Tag: ask the team

Ask The Team is all about our talented designers helping you to solve your interior design dilemmas.

Our design team are full of insight and ideas so if you have a design question or are just in such of some inspiration hit us up!

Hi KLD!

I’d love to be bold and brave and paint my kitchen in a really dark shade to give it a totally new feel. Can you advise me on how to choose a dark colour that will really work? 

Thanks, Jane

Hi Jane,

Thanks for getting in touch. Dark kitchens can be so powerful and stylish. We love navy and bluey-grey tones lately and have recently designed a few kitchens in these dramatic yet elegant shades. When choosing a dark colour the first thing I would advise is to go for a shade that is very definitely dark. You will get great impact by going for a colour that has a lot of depth and really beautifully rich tone.

It’s always a good idea to test out your colours and consider them together with other key features of the space like flooring, splash-backs, tiles, fabrics and finishes. If a beautifully rich grey blue colour is something you’d be keen to try I’d recommend Colourtrend’s ‘Into The Stratosphere’ (Code: 0627) or Day Spa (Code: 0634) which has a beautiful bluey-green tone. Here are a few examples of dark kitchen units to get you inspired.

Happy decorating!

Moya

Hi KLD Team!

I would like to revamp my hallway and stairs and love the paneling in your Before and After pics of the Ballsbridge Residence.  My hallway is quite dark but we have a nice feature window on our return and (currently) white woodwork around doors etc.  I have 2 young children and pets so the hall sees lots of action!  Can you advise on paint colour/wall treatment?

Thanks in advance, Sarah

Hi Sarah,

We love how paneling can completely transform a space. Very often opting for a dark colour in a dark space is most effective. It means the colour will have maximum impact and as designer Abigail Aherne has taught us we shouldn’t fear dark rooms but instead embrace dark and moody shades. In terms of colours we love Colourtrend’s Thunderstorm, its a gorgeously moody grey and will create an amazing impact in your hallway.

As hallways are high traffic areas a gloss paint can be a good idea as they are extremely practical and can be wiped clean, a good idea with children around. You can consult with your painter on how much of a sheen you would like, as it doesn’t always have to be a full sheen. Here are some dark hallways we really love to get you inspired.

Best of luck with it!

Lauren

Hi KLD,

Our kitchen and living room needs livening up however we can’t afford a new kitchen at the moment.  We just bought a vintage haberdashery unit which we intend to use as a peninsula island instead of our existing snack counter.  We have lots of interesting art work however we feel our walls don’t do them justice.  Any suggestions?

Robert

Hi Robert,

Thanks for getting in touch. I love the idea of the vintage unit for the peninsula island! Paint is one of the most powerful ways to transform on a budget – have you considered painting the space in an entirely different shade? You could also paint colour blocks behind your artwork to pick up on accent tones and really make the pictures stand out.

A gallery wall of artwork and photographs can also be a really nice touch. We love the IKEA picture ledges  – these are a really easy way of showing off lots of art in a fun way. Here are a few ideas for kitchen art that will hopefully help.

Amy

If you need further help from our design team, we have recently launched the ‘Create by KLD’ service; a personalised interiors masterclass by KLD. To find out more visit our Create by KLD page by clicking here.

Creating a home that you love is no easy feat. Whether you’re renting or have just bought a new home the task list for making your home your own can quickly become overwhelming, not to mention expensive.

Over the past year we’ve received lots of queries from our readers, friends of clients and those who follow our social media channels looking for small snippets of wisdom and ideas to solve some of their many design dilemmas.

Here are a few we’ve found to be quite commonly occurring or really good questions, which we hope might help you to solve your own design dilemmas.

Hi KLD Team! I love sourcing antique furniture and salvaged pieces. I traveled a lot and only recently moved back to Ireland so I’m not up on good places to source from. Where would you recommend that has great stuff that isn’t wildly expensive? Thanks, Aoife.

Lauren’s advice:

Hi Aoife,

Before Christmas we picked up some beautiful pieces at the Dublin flee market in The Point Village. These markets take place on the last Sunday of every month in New Market Square, Dublin.

Another spot we recently discovered is Age Action on Camden street. We recently got some stunning vintage pieces here for next to nothing!

Good luck with it! Lauren.

Hi Roisin & team,

I’ve been in my little rental in Galway for what feels like forever! I’ve just signed a lease for another year and I’m keen to put my own stamp on it. I’m pretty restricted as a tenant in what I can do but I wanted to ask for your tips for putting my own personal stamp on the place? Aidan, Galway.

Louise’s advice:

Hi Aidan!

As long as you’re working with a blank canvas of walls painted in a colour you like, there’s plenty of non-permanent things you can do to put a new stamp on an old apartment.

Artwork is a great way to make plain walls more interesting, whether it’s one large piece or a gallery wall of paintings and prints that you love. In terms of furniture and furnishings, update your sofa, armchairs and bed with new soft furnishings like cushions and throws to bring an extra bit of texture to your living or bedroom.

Also, consider lighting to make an impact. A new light shade, bedside lamp or floor lamp with pop or colour or designer edge can really make a statement. Best of all, all these items can call be taken with you to a future home! Happy decorating! Louise

Hi KLD, I’ve seen a few up-cycling projects you’ve done and I’m really in of some of your inspiration! I’ve an old wooden chest of drawers in dire need of a revamp – I wonder can you give me any ideas? Thank you, Una

Becky’s advice:

Hi Una,

When up-cycling furniture the possibilities are endless! Here are some of my current favourites:

Statement pieces – If you would like to go with a block colour or keep the tones more neutral on the exterior, why not go with a pop of colour or a patterned wallpaper for the interior, it’s playful but refined.

High Gloss – An instant way to add extra drama whatever colour you choose is to go gloss! I have a sideboard at home that I would love to paint in a rich green gloss.

Go geometric! – For an instant lift and statement piece in any space go for a geometric print (keep in mind if it’s your first project straight lines are easier than circles)

New handles and legs also give an instant new look if you are steering away from paint, but if you are painting always prep properly. Here is a step by step guide to a sideboard we did before with some more tips!

If you’ve come up against a design dilemma or would like to submit a question to be featured in next months design dilemmas drop us a line with the subject header ‘Ask the Team’.