style at set...

i'm looking forward to the irish blogger-set reports from this event happening on saturday...

vintage furniture...

i just checked out the website for set - and i'm excited about 2 things...here they come, in order of preference...

• interiors advice from premier interior designer Simon Rawlings (Creative Director of the international design company, David Collins Interiors)...
• the Men’s Den in Harry’s Bar, with live sport and whiskey tasting

what not to get fired up and look forward to about those 2 gigs...

i hope the event is a great success, it already appears to be setting a very high standard for future years as this is the 'inaugural' style at set...

i'm a bit surprised that nobody like 'the interiors association' or the 'institute of designers in ireland' didn't grab an opportunity to get involved...

can't wait to hear the reports from the blogger-set next week...

http://www.set.ie/style

zingy and springy...

zingy and springy...need i say anymore...

picture via room envy design files...

http://roomenvy.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/green-living-room2.jpg

remington...

i think this remington bench is fabby looking...pony hide and chrome...

doesnt it look so great together...

available from I.O. metro...

http://iometro.blogspot.com/

http://www.io-metro.com/

it is what it is...

i read a really interesting blog post on daedal review today...

i guess i'm lucky i'm not a graduate...but for me the setting out experience and starting out in america is somewhat similar...granted i have 8 years of great experience under my belt, which has involved high end hospitality contracts and office fit-outs as well as my own freelance residential work...but i almost feel like i've had to hit america with the ground running...

make the transition from mm and m to feet and inches...suss out local suppliers, suss out local contractors, suss out other architects and designers and do the whole networking thing under my own custardbydesign umbrella until something solid arises...

doing the whole meet and greet thing...jumping at every networking opportunity that comes my way...

this is what elaine says on her blog post...

"If this trend continues design graduates are going to have to hit the ground running when the leave college. With no studio willing to bear the cost of them ‘finishing’ their training, they are going to know how to design, source and detail an entire project if they want to gain experience in the Irish interiors industry. On top of that they will have to learn how to manage their own accounts, workload, and time!!"...

and i feel like i have to be every bit as clued in to make the impact i need to here with potential employers...

read the full post here...

http://www.daedalreview.com/blog/?p=77

you've got to phunk it up...

phunk isn't really a word...but funk is...and i like to funk up funk by saying phunky...

speaking of phunky...this interior is unique and phunky...it is a bar in venice called ''la biennale"...the person behind the design is an artist, tobias rehberger...

not only is the design unique and phunky...so to is the powerful statement that it makes...

"With black and white stripes, mirrors and all kinds of psychedelic patterns that completely cover the floor, walls, utility shafts and furnishings, he disturbs the observer's perception to such an extent that the latter feels deprived of all stable orientation. Anyone who spends time here is virtually dazzled by all these resplendent patterns, a game with illusions that cannot be put together synthetically to create one single perception but keep on breaking up into individual pieces. You entered as a common hungry or thirsty person and now you feel drunk on top of everything else, and aside from this you hunger and thirst for calmness and contained order. However, it is not you but the space surrounding you that is drunk; everything you were familiar with seems shattered, the brain's synapses overloaded. "Lighter than a cork, I danced on the waves" reads Arthur Rimbaud's poem "Le Bateau ivre". And that is exactly how you will feel if you spend too much time in Rehberger's cafeteria..."

...via stylepark

http://www.stylepark.com/en/news/the-drunken-bar-venetian-wanderings-part-4/296050

stepping it up a gear...

i decided now that i have the 'employment authorisation card' in hand and i'm stepping it up a gear with regards to the job hunt and the networking - that a business card would help people remember who i am and what i do...

the accent does the trick in making me stand out from the crowd, but i felt i needed something to put in the hands of the people i meet...so i found a website to make business cards for free and i paid for shipping and i got them a week or so ago...

i decided the simpler the better...what do you think...???

my staff...

tom...you wouldn't send out that email and confirm my three o'clock...and stay off youtube...thanks

a little bit whimsical...

love it...want it...putting it on the wedding registry...

isn't this lamp just deadly...very funny and whimsical and i guess a wee bit kitsch...and enough already i just want it...

picture via atelier abigail ahern...

http://abigailahern.wordpress.com/

question...

i posed the following question on my facebook and twitter accounts and i decided i would create a collage from the answers i was given...

"When you think of Irish design and architecture what do you think of? A building, a person, a company, a streetscape, a product, graphics, what...?"

do you know who and what and where is in the collage...???

i really enjoyed hosting this 'irish design week' here on custardbydesign...i hope you enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed presenting it...

criminal courts of justice...

heavens forbid i need ever have cause to stand before any court...that said, i'd love a wee walk about the new criminal courts of justice complex in dublin...

designed by former employee henry j lyons and partners architects....and photography below from former work colleague enda cavanagh...

i thinks its a stunning building...

