How an Irish mother-daughter duo has reinvented hygge
The mother-daughter duo Martha, left, and Mimi of Mimi+Martha.
WHILE it first made its presence felt in interiors everywhere several years ago, the Danish concept of hygge is more relevant than ever before.
Pronounced “hue-guh” and usually translated as “cosiness”, it’s inspired a shelves’ worth of décor books and has snuggled its way into our psyches — particularly as autumn/winter sets in in these unprecedented pandemic times.
Grá at home is an Irish way of living inspired by Hygge — but with a difference. Grá is, of course, the Irish for “love” and Grá at home invites shoppers find joy and love in the everyday life, from making a coffee in the morning to cooking a meal for your loved ones And it asks shoppers to purchase items made with grá, this is amplified throughout the store the curated collection of Irish designers creating and making with grá for the planet and for themselves.
It’s the lifestyle concept of the interiors powerhouse and mother-daughter duo behind Mimi+Martha who are working together to celebrate conscious shopping.
"Mimi+Martha HQ is in Limerick, where we have all our lovely products and operate our packaging and posting services from, and Martha is based in Dublin, keeping an eye on the culture and trends!" said Mary (Mimi).
"We love the duality of our two lifestyles and it’s the perfect excuse to travel between city and countryside and explore the country in between."
They had often spoken about what this venture would look like but the time was never right. "At the beginning of the pandemic, we were able to find the space to create something truly special and true to our values and so, we spent our lockdown planning and creating virtually until we could finally come together and bring it all to life," said Mimi.
Mimi has a background in interior design and Martha has been working in the arts as an opera singer and the similarities and differences in their lifestyles and experiences inspire them. "We want to share the stories of the pieces on our store, from the raw materials to our customers' homes so that people can choose items that they can love forever," said Martha. "We hope that this will help people move towards a slower and gentler way of consuming while still choosing items that are filled with grá."
Grá encompasses the entire cycle of the products available at Mimi+Martha, and it is an exciting new way of living that will no doubt resonate with shoppers who are looking to celebrate moments in everyday life that we often take for granted.
The lifestyle and interiors brand has launched an online store, featuring 50 makers and creators in what it describes as “a conscious-shopping bazaar” It is something of a go-to platform for home décor enthusiasts looking to discover the collections of some of Ireland's leading makers. The online store has already seen popular designers join the collective including Ballyshane, Olannmor, Emma Larkin Designs and Glint Glass.
Co-founder of Mimi+Martha, Limerick-based Mary Keogh said the team strives “towards a more sustainable, kind way of living, with a simple mission: to bring happiness to their customers through expressive and unique items for home and lifestyle, thoughtfully made, with grá at the core of the creation process”.
“During these uncertain times, it is important to be supporting artists and designers who are creating and crafting, we wanted to launch this platform as a means for designers to connect and share their stunning works with the public. We are all in this together after all!” she says.
Fellow co-founder Martha O’Brien Keogh, who is now based in Dublin, said: “From our products to the creators, we collaborate with grá in mind. To us, this means choosing items made with love, for us to love. These items are made to last, and made with quality materials from local Irish woods to merino wool, from botanicals and beeswax to Irish linens and tweeds.”
SPEAKING of hygge, comfort is one of the main requirements right now in our living spaces and adding throws and cushions to your sofa and armchairs is one way of enhancing your happiness factor.
If you are in the market for a whole new sofa, check out models like the new Plush sofa from DFS, with sumptuous velvet and generous proportions that deliver on both comfort and style. Reflecting the real blue colour trend, which is set to remain a firm favourite into the autumn/winter season, the blue Plush sofa offers a saturated and vivid intensity that makes it the perfect statement piece to create a cocooning atmosphere.
The Plush chaise end sofa is available in a choice of pillow back or formal back, and the range includes an accent chair, cuddler sofa, two, three and four-seater sofa and a small chaise end sofa, together with a choice of square or storage footstools.
DOESN’T it feel as if watercooler moments will never be the same again? But we can stay safe while keeping hydrated in the era of social distancing. As workplaces and schools prepare to reopen, a Cork-based company is providing contactless water dispensers.
The Aquafria Touch Free dispenser has a sensor that detects movement, allowing people to turn on and off the water tap without ever touching it. It also has a UV light at the end of the tap, which acts as a steriliser.
Richie Madden, CEO of Aquafria, says: “I have 180 of these dispensers in our warehouse in Glanmire. They arrived over from Italy last week. I think the only way forward for us as a business now is to go contactless. The coronavirus isn’t going away any time soon and I think it’s going to make everyone rethink what’s safe and hygienic in the workplace into the future.” Aquafria is offering a free trial to any business with a pre-existing water mains connection. The Aquafria Touch Free is available to rent for 12 months at a cost of €595 including installation and maintenance. All Aquafria technicians have received Covid compliance training.
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