Inside Out: Six super switch-ups for your home this season

Home Editor Eve Kelliher shares ideas to boost our lives as well as our living spaces, room by room

The Liebherr integrated larder fridge, €2,299, at the In-House Appliance Centre in Dublin.

Cool kitchens

Whether planning a new-build, an extensive kitchen renovation or upgrading to the latest generation of premium appliances, it’s always fun to get an idea of what the end result will look like.

Like the slick set-up showcasing the Liebherr integrated larder fridge, €2,299, shown above at “the ultimate kitchen and home appliance edit” at the In-House Appliance Centre in Dublin.

From intelligent steam ovens and integrated refrigeration to professional-grade cooking appliances and luxury coffee systems, the centre offers an extensive collection from some of the most prestigious appliance brands.

Located within The Panelling Centre showroom in Deansgrange Business Park, Co Dublin, the In-House Appliance Centre is led by appliance experts Geraldine O’Donoghue and Tom Johnson. “The Liebherr integrated larder fridge has a B-energy rating and exceptionally low noise levels, so is ideal for modern open-plan living spaces," says Geraline.

Hallway happenings

Smells are memories — in an instant, they can transport us to a windswept beach, a country garden, a quiet woodland path or the comforting warmth of home.

That’s the idea behind Meadows & Byrne’s signature collection of candles and diffusers, inspired by the places and moments that define life in Ireland. All of the scents, from Salty Beach to Hedgerow, tell their own story, says Helen Coughlan O’Dwyer, Meadows & Byrne. “Each fragrance has been carefully chosen to bring a different mood into the home,” she adds.

Here at Home Towers we’re all about bright colours and zesty aromas so Citrus Herb is our pick of the beguiling bunch. It’s blended to be bright, uplifting and fresh, recalling kitchen gardens, fragrant herbs and sun-filled mornings with doors thrown open to the garden; Citrus Herb candle, €32, and diffuser, €35, available in Meadows & Byrne stores nationwide and at Meadowsandbyrne.com.

Budget bathrooms

If the smallest space in the house is looking a little tired but the bank balance won’t permit a full renovation, don’t worry.

A new bathroom can be a significant investment, but the good news is you don’t need a full refurb to make your splash zone feel fresh, modern, and more enjoyable to use.

In fact, there’s been a trend towards bijou-scaled bathroom updates, according to Francisc Pentek of Sonas, who says full renovations are not the only way you can "love your bathroom again":  “Small updates, like new furniture, a modern toilet, or fresh brassware, can completely transform the space.

“These changes are affordable, achievable, and make a real difference to how your bathroom looks and works every day.”

We’d love to splash out on the Sonas Bathrooms Urban freestanding basin mixer, €305. See Sonasbathrooms.com.

Sleep on it

How many more sleeps until — whisper it — the alarm goes off for the new school year? For a certain generation, summer’s officially over once we hear that “the pale moon is rising” as we watch the newly crowned Rose of Tralee serenaded onstage. We can cover our ears and turn off the TV, but it’s no good.

Much more than a wake-up call, the 19th-century ballad is a 21st-century jump-scare. 

We can no longer deny the SPF stocks are slipping to the back of the cupboard, to be replaced by cough syrups and supplements — like BetterYou Magnesium Sleep Kids’ Body Lotion, €13.95. (Anything that will help ease the seasonal transition.) 

The lotion is one of 15 participating products in a campaign at Chemist Warehouse supporting Childline by ISPCC with 5% of each sale donated directly to the charity, alongside the option to donate at the till.

The campaign aims to raise both vital funds and awareness for Childline’s 24/7 listening service, which supports children and young people across Ireland all year round.

The closing date for the campaign is August 30. Contact Childline for free at 1800 66 66 66 or via the Live Chat button online at Childline. Visit  Chemistwarehouse.ie.

Live it up in the living room

Whether you’re a student moving away from home for the first time, or just looking for a cosy room refresh, multifunctional pieces are the way to go. Ikea’s Komishäng range, launched this month, brings effortless flexibility to any space.

A star performer is a versatile desk designed by Constance Thiessoz. It’s made of clear, acrylic-lacquered solid pine and is suitable for everything from working to socialising. 

Requiring no assembly, with just two pulls and two clicks, this piece goes from flat to finished. It’s made to stand the test of time, says Ikea, thanks to the pine top and green metal frame. A handle beneath the tabletop means it’s perfectly portable; €70, see Ikea.com/ie.

Alpaca to art

Ceadogán Rugmakers are weaving their magic in collaboration with leading contemporary Irish artists as they present a major exhibition of hand-tufted rugs and wall hangings next month. 

Three years in the making, Place features original works by Serena Caulfield, Leah Hewson, Paul Hallahan, Maria Simonds-Gooding, Tom Climent, Guggi, Kathy Prendergast, Dorothy Cross, Gwen O’Dowd, Eleanor McCaughey, and The Project Twins.

All the artists have translated their individual visual language into a rug or wall hanging, hand-tufted by Ceadogán at its studio on the shores of Bannow Bay, Co Wexford.

For Ceadogán’s creative directors, Colm Kenny and Martina Navrátilová, the connection to Place is woven quite literally into the new collection. “In recent years, we established a herd of alpacas at our Wexford studio, and much of the fibre used in the new works has been shorn, spun, and dyed from wool raised on site, grounding each finished piece in the fields that surround the workshop before it ever reaches Dublin’s gallery walls,” says Martina.

The exhibition, which is free to attend, will be staged at The Irish Georgian Society’s City Assembly House on South William Street, Dublin, from September 17 to 27. 

Artists Gwen O’Dowd and Serena Caulfield at the launch of Place. Picture: Dylan Vaughan

Whyte’s Auctioneers will host an auction of the first editions on September 27. Ten per cent of the profits will be donated to the Irish Wildlife Trust. On Culture Night Dublin on September 18, attendees will get the chance to meet some of the artists. See Ceadogan.ie.