"The building will be an exemplar of sustainable design. Its unique environmental bronze and glass veil will at once demonstrate the weight of justice, its strength & materiality while simultaneously controlling light and acoustics within the courtrooms. The ‘Great Hall’ is the central heart of the complex, providing a simple legibility to public circulation..."

http://www.endacavanagh.com/

http://www.hjlyons.com/

grand canal square theatre...

its open...i learnt about the opening of this through a friend on facebook who went to see swan lake last night...said friend described the building like so...

"Building is simply incredible. An amazing piece of architecture"...

below is the blurb from daniel libeskinds website...

"The Grand Canal Square Theatre and Commercial Development, designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind, creates a powerful cultural presence defining the urban piazza, the public space and inner workings of the Grand Canal Square Theatre. The 2000-seat performing arts centre, operated by Live Nation, is at the heart of the Grand Canal Harbour development. Also on the site are two galleria buildings for retail and commercial office space with courtyards, designed by Architekt Daniel Libeskind AG. SDL is working with Ramford Ltd. and expected completion is in March 2010"...

check out the below pics...i agree with facebook friend...

http://www.grandcanalsquare.ie/

http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/

meet danielle mac innes of fuse interiors...

for my 5th and final post this week i've had a catch up with my friend danielle mac innes of fuse interiors...danielle's face and her work has graced the pages of many of ireland's weekend newspapers and interior design magazines over the past 2 years or so...

i had the opportunity to work with danielle on a small project last year just before i left dublin for armagh...it was a great opportunity for me and i was glad to be able to help danielle...

Danielle is the owner and managing director of Fuse Interiors - a small creative interior design company based in Dublin. Danielle started the business 3 years ago and has been growing it steadily since. Fuse Interiors works with private home owners and business clients and take on a mix of projects from residential to commercial...

What was your first experience with design…?

My first experience with design.. hhmm thats a hard one. My parents were forever moving house and renovating so I guess I've kind of grown up with it. We seemed to constantly live on a building site as mum and dad were always either planning or doing a new extension or renovation. I think we lived in about 12 different houses when I was growing up! My mum has a great eye for design too, people would always ask did she use an interior designer when they came to the house, but she never did - she just had a natural style and eye for art so I suppose Ive been exposed to it all since I was little...

Who or what has influenced and inspired your style…?

I travel a lot so I'm inspired by a lot of places, interiors and styles that I see when I'm away. We spent a month in India over Christmas this year which was amazing, the colours and mix of influences there is really energizing. Ive also been in Berlin, Stockholm and London this year - I think that travel is very important as a designer because it gives you the opportunity to see architecture, design and creativity from a fresh and international perspective but most importantly it allows you the headspace to take in and process ideas and inspiration that when your at home and caught up in day to day stress you might not have the time to notice...!!!

What do you think about the current state of architecture / interior architecture / interior design in Ireland...?

I think that the industry is going through a very tough time at the moment, its hard to say where it's going to end up. The recession has obviously had a huge impact but I think that along with that there's a global shift in attitudes to consumerism and spending meaning that industries that thrived during the boom are facing steep challenges ahead. On the plus side, I think there's also a major movement towards creativity and I think that people are recognizing the value in creative industries and not just focusing on technology as the future...

What will be your next venture in design…?

We're hoping to diversify this year into furniture, I can't give too much away but we have big plans ahead for the year...!!!

Where would be your ideal city to live in and design in...?

I know it's a cliche, but probably London. The city really is an amazing hotbed of creativity and every time I go there I come back back full of excitement and inspiration...

danielle, thanks a million for taking the time to connect with me for this post...i know your a busy gal...

http://www.fuseinteriors.ie/

from the table...

a little pic from our st patrick's day table...

meet emmett scanlon of cast architecture...

thursday's post in this weeks series features emmett scanlon of 'cast' architecture...what a fantastic name for an architects firm...

CAST architecture was established by Emmett Scanlon and Sarah Cremin in 2006. CAST is a design led practice based in Dublin and since 2006 has designed houses, housing, and exhibitions and has acted to architectural advisers to Government agencies. Emmett and Sarah lecture in architecture at University College Dublin and are correspondants for A10 architectural journal based in Rotterdam.

Who or what has influenced and inspired your style…?

