Concrete ideas and rugs for inside and out

Ideal seven-piece dinner set

The Gothamville seven-piece dining set is made of weathered and sand-blasted acacia wood. The set (€2,099) includes a table with an extending mechanism, three dining chairs, two carvers and a bench, and will feature as part of Harvey Norman’s Connected Home, the showhouse at this year’s Ideal Home Show, which opens April 17th. Harvey Norman is offering Irish Times readers 10 per cent off furniture and bedding at all stores. Present today’s column to buy the dining set for €1,889. Offer excludes items already reduced and ends on April 16th.

A bench of Rose’s

The Broadfield garden bench, by Alexander Rose, is made of hardwood treated acacia. It usually sells for €299 at home and garden centre Arboretum (059-9721558 arboretum.ie), in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow. Irish Times readers who present today's column can buy it for €240, a reduction of 20 per cent. Offer ends on April 12th.

Chest of drawers worthy of Alice

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and The Orchard (01 6288903 theorchard.ie), on the Dublin Road in Celbridge, has this fittingly colourful chest of drawers, normally €999, and measuring roughly 114cm by 142cm by 41cm. Irish Times readers who present today's column can get €100 off and buy it in store or over the phone for €899.

Glazed tiles with wood effect

These wood-effect porcelain-glazed tiles are ideal for use in any area – bathroom, kitchen, livingroom and even externally, so you can work the look of your indoor and outdoor areas together. The tile is a low-maintenance alternative to real decking and is textured enough underfoot to be safe to walk on.

Fans include Liz Balbirnie of Habu Design, who recently redesigned the Saddle Room at the Shelbourne Hotel, Catherine Quirc of Quirc Interiors and Kate Barowski of Tigress Luxury Interiors.

It comes in two sizes: 15cm by 90cm, (€52 per sq m) and 22.5cm by 90cm (€54 per sq m). Irish Times readers who present today's column can receive 20 per cent off the price at Outhaus (01-8421277 Outhaus.ie), Unit 26, Airways Industrial Estate, Santry, and pay €42.20 per sq m and €41.60 per sq m respectively. Offer ends May 9th.

Trending . . . rugs for inside and out

This collection of indoor and outdoor rugs by Spanish-based Dash and Albert (0034- 915622113 dashandalbert.com) features vibrant geometric styles made from recycled polypropylene that look and feel natural but can withstand outdoor environments. They can be scrubbed, bleached and washed with a hose.

Given our climate, it might be more prudent to invest in one for indoors and bring it outside when the sun shines.

This sunny Bunny Williams stripe starts from €73 for a 61cm by 91cm small rug up to €930 for one measuring 244cm by 305cm, ex delivery.

Irish stockists include Helen Turkington (helenturkington.com), and Nicholas Mosse in Co Kilkenny (nicholasmosse.com).

Three of the best . . . concrete ideas

Concrete is a flexible material that should be used imaginatively, not just on floors and walls. Dublin design duo Ail and El (086- 3694706 ailandel.com) have a selection of cool mini planters for indoor and outdoor use, that range in height from 6cm (€25) to 22cm (€32), available to buy online.

The Still table by Bonaldo has concrete grey conical legs and a square top that comes in matt white lacquered wood or solid American walnut. It costs €3,481 from Lomi Design (01-8397001 lomi.ie), Baldoyle.

Design3000 Kerzenhalter Chunk of Concrete candlesticks come in two sizes, medium (€44.95) and large (€49.95), excluding delivery. With their copper tops, they cover two trends in one. Buy online from German-based Design3000 (0049-60629187220 Design-3000.de).