Bargain Hunter: Winter lighting, DIY decorations and cool Stockholm design

Trending . . . DIY decorations

Want to deck your halls with boughs of holly? Interiors stylist Niamh MacGowan (0404-64979/ 087-9118236 niamhmacgowan. com) will show you how at her demonstration days taking place in Hunter's Hotel, on Friday, November 28th and Saturday, November 29th, from 1pm to 5pm, where nature is the inspiration. She has invited Emma Kennedy, one of the gardeners at Mount Usher Gardens, to attend, to show how to make garlands and wreaths, and seamstress Christine Murphy will be demonstrating her skills, making simple decorations from remnants of tweed and linens.

The class, which costs €65, includes afternoon tea, a glass of fizz and entertainment.

Niamh’s tenor father will be singing carols in return for a donation from the ticket sales to his charity, St Vincent de Paul and on Saturday, MacGowan’s choir, the Brittas Bay Singers, will sing carols in aid of their charity, Shane.

Meanwhile, Christopher White (086-2850561/ 018436534, flowersbychristopherwhite.com), of Three Gates Floristry and Nursery, who has won medals at the Chelsea Flower Show for the past four years, is running Christmas workshops at his home in Naul, Co Dublin, on two Saturdays, December 6th and December 13th.

He will be giving advice on door swags and wreaths and on dressing the table for dinner. Tickets €50.

Clean and simple

The Stockholm collection is heavily influenced by the simplicity and fine craftsmanship of Nordic design but it is made in Ireland by Co Monaghan-based Woodlands Furniture (047-77077, woodlandsfurniture.ie), Lakeside Walk, North Strand, Monaghan. This oak square table – 90cm square by 76.5cm – has soft contemporary lines and normally costs €375. The matching chair – 96.5cm by 46.5cm by 47cm – normally costs €145 and there are more than 30 seat pad swatches to choose from. Present a copy of today's Irish Times and you can buy any item within the Stockholm range less 10 per cent.

Delivery nationwide is an additional €50. Offer ends November 30th.

Dress for success

Navan-based Flowerhill Furniture (046-9073593 flowerhillfurniture.ie) is offering Irish Times readers in counties Louth, Meath, Cavan, Kildare, Wicklow, and Dublin city and county, who present a copy of today's paper, 25 per cent off this solid pine large kitchen dresser, 178cm by 50cm by 210cm, from its Amberwood collection. It is normally €1,679, but you can buy it for €1,259.

It is available in up to 30 different colours and both distressed and solid finishes. The internal cabinetry can also be customised, for example painted a different colour. Delivery is free. Offer ends November 30th.

Brighten up your home

Manufactured in Ireland, this modern brass and clear glass Robyn light, 35cm in diameter, designed by Co Monaghan-based Mullan Lighting (047-86584 mullanlighting.com), in Mullan village, is available in a number of finishes and looks very atmospheric when lit with an Edison squirrel cage bulb.

It normally costs €239.85. Irish Times readers who enter the code NOV2014 can buy it for €192, a saving of 20 per cent. Delivery nationwide is free. Offer ends November 30th.

Iron out the creases in style

Philips PerfectCare Xpress iron is a highly pressurised steam iron with a ceramic plate that adjusts its temperature to the fabric it's pressing. It limits the risk of burn or shine. It normally retails for about €180 but Irish Times readers can buy it from Galway-based Anthony Ryan(091-539627 or 091-539633 anthonyryans.com), for €99.99, a saving of 55 per cent, while stocks last. Price includes free delivery.

Three of the best . . . winter lighting

This spherical light, 40cm by 15cm, is designed for angled furniture, be it book shelves, table tops or stair treads as pictured, and can be used indoors as well as outside, to shine a light on dark corners of the home. Available through French-based KSL Living (0033-482535481 ksl-living.fr) it comes in two colour options; white long life bulb or a multi-coloured LED respectively costing €139 and €149, ex delivery.

Dublin-based Gazel (086- 3249245 gazelhome.com) is a small design house. They make stylish, affordable accessories for the home including a cool clothes hanger, a compact clothes hook, a super smart kitchen knife and this glass light valet, €99.95, a place to keep your keys, phone and other essentials that doubles as an additional light source. Buy online or at Article and Designist, Dublin and The Old Mill Stores in Co Cork.

Miffy is a character created in 1955 by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. Her adventures have spanned over 30 books. She has also become a large light source. The giant version, 80cm tall by 40cm wide, is made from polyethelene and will look charming in a little girl's room. It costs about €222 from London-based Maiden (0044-2079980185 maidenshop.com). The dimmable LED light needs a European plug adapter which is not supplied.