If you’re going to use saturated colour, you need be be brave of heart and deft of hand. Long gone is the feature wall — usually the wall with the chimney breast drenched in a shock of paint that simply doesn’t belong. This year, it’s time to explore other ways to bring a colour injection. Here, we’ve taken as an example the deep, jadey green that’s been hanging about lately and used it in four ways: in a strong wallpaper motif; as an accessory; dominating in a strong piece of wall art; and the whole shebang, with a big-ticket sofa and a novelty motif wallpaper with the wall art on top, in a sort of technicolour, layering bonanza that oozes chlorophyll. Marble plays well here, as does the kitschiest symbol the design world can’t seem to leave behind: the cactus. Altogether, it’s a lush and uplifting way to go, like a portal into springtime.
Go with the glow
More showpiece than truly functional lighting, Dutchbone’s Louis table lamp couldn’t have a simpler geometry: it’s a green marble circle in a brass triangle. The bulb is behind, so expect mood lighting only. €89.24, houseology.com
Plush Order
The aqua-green velvet-upholstered large Eden sofa by DFS is reduced to €1,559 until February 27, when it reverts to €1,819. The scatter cushions are included. Incidentally, the wallpaper behind is Osborne & Little’s Bamboo. dfs.ie
Metal polish
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Mass-produced wall art — the sort you see in hotel rooms and banks— is usually ultra-naff, but this one passes muster for teaming abstract metallics with a marbelised paint effect. Champagne Skies is the name of this print by Patrick St Germain for Scatter Box, at Newbridge-based Michael Murphy Home Furnishing. It’s 107cm by 107cm. €229, michaelmurphy.ie
Sea spray
Ocean Islands is the new fragrance collection from Max Benjamin, named for the islands of the Indian Ocean. There are three: Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles, with fragrances inspired by white-sand beaches, native tropical fruits and plants, and aromas such as bergamot, petitgrain, nectarine, coriander, caraway, tuberose and patchouli. Candles are €24.95, diffusers €32.95, and scented cards €4.95. They’re at Kilkenny Stores only until February 6, then available nationwide. maxbenjamin.ie
Going Chic
La Maison Chic in Galway is celebrating a decade in the interior design biz, and having moved to a new premises at Tuam Road, is offering 25% off curtains, blinds and upholstery fabrics and wallpapers, as well as 20% off sofas, furniture and lighting orders and display items. Brands include Zoffany, Sanderson, Casamance, Ralph Lauren, Armani and Manuel Canovas, whose Hazara wallpaper, pictured, is reduced from €199 per roll to €150. facebook.com/lamaisonchic
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City of lights
Arran Street East, the Dublin pottery studio, showcased new work at Maison et Objet in Paris last week, including Cityscape, a collection inspired by Dublin. It namechecks familiar local colour and texture combinations such as blue slate, black steel, copper green, Portland stone, sandstone, and terracotta. This pendant lamp is part of the range. €380, arranstreeteast.ie
No mean feet
For a colourful Asian flourish, there’s this pretty embroidered footstool with bright yellow and blue fabrics and Indian-style stitching, which has just landed at TK Maxx. It’s 40cm square and just 24cm high, so you might have to wrestle it back from the cat. €36.99, tkmaxx.ie