I would say studios we have worked in and the people we have worked there. I worked in Grafton Architects for several years and the approach to architecture there was influential. Sarah worked in Switzerland, China and the USA with Herzog & deMeuron. Today, usually our clients influence and inspire us. We do not have a house style, instead we try and develop and refine our approach to each project, allowing the individual needs and desires of the client form and mould the specific result of each project. Our projects are different as the context, clients, scale, budget etc. all vary from project to project, so too must the architecture...

What are you excited about in the world of design today…?

I am excited in Ireland about the fact that architecture is becoming more part of our social and cultural consciousness. There is a lot of work to do, but with the arrival of the Irish Architecture Foundation, the public has a door into the world of architecture now, like they have had in other artforms before. Architecture generally still remains a mystery however, it is still confused with construction or development, so we need to continue to work to discuss and debate architecture here, as it has a vital role to play in our everyday life and wellbeing. Architecture has a role to play in our streets, schools, hospitals, in our kitchens and gardens...the development of a real debate about architecture in Ireland is very exciting...

What do you think about the current state of architecture / interior architecture / interior design in Ireland...?

I think we have extraordinary talent in Ireland. Sarah and I write for A10, the European journal of architecture, and we are always so pleased to see the response to the Irish projects of our peers that we submit, there is such respect for the work and energy here. This is being helped by many Irish architects now making great buildings around the world, such as O Donnell+Tuomey in London and Grafton Architects in Milan. However, it has to be said that we are at a turning point in Ireland, we need to ensure that we find new and creative ways to support architects to work, as it is still a struggle here to find work, to make a contribution, to sustain a studio. Most people do not realise the amount of time it takes to make a small extension, the hours of labour and care good architects invest in this...Many architects are still excluded from most of the work that goes on here, I think too architects need to speak out more and contribute more to Irish society and culture. We do not have the answers to our current economic or social situation, but we do have an interesting and considered point of view...I would love to see a design leader in our Government. A lot is happening in a grass roots way now here, but I do think a leader who could drive standards in design would also be welcome...

Which building would you like to see 'unbuild'...?

I think we can learn something from everything that we build...I would not like things to be unbuilt but would prefer that we reflect more on what we do and why we do it, so we could do it better next time round...We do not have a good track record in research and reflection in architecture in Ireland...yet...!!!

Which material offers for you the most possibilities...?

We are about to use concrete again and for us this is very exciting. Our name, CAST, obviously resonates with this material, but we like concrete for its solidity, its texture, the fact that it can be a floor and wall and a bench all at the same time...we also love tiles, we used them in our Glenageary project, their possibilities is that the can go inside and out, can be floors, walls and roofs. This allows a lot of flexibility and also, we think makes buildings appear a bit more calm – we like one material that can do a lot, rather than lots of materials collaged together...We strive for this singularity of tone or material or colour when we work...we think this resists fashion and we hope it makes the built work more timeless...buildings need to last a long time...

again, i've really enjoyed posting this q&a set...i like the design principle behind the cast ideals...they don't have a style, they create a style informed and developed and refined by a client and a brief...it's also very exciting to learn about how another architect feels about the way forward for irish architecture, i welcome his notions that irish architects and designers need to speak out more and contribute more to irish society and culture...

the images posted are from a glenageary house extension and refurbishment...you can see more pics for this project and others by clicking on the link below...its great to see how clean lines and simple forms, with a strong product such as the redbricks stacked vertically rather than horizontally evoke and inform this project...

http://www.castarchitecture.ie/

google got in on the act...

it's nice to see google's st patrick's day tribute...

"beannachtai na feile phadraig achan duine"...

meet eoin lyons...

to many of my irish readers, 'eoin lyons' is likely someone who needs no introduction at all...

i've met eoin a few times, namely at the design and interiors fair in the rds, dublin and also at his book launch in brown thomas...he's a great guy, nice to chat with and quite humurous...

until recently i was the proud owner of both of his books...his latest book i couldn't part with so it will be winging it's way to me this july...

continuing with my daily q&a sets for this week, like the others i asked eoin to tell me a little bit about himself...

Eoin Lyons is an interior decorator, journalist and author. He studied graphic design and began writing for The Irish Times in 2001, focusing on interiors for five years with the occasional foray into fashion writing and styling. As a journalist he has contributed to publications such as Image Interiors, The Gloss, House & Garden UK, Living Etc and The Sunday Times Style. Eoin has published two best selling books about interior decorating - Style Source Ireland and Home Comforts. His interior work has been featured in Image Interiors...

Describe your work…?

