Irish interiors make a splash at Chelsea

WITH NO Irish garden designers showing at Chelsea this year it was up to interiors experts to fly the flag at the hugely popular week-long show.

Three Irish companies – Design House, Garuda Design and Hampton Conservatories – got together to bring a new idea to Chelsea, a garden room and sittingroom combined that would include a kitchen with all mod cons and huge folding doors opening to the outdoors.

The one-stop design service on offer includes conservatories, kitchens and living spaces. All three companies have developed individually over the last number of years with a portfolio of clients worldwide.

Business for the three companies is also picking up in Ireland where a number of recession-proof clients are opting to go ahead with big refurbishment jobs as an alternative to moving house.

The Chelsea display is housed in a Hampton Conservatories orangery made in the company’s Portrush factory and shipped to Chelsea. The orangery houses a fully functioning kitchen from Design House and living area designed by Suzanne Garuda who lists the sultan of Brunei among its clients.

Appliances from Sub Zero Wolf, teamed with the latest in kitchen accessories accented by bespoke Italian marble surfaces, make the kitchen stand in terms of sheer opulence while in the living space, there’s tiger wood oak flooring and hand-blown Murano chandeliers.

The trio’s pavilion is one of the smartest at Chelsea where competitors have concentrated on glass houses and posh potting sheds rather than the thing that most home owners desire – a cooking cum entertaining space opening onto its own private garden. The first customer to browse was actor Nigel Havers. Let’s hope the week provides the Irish team with plenty of projects to be going on with.