Blog - Interior Design Academy of Ireland

Dublin Fair City

Saturday the 21st of April saw an early start through many parts of the country. Lights went on and coffee was brewed from Galway to Limerick and Cork to Dublin as an excited group of Interior Design Enthusiasts prepared to make their way to Griffith College in Dublin. The first seminar of the year was to be held and glue, scissors, magazines, note books and rulers were packed and ready to go.

We all eventually found our way to room A007. Our group was comprised of existing students and other like minded artistic, interior design fanatics. I tried not to bore anyone with an introduction to Interior Design. It's funny but only when you actually write it down and verbalise it do you realise the important role ... [Continue Reading]

Clutter vs Collectibles

I was inspired to write this article on the difference between clutter and collectibles when I recently helped my mother dust her house. My goodness! I had forgotten how much 'stuff' they have and as I see the shelves of my own home start to fill I worry that I have inherited that squirrel like tendency to hoard things like my parents!

I was at a jumble / indoor car boot sale over the weekend and I was astounded by the amount of pottery for sale. Most of it was recognisable as Aynsley, Belleek, Lladro etc. These were all old collections granted but collections they were never the less. They were being sold by women wishing to 'declutter' and make a few bob at the same time as these vases, plates, ornaments are still considered valuable and get pride of place on the mantel piece or display cabinet. ... [Continue Reading]

First Impressions

First impressions count! As we all know, that first sight over the threshold of an unfamiliar house can create a lasting impression.

Many people spend a great deal of time and money decorating their main living areas stylishly and expensively. The hallway is often ignored and can unintentionally create a cold and unfriendly atmosphere. Any of you who are IDAI students will know that there is an entire chapter in the course devoted to this much neglected area.

The starting block for the style you wish to create in your home begins here. ... [Continue Reading]

Studying as a Mature Student

Studying as a mature student is something that has become increasingly popular over the last few years. The majority of mature students are probably made up of the bracket of people which are retraining to find employment as they have fallen victims of the recession. There are also those that need to constantly update their skill set in order to remain in their current employment.

I have met plenty of mature students that are studying because they are dissatisfied with their situation in life and are making use of an opportunity that they might not have been afforded when they were younger. Then there are those that are merely seeking to further educate themselves in a subject that they are interested in. Whatever the reason is all these people have one thing in common - courage... [Continue Reading]

Renovations

This is my first blog entry for 2012. Where did 2011 go? Not many new builds but a satisfying amount of renovations, extensions and new kitchens kept me going through the year. I don't think a corner was spared here in the west of Ireland from my ministrations; hard work indeed

I have some before and after photos to show you from 2011. It's amazing what you can do with a bit of careful planning.

Of course I listen closely to what my clients say and try to judge their tastes and individual styles as soon as possible. It is important that the finished result should look as though it is their house and not mine, after all! ... [Continue Reading]

The Search for a Wood Burning Stove

I have always had the philosophy that you will constantly be coming across new and innovative products in the field of Interior Design as it is a constantly evolving subject.

I have worked for a number of companies and come across a wide cross section of clients since I began studying and working in interior design around 12 years ago but it didn't come as a surprise to me when recently I discovered a subject that I should know about but I don't! Wood burning stoves! Ask me about fireplaces and I could talk for ages but in all the jobs that I have done or been a part of I have never installed a stove. There is one aspect to this quandary that I am pleased about - the client I must have a stove installed for is Myself. So I am in fact my own guinea pig!... [Continue Reading]