I like to take objects of different periods and styles and make them seem part of a coherent whole. I hate the Christian Liagre style of decorating where the designer does everything and you don't even have to add an ashtray. The aim is to create a cultured atmposhere that reflects the owners tastes, travels and interests...

What are you excited about in the world of design today…?

Nothing.The past is more inspiring. In particular the first half of the 20the century. Michael Mortell's gallery is the most inspirational place in Dublin. He has brought together fine pieces from those years by designers such as Sue et Mare, Raymond Subes and Charles Catteau but also items from other periods such as a Chinese head scultpture from the Min dynasty, a set of Georgian silver candlesticks and ceramic plates by Picasso. The eclectic nature of his collection reflects the deocrating style I love most...

What do you think about the current state of interior architecture / interior design in Ireland?

I hope people are more interested in quality and craft now that ever before. The disposable holds no attraction...

What's your stance on neon beer signs...?

None...

What is the most important object in your day to day work...?

My red fabric covered notebook, a gift from a friend. I can't function without a notebook and pen...

eoin...thanks a million to you also for taking the time to connect with me and let me learn a little bit about you and your work...while we may never know how much you like or dis-like neon beer signs, it has to be said that when it comes to your written works, interior design and styling skills...the bar is set really high...

i look forward to reading more of your articles, and following your new ventures with eoinlyons.com...

macha...

macha was the pagan queen who gave armagh its name...

"ard mhacha" - meaning height of macha as it was this queen who first build her fortress on the hight of a hill near to where armagh stands today...

one of my favourite artists...who signed a print for me about 10years ago is jim fitzpatrick...who created these fantastic images of queen macha...

i had a friend from school who was studying fashion and textiles in galashiels...this girl was interviewing jim fitzpatrick in dublin and i begged for her to bring me back a signed postcard or poster or something...and what i have is a signed a4 print out of one of his works...

i'm looking forward to getting it re-framed and hung on a wall in our new house...

http://www.jimfitzpatrick.ie/

meet melanie king of design heaven...

for todays post i'm featuring one of my favourite blogs and bloggers to boot...design heaven, owned by australian gal living in dublin...

i asked mel to tell me and my readers a little bit about herself to start off our q&a session...

Hi Custard by Design readers, my name is Mel and I run the blog Design Heaven. Basically I love writing about, looking at and dreaming about interior design. A few years ago I completed a diploma in interior design and recently started a design company, Design By KiCo with my partner. We have just released the first of our home textiles and will be releasing more products over the next few months...

Describe your work…?

Design Heaven is something I do in my spare time so its lucky I love blogging about interiors and try hard to post on a daily basis. Most of the posts are about interior and furniture design but I do occasionally post recipes for irregular Foodie Friday feature. Although my blog is all about what I like in interior design my taste is constantly evolving which helps keep it fresh. And by evolving I mean I am constantly changing my mind...

What are you excited about in the world of design today…?

An interior design trend that has always excited me is turning an old piece of furniture in to something new either through new fabric or paint or through restoration. I find most interiors that really inspire me are a mixture of old and new and the best interiors are developed over time rather than put together in a month...

What do you think about the current state of interior architecture / interior design in Ireland...?

Its great to see that the Irish design blog community is getting bigger. It shows there is a real desire for more local news in interior and furniture design. I especially love some of the new design studios such as Superfolk and love the furniture designed by Vaugh Shannon studios...

What is a website that inspires you...?

There are also some really inspiring design websites out there which are jam packed with lots of fabulous interiors and ideas. I must have about hundred blogs that I visit on a regular basis but one site you can always guarantee there will something stunning to look at has to be the Living Etc's site...

Which architect-designed hotel/house would you like to spend a weekend in...?

Generally speaking I am not a big fan of staying in hotels as most disappoint however I loved my stay in Bellinteer House a few years back. It was effortless plus the interiors are to die for. We started off with a treatment in their spa, then got ready for dinner which from memory was yummy then chilled out in the drawing room for the rest of evening drinking wine by the fire. In the morning we went for walk in the grounds and a quick splash in the indoor swimming pool before checking out. Its was a very relaxing stay...

melanie...thanks very much for taking the time to connect with me and give me an insight to the gal behind design heaven...i can't believe your not a big fan of staying in hotels - i'm a big one for checking in somewhere new and interesting and checking it out...i'm also very pleased to see your top choice is an irish hotel too...

i have to say, when i'm researching a project living etc is a must stop for me...there's is always so much inspiration to be found there...

please check out melanies blog design heaven at the link below and i'm already looking forward to seeing what new additions are added to her online store...

http://designheaven.wordpress.com/