Ask the designer

Q Between scented candles. reed diffusers and home fragrance spray, I need help picking from the array of ways to freshen up my home

A. Home fragrance can be just as important as decoration in creating an atmosphere of luxury at home. One of my favourite ways to aromatise a room is a pomander made from an orange studded with cloves — which both looks and smells great. If you have an open fire, try a fragranced fire-starter made from a small bundle of pine branches, dried heather, cinnamon sticks or rosemary. Make your own reed diffuser using a glass container with a wide base and narrow neck, reeds or thin bamboo skewers and a few drops of your favourite essential oil added to a carrier oil. Natural soy, palm or beeswax candles are better than paraffin or petroleum-based products — try Aveda’s limited edition soy wax and lavender Earth Month Candle, €24.50 from Brown Thomas.

Q. Do you have any ideas for decorating our home this Easter weekend?

A. Add some Easter cheer to your home with pretty pastel colours and familiar Easter motifs, including eggs, bunnies, nests and feathers. Decorate your dining table with a crisp white tablecloth, colourful placemats such as Cath Kidston ‘Provence Rose’ (set of 4, €20 — see www.kildarevillage.com), egg-shaped candles in pretty spring hues in egg holders, mini-chocolate eggs nestled in dainty wicker nests or chocolate bunny place settings. Sunny daffodils or tulips are perfect for Easter — try displaying them in a vase filled with jelly beans or even egg cups. Finally, add an Easter celebration wreath made from sweets, plastic or foil eggs, fabric flowers, or ribbon to your front door.

Q. With the weather hotting up recently, I want to change my winter duvet. What do you recommend?

A. Most of us spend around 3,000 hours a year in bed, so getting the right duvet is crucial. If you tend to feel the cold, I’d recommend a 10.5 tog duvet for summer. If you don’t feel the cold, a 7.5 tog should be just right. Generally, the higher the down content the more luxurious the duvet. But the closer the down is to your body, the warmer you’ll feel. Putting a flat sheet between yourself and the duvet will help you keep cool during summer nights — go for Egyptian cotton for the most comfortable snooze. Check out Top Drawer’s 50% off sale currently taking place in Dublin and Cork — see www.topdrawer.ie.

Q. I’m going to my mother-in-law’s for Easter Sunday dinner and would love to bring something other than chocolate. Any gift ideas?

A. I love the hen towel bale (€18), apron (€18) and oven glove (€9) by Debenhams. For a twist on the traditional Easter egg, what about these stackable designer egg cups by Jamie Oliver, €22.50 also from Debenhams. Other choc-free gift suggestions include an earthenware bunny or hen, cake stand or decorative glass eggs which can be displayed together as a stunning centrepiece, or individually in eggs cups for a terrific table setting.