Bargain Hunter

Save the old grind of grout

Give your kitchen or bathroom a face-lift and say goodbye to scrubbing moulded grout between splashback and shower tiles with Akril, an acrylic that comes in large format sheet sizes and 12 different colours.

It is heat resistant up to 140 degrees. Available from The Panelling Centre (1850 212 214 panellingcentre.ie), with shops in Dublin, Galway and Limerick, offering 25 per cent off. This offer ends Saturday, November 29th.

Fabricate a great deal for yourself

Colette Ward Interiors (0402 36585 collettewardinteriors.ie), The Fort, Aughrim, Co Wicklow, is offering The Irish Times readers 10 per cent off all fabrics and wallpapers including this Rue De Seine collection from Anna French launched earlier this year.

Ward has one of the largest fabric and wallpaper libraries in the south east and is less than an hour’s drive from Dublin. The Zippity, normally costs €146. Readers who present today’s column can buy it for €131 before Friday, October 10th, only.

Keep wash in check with good meter

Have you received your water charges form in the post yet? If you have then you probably also know that the average 10-minute power shower can consume up to 180 litres of water at a time. An Amphiro Smart Water shower meter is a clever way to keep those charges in check. It’s an easy to install device created for ordinary hand-held showers that will let you know how many litres each household member is using. Priced €99, The Irish Times readers can buy it for €85: City Tiles and Bathrooms (citytilesandbathrooms.ie) shop in Dublin (01-4840012); Unit 5, Red Cow Retail Park, Ballymount, D22; and their two Cork-based premises: Unit 6 (021-484 0012), Togher Industrial Estate, Togher; and Unit 1 (021-439 6168), North Point Business Park, Mallow Road, Cork. Offer ends October 23rd. Teenagers won’t thank you for it. Expect references to being a member of the water police.

Sturdy, steel and sure

Self-taught architect and designer, Jean Prouvé began life as a metal worker. This replica, 47cm, 41cm by 80cm, of a design he created in 1934 for the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris. The sturdy steel frame is powder coated and available in either black or red. The seat is made of moulded plywood with an American oak natural veneer seat and back. Normally €120, The Irish Times readers can buy them less 30 per cent (€84) from Zinzan (01-4533952 zinzan.ie) situated at McCreery, Grand Canal Place, off James Street, D8.

Winter warmers for dark evenings

There’s no denying that the evenings are drawing in. Heaton’s (heatonsstores.com) has devised a smart winter range that eases the pain . . . aesthetically speaking.

It includes a check throw in chenile, €15, perfect for cosy nights up on the couch, user friendly reversible cushions, plain on one side and the same colour but patterned on the other for when the glass of red wine takes an unexpected turn: €10 for a pack of two, wood-finish lanterns in two sizes: large, 20.5 centimetres by 20.5cm by 57.5cm; and medium, 14.5cm by 14.5 by 37cm; a hurricane candle, €5. The balls of wool candles, in the colours pictured are just €2 each.

3 of the best: Pink Styles

- Paris-based architect and designer India Mahdavi reimagined London eaterie Sketch in marshmallow and camomile shades using copper accents to warm up the room. She created a very silver-screen eaterie that feels glamorous.

David Shrigley’s (davidshrigley.com) sketches adorn walls and some pieces by him can be purchased from his site, about €2,000 ex delivery.

- If the roseification of Sketch is too overwhelming, then check out London-based The Water Monopoly’s (00 44 2076242636, thewatermonopoly.com) Rockwell collection, which gives you the chance to indulge your love of pink in a far more subtle fashion.

A three hole basin tap mixer cost about €922. This stone bath costs about €8,100. Delivery to Ireland is an additional €500 or so.

- Paint is one of the most affordable ways to update your decor and adding pink is a great way to refresh the now ubiquitous shades of grey that have overtaken our walls. Ashes of Roses is a washable intelligent matt paint for walls from the Little Greene Paint Company (littlegreene.eu), which, though dark in colour, won’t overwhelm a room, €48 for 2.5 litres from Stillorgan Decor (01-288 5824).