Ideal Home Show: 'Our job goes beyond designing spaces'

Property specialists, interior designers, suppliers and homeowners excited to be back at the heart of the action 

Deirdre Fitzgerald and Yvonne Mulligan of Nine Yards Design.

As interest in homes and interiors has soared in pandemic times, the demand for professional and expert advice has also skyrocketed.

And while the opportunity to consult Ireland’s marquee names in one location is always exciting, it’s now, of course, headline news in the business.

As the Permanent TSB Ideal Home Show opened its doors on Friday, architect Hugh Wallace is pictured with quantity surveyor Patricia Power. Picture: Andres Poveda

This weekend the Permanent TSB Ideal Home Show takes up its autumn residency at the RDS Simmonscourt, as it is staged for the first time since 2019 live and in person.

The excitement was palpable, says event spokeswoman Tracy Kelly, as queues formed from early morning as the much-anticipated show opened this Friday, October 22, to tie in with the lifting of Covid restrictions. 

The event will be run, in line with the latest Government guidelines for indoor tradeshows, until the end of bank holiday Monday, October 25, marking the first major public event in which the requirement for physical distancing has been removed.

So, it really is a cause for celebration for many, particularly those offering their expertise — and Deirdre Fitzgerald of Nine Yards Design is one interior designer who is excited at being back at the heart of the action.

“Our job extends beyond simply designing spaces, it’s about designing for those who occupy that space,” she says. “Meeting face to face (or mask to mask!), you gain additional insight into the individual or family.

A design by Laura Rinke of Lalaliving.ie who is exhibiting at the Ideal Home Show.

“Considering no two people or families are alike, what works for one, even within a similarly shaped house, may not work for another, and I’ve found meeting in person provides a more rounded understanding, allowing us to create more tailored, objective and functional design choices.”

As Deirdre is attending the Ideal Home Show for the third time this year, her pointers for first-time visitors are gold.

“In 2019 Nine Yards Design had the amazing opportunity to design a room set in collaboration with DFS — so I’ve gotten to experience the show from the perspective of a visitor and exhibitor,” says Deirdre.

So, what should we all be looking out for in order to benefit most in terms of take-home nuggets to add lustre to our own living spaces?

“My advice for those coming along would be to come prepared with areas in mind that you would like to focus on, bring images or plans if you have them, and ask as many questions as possible — everyone is so friendly and there to help,” she says.

“I was blown away by the talent, creativity and variety at the show on both occasions I’ve attended — it’s an amazing event to get excited and inspired by for an upcoming project and potentially even motivate braver and bolder choices.

“We had an incredible response to the colour choices of our roomset ‘Typography’ and ‘Fine Line’ from the Dulux Signature Collection, with many visitors influenced to opt for deeper more confident shades thereafter.”

Nowadays we all demand our homes to morph into multifunctional workhorses, whether we live in a bijou town apartment, a cottage halfway up a mountain, a sprawling mansion, or a rental house-share.

So how can we start to take the pressure off our poor beleaguered living spaces?

“Homes over the past 18-plus months have been in a total state of flux, with many living areas being rendered rather amorphous, dining rooms becoming home offices or classrooms and living rooms becoming home gyms,” says Deirdre.

Michael Murphy Furnishings by Jackie Tyrrell Design at the Ideal Home Show. 

“This lack of definition has been a difficult balance to strike in most households, so often the space is given over to too many functions that cannot be accommodated elsewhere and end up at wars with each other.

“The challenge here then lies in demarcating different areas of activity so that one does not overwhelm the others. We’ve found an increased and worthwhile interest in bespoke storage solutions that can tackle this nebulous nature of the modern home, facilitating a myriad of functions all concealed behind doors, creating decluttered, and therefore, calmer spaces — that can even promote healthier work-life balances.”

Deirdre puts sustainability at the core of her own design “with an emphasis on repurposing and enhancing existing furniture, to be incorporated into reimagined spaces fit for modern life, encapsulating the clients’ taste and needs”.

“Comfort is key for me, both the physical kind (comfortable and suitable furniture) and the often-forgotten visual comfort, through ambient lighting and balanced focal points for the eye to rest on,” she adds.

DFS, designed by Nine Yards Design.

Another highlight of the event is the www.Finished.ie + DFS Interiors Theatre, hosted by broadcaster Lorraine Keane, as part of the Home Interiors Fair.

Lorraine will talk to RTÉ Home of the Year judge Hugh Wallace, quantity surveyor Patricia Power, architect and interior designer Denise O’Connor of Optimise Design, and artist Deborah Donnelly.

At the Mitsubishi Electric Home Advice Theatre, visitors will find key experts from Electric Ireland Superhomes, architect Eva Byrne of Houseology, and David McConnell of Mitsubishi Ireland advising on energy conservation. The Drive Electric exhibition showcases electric vehicles, hybrids and electric scooters.

Staff from Permanent TSB are on hand to talk about mortgages, home improvements and other loans.

Interest in deep retrofits, as part of our awareness of the need to combat climate change, means people want to find out more about the insulation and heating options available.

The Ask an Expert Hub offers visitors practical advice about building, extending, finance, interiors, architecture and gardens.

• The Permanent TSB Ideal Home Show, October 22-25 at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin 4, www.idealhome.ie