Work, play, love
The experts share some of their top ways to add a personal and welcoming touch to your décor PLUS how to create an internal garden
As well as being functional spaces to live in, the home is a space where you can also socialise and work. However, the rooms don’t need to be fully decorated before you start thinking about hosting a house-warming party or creating a home office. Here, the experts share some of their top ways to add a personal and welcoming touch to your décor
“If some of the rooms of your home are not yet ready, that doesn’t mean you can’t invite people over and make a lasting impression with your interiors,” says Lisa Marconi, interior designer and co-founder of Dust, a design studio and online interiors store (www.dust. ie). “Don’t worry about having every detail complete. Just make sure to have some key statement pieces. A big mirror and a beautiful oversized central pendant will make sure no-one notices whether you’ve finished the space.
“Mood lighting is also your friend! Low, atmospheric lighting not only makes everything look beautiful, but it hides a multitude of sins.
“There are some fabulous things being done with neon lighting. You can get some cool symbols, or customised writing in any font and colour. It’s a great way to bring lighting into your space and provides an edgy feel.”
Lisa says artwork is a key way to add a personal touch to a living space. Using light to accent a piece will not just bring an interesting design element to the home, but also make it the focus for guests.
“There are so many places selling interesting artwork at good prices, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.”
Many people may feel they need matching colour schemes, accessories and furnishings in rooms for their home to feel complete, but Lisa advises not being afraid to mix what you already have. “Maximalism is one of our favourite trends at Dust. More is more – more objects, patterns, textures and colours. We are also loving fringes right now, such as fringed cushions or lampshades.
“Have fun with your home. When it comes down to creating a welcoming space, it is so important that your home design makes you smile.”
Lisa stresses the importance of thinking before you buy anything big, such as dining tables or couches, “Don’t start buying until you’ve really thought about the big picture. One of the main issues we find when we go to people’s houses is that they’ve bought a major piece of furniture on an impulse and are now unhappy with it.
“The best thing about accessorising is that these are definitely things that you can always keep adding to, as you find things you love.”
WORK FROM HOME
It’s estimated that 216,000 people in Ireland are working from home, at least some of the time. No matter where your office space is in the home, it pays off to develop a space that reflects creativity and productivity.
Claire Price, Interior Architect at House Edit (www.houseedit.ie), understands this all too well.
“My own home office is north facing. So, instead of working against the dull light, I embraced it by painting the office a moody deep charcoal grey and invested in good task lighting, which lights a particular section, such as a desk, for accuracy in a workspace. The dark colour gives ample opportunity to add pops of colour with accessories and stationary.
“Colour is subjective, it really depends on personal taste, but I would always recommend steering away from very bright, full chroma colours in large quantities for a home office. It can become distracting and over-stimulating for the senses. Experiment instead by adding colour through styling – desk lamps, office chairs, clocks and stationary are all great ways of doing this.”
Claire advises getting the basics right from the outset. “Have fit-for-purpose furniture. A good desk with ample storage is key. Drawers work far better than cupboards and allow for better organisation and I would advise investing in a good desk chair. It is important that the chair is the correct height and is supportive. A chair that looks great but isn’t fit for purpose will create a multitude of future shoulder and back problems.”
Claire adds, “Surround yourself with things you love that inspire and motivate you, and make sure to use your storage units to avoid a cluttered workspace!”