NUMBER 19 Kearns Court is the home of retired interior decorators and it sings with stylish ideas. Every room has objets trouvés from the couple's travels. In the hall there is a Romanian country bench which sits well in the long narrow space.
An old church pew could work equally well. Try Wilson's salvage yard in Belfast (048 92692304) where a single-sided oak pew costs approximately €401.
An old decorative Swiss safe, right, is another hall feature and a clever example of how having the confidence to build a statement piece is half the battle. The safe is sandwiched between two wood plinths with a reproduction bust of David set atop it for added drama. Dominic Houlihan, a Longford-based businessman, has two antique safes for sale, one by S F Turner and another by Perry and Sons. They cost €350 each. Call 087 6405072 for further details.
The livingroom features heavy tapestry curtains. The owners bought the fabric from a Pakistani fabric store in Bradford, Yorkshire, the best in the business for tapestry and kiln fabrics, he says. Brian S Nolan in Dún Laoghaire has a very eclectic range of fabric books to peruse but be prepared to spend a morning sifting through styles to find something that will work for you.
Outside, the decked garden has plants potted in old Victorian and Georgian chimney pots. Try ST Salvage (01 4735756), off the SCR where chimney pots cost between €150-€2,500 each. The rustic look is completed with enormous beams and wood ceilings all finished with antique pine wax.
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