Sources of Good Ideas for Interior Design

L

Lauren

Registered User
Messages
1,039
I'm just about to move into my new apartment and wanted to get some recommendations on good publications, books, websites that provide design advice and ideas
 
Look up the showhouse website on RTE for the show of the same name.
It lists a fair bit of the suppliers as well as showing you the photos of the rooms they do up.
 
Visit your local library and see what's there to borrow. I also bought an excellent little book in M&S called 'Making the Most of Small Spaces'. Or something. If your apartment is on the small side like mine, it has loads of brilliant ideas. Cost 5 euro and is one of the most useful things I bought all year.

I would also seek out furniture which is specifically designed for apartments rather than houses. Domus is good for this and I think the new Dunnes Stores on Georges Str has this in mind but I haven't been in there. Much of the furniture in places like Reids etc seems targeted at people who live in big houses which need to be filled up with clunky furniture.
 
Thanks everyone. The apt is quite large (3 bed penthouse) so I'm not too worried about the space issue..
 
I sounds lush Lauren, the very best of luck with it. I find flicking through mags very inspirational and you can even get ideas from some paint mags like Crown, Dulux etc. I have a subscription to House & Home but buy a few english mags from time to time also (House Beautiful and one other whose name escapes me). I just love houses and have been lucky enough to see a lot of them through working for an Estate Agent but you can also get ideas from any sort of house renovation programmes or such like on the tv.
 
Thanks Ribena..I'm really delighted with it..can't wait to get the keys and really want it to be my palace as its my first owned home!!
 
Nelly, thanks for directing me to the Showhouse site. Great ideas there with supplier names too!
 
Showhouses are great ideas. Had a friend who hadn't a clue (his own words) but decorated his own house beautifully from ideas he got from show houses. Shop catalogues such as M&S, next, habitat, Laura Ashley (particularly good - not all flowery) i find really good. Even on a budget you can use them for inspiration and get the look a little cheaper elsewhere. i'd pick up a few house magazines or borrow from the library. Also swaped magazines with friends when we were doing up our places at the same time and asked them when where they got paint colours etc if i saw anything in their house that i was looking for. Be careful you don't become a bore in the pub however if you start talking about paint colours.
 
That's a super idea Thrifty. Those magazines are robbery. Showhouses are open every Sunday and I've gotten great ideas from them.
 
www.houseandhome.ie is quite good.
Also some of the intertiors magazines are good.
SOme of the English ones are better for features such as 25 Beautiful Homes, you can't always get the exact things they detail but will source similiar here.
Some of the Irish ones are not as good but I have found a few good ideas in Munsters Interiors.
Best of luck with it sounds nice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top