope well with dust and pollution from roads.

Pittosporum This group of bushy evergreen shrubs from New Zealand and Japan come in many varieties, from small shrubs suitable for the border, all the way to small tree-sized specimens. The leaves come in pale green, greygreen, bronzy and even purple-black and often have wavy edges to make them even more decorative.

Many also produce small, often scented flowers in late spring. ‘Tom Thumb’ is a compact purple-leaved variety that produces the best colour when planted in full sun. ‘Golf Ball’ has green leaves and forms a neat rounded shrub, that can be clipped into simple shapes. It makes a good substitute for box. ‘Irene Paterson’ is a slow-growing rounded shrub with rounded, undulate leaves that start white before becoming dark green speckled with white and often tinged pink in winter. Fragrant purple flowers are produced in late spring.

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Home & Interiors out your topiary skills. How about a tapestry effect hedge, planted with different varieties of holly? Mix the original dark green, red-berries one with ‘Myrtifolia Aurea Maculata’, with purple young stems and ovate leaves with a yellow central blotch or ‘Argentea Marginata’, with spiny, undulate leaves boldly edged with cream and tinged pink when young. For more berry interest, include ‘Pyramidalis Fructu Luteo’, a vigorous shrub or small tree with dark green, sometimes spiny leaves and bright yellow berries. To be sure of getting lots of berries on your hollies, bear in mind that many varieties come in male and female forms, with the berries on the female plants. If you have room for just one, then choose a variety that is self-fertile.

Osmanthus Osmanthus x burkwoodii will grow in sun or light shade, but it needs free-draining soil. and do well in most soils as long as it isn’t waterlogged. It’s a slow-growing shrub with dark green, ovate leaves and clusters of small, jasmine-scented white flowers in April and May, occasionally followed by black fruits.

Yew

Osmanthus flowers on old wood, so needs minimal pruning – just remove dead or diseased branches in late spring. It makes a good hedging plant.

Taxus baccata is a dense evergreen tree or shrub that is often seen in old churchyards, where specimens can be many hundreds of years old. Yew is becoming a much more common hedging plant, as the spread of box blight makes the more traditional box a problematic choice in some areas. Although usually regarded a slow-growing, young yew plants can actually grow pretty fast, so are a good choice for a specimen shrub or as a hedge, and their dense branches make a good windbreak.

The Irish yew, ‘Fastigiata’ is an upright bushy, shrub that forms a column when young. All yews are useful in an urban setting, as they can tolerate dry shade, most soils and pollution. Note, all parts of the yew, including the attractive red berries in autumn and winter, are highly toxic.

Holly

The Japanese holly, Ilex crenata is often called box-leaved holly, as its leaves resemble the hedging plant. There are a number of forms that can be clipped into many shapes. These plants are good in shade and can tolerate pollution. ‘Fastigiata’ is a slow growing variety with glossy dark green leaves on a narrow, columnar plant that is perfect for adding an architectural shape to the garden. ‘Golden Gem’ is a compact shrub with a spreading habit and small golden yellow leaves. All Japanese hollies produce small white flowers in the late summer followed by tiny black fruits in the autumn months.

The European holly Ilex aquifolium also makes an effective evergreen hedge or shrub that can be clipped tightly, so it’s good for trying

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Photinia

A great red addition to the garden is Photinia x fraseri ‘Red Robin’, a very popular large-leaved shrub that can be grown as a standard tree too.

It can be used as a fast-growing hedging plant in a sunny spot, producing large shiny green leaves that are bright red when young – it has new foliage in autumn as well as spring, that is easily damaged by cold winds. In a smaller garden, choose Photinia x fraseri ‘Little Red Robin’.

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Nandina domestica

This compact elegant-looking shrub is often called ‘heavenly bamboo’, although it isn’t actually a bamboo. It produces pinky red compound leaves in the spring, that gradually turn green and then purple in autumn. In summer, Nandina has creamy white flowers, followed by scarlet-red berries. This is a good plant for a container to provide year-round interest on a patio or

Pieris japonica

balcony, in full sun and a sheltered aspect. It adds a touch of the exotic to any garden.

This is a good choice if your soil is acidic, partnering well with Japanese acers in a shady or dappled spot. The commonest variety is ‘Forest Flame’, with almost fluorescent red young growth in spring, which fades to pink and then green. Some Pieris varieties are large, so choose the right one for your situation. A good compact variegated variety is ‘Flaming Silver’, with leaves edged in white that contrast with the pale red young foliage.

Mexican orange blossom Choisya

Mahonia

ternata is easy to grow, but needs full sun to flower properly. It has soft shiny bright green palmate leaves with fragrant starshaped white flowers in late spring, but also flowers fitfully in autumn and a mild winter. Pruning after flowering will encourage a second flush of flowers. There are many varieties, with more finely divided leaves or ones that are golden-yellow in colour. The smaller more compact Choisya dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’ has slender leaves and its fragrant white flowers are pinkish when they are in bud.

Mahonias are a real architectural addition with glossy, spiny leaves, held in symmetrical whorls on stiff upright branches, similar to holly. They cope well in coastal conditions, on clay soils and in shade, making them unbeatable and low-maintenance in borders and woodland gardens. Some cultivars are low-growing and can be used as groundcover. All Mahonias are valued for their late winter and early spring yellow flowers, forming long elegant racemes that are highly fragrant and are a great source of food for bees in early spring. Mahonia aquifolium ‘Apollo’ is a good all-rounder, a vigorous, spreading shrub with glossy deep green pinnate leaves that take on a purplish tinge in winter. The deep yellow flowers are abundant and often followed by black berries.

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