Do you feel like a rabbit caught in the headlights, unable to move away but nervous about how to improve your home? You are not alone, says Jean Feeney, an interior designer and the owner of Peacock, a design company. “There is a vulnerability out there right now. People don’t know where the market is at, or whether house prices have stopped falling,” she says.
As with many in her business, Feeney is finding that more people are investing in their home rather than trying to buy a new one. “It’s a more viable alternative,” she says.
If improving is the new moving, how can you be sure to get it right? Homeowners can pick the brains of interior designers and architects for free at a furniture fair in Beacon South Quarter in Dublin this weekend, while shopping for sofas, coffee tables and rugs.
Some of those who will be dishing out advice on the day have been willing to share their wisdom beforehand. One of them is Denise O’Connor, of Optimise Design, an architecture and interiors practice in Dublin.
“People are re-evaluating how they use their homes, and optimising them to suit,” says O’Connor. “They’re keen to maximise the space they have, but this doesn’t always mean having to extend. By reconfiguring the layout, they find they actually have enough space.”
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Philippa Buckley, left, an interior designer with Studio 44, says the kitchen has become the most important room to improve. “They are now redesigned in a way that makes them multifunctional — for cooking, dining and relaxing,” she says. “In older houses, the historic multi-room ‘compartmentalising’ is giving way to open, fluid designs that capture better the contemporary social dynamic of 21st-century family life.”
Designers say colour, light and space are the cornerstones of a good revamp. Colour can change the mood and tone of a room because a feature wall or tonal pattern can invigorate a space. Good lighting is often ignored in Irish homes, but the layering of light is important for warmth, texture and completing tasks.
“Wall coverings add a new dimension to a room, giving texture and depth without breaking the bank,” says Feeney. “Painting is the cheapest option. You’ll be surprised how a colour change can make a room look cosier, cooler or larger.”
Feeney supports the notion that you can do a “quick fix” to the accent colour of a room using cushions, rugs and curtains. There is also the old interior-design trick of angling mirrors to bounce around the light and instantly make a room seem bigger.
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"For less than a tenner you can buy a nice big bunch of flowers and pop them in the centre of the room. Instant happiness,” says Feeney.
Before the recession, square footage was an obsession — the bigger the extension, the better. This has changed and people are using architects and designers to help them make the most of what they have.
Expect to pay 10% of your budget for a turnkey package offered by an interior designer or architect. Most good ones will offer an hourly or daily rate and have a no-obligation consultation fee structure.
“None of our clients in the past would have considered losing a bedroom because they would have seen this as devaluing their home, making it less attractive to a buyer,” says O’Connor. “Now, we have clients who are converting their two-bedroom houses into luxurious one-bedroom ones simply because that suits their lifestyle better.”
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Upmarket products and finishes are more popular than cheaper alternatives because people are planning to stay put for longer. Houses are becoming homes again, rather than a property asset with a short-term utility value.
Jim Lawler, of Melted Snow architects in Dublin, says most of his work involves small, single-storey extensions rather than dramatic expansions. “We are also doing more upgrading of the thermal performance of homes, revamping plumbing and electrics, and adding new storage to improve use of space,” he says.
If you have a limited budget, there has never been a better time to go for a revamp — but insist that your professional works within it. “In the boom there wasn’t really any standard-price system,” says O’Connor. “There were builders who were charging an absolute fortune and those who were reasonably priced. We’ve found that those who charged correctly are still busy today.
“Vat and the cost of materials have gone up but what’s making a real difference is the fact that the price of finishes, kitchens, sanitary ware and furniture have come down by 25% to 40%.
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"Budgets are paramount and so we have to be more creative to achieve something special with limited funds.”
Lawler says a lack of credit has changed people’s attitudes to spending money on their homes.
“Clients are insistent about theirabsolute maximum spend,” he says. “There is much more emphasis on the price of works, so we have to makethem more aware of how certain items will affect their budget.”
The cost of labour has dropped by 25% to 30% in the past two years, but thisfall does not apply to materials, says Lawler. “In general, builders are keener to negotiate. A project that would have cost €100,000 would now come in at about €70,000,” he says.
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Of course, the easiest way to buy more space is to declutter. “Have a few key pieces to add interest and comfort,” says Buckley. “Review which partsof the space are used the most in terms of footfall, and relocate your furniture accordingly. A few new lamps and a rug will change the finished look significantly.”
The Beacon South Quarter furniture fair takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Bookings are essential for a free advice session with a leading architect or interior designer, and can be made at beaconsouthquarter.ie. Bringing plans and/or photographs of your home is advised.
peacock.ie; optimise-design.com; studio44.ie; meltedsnow.net
MAKEOVER TIPS
Start early
Get an interior designer as earlyas possible — as soon as you find yourself doodling space layouts on napkins. A good one will help you articulate what you want and formulate what you need. The best are also project mediators, counsellors and advocates.
Book a zero-commitment consultation
Most interior designers are happy to do a one-off consultation in your home. Expect to pay between €100 and €200 an hour. It’s a small outlay that could prevent a costly unsupervised mistake or an ill-advised purchase.
Trust
You should expect to trust your interior designer as much as your architect or builder. After all, they will influence the changes you make to your home’s aesthetic, which is a powerful position to be in. If you feel uncomfortable, overwhelmed or ignored, don’t be afraid to part ways.
The full monty
A turnkey package is charged at about 10% of the overall design budget. However, hiring an interior designer pays dividends because many will pass on their industry discounts on furniture, wallpapers and fabrics to you. Check in advance whether or not you'll benefit from such reductions.