The recession has had a strange impact on interiors, says ISABEL MORTON

WHEN I GOT married in the late 1970s our house was furnished with a few battered sofas left over by the previous owners, a cheap and nasty white Formica kitchen table and ex-civil service office chairs bought for £2 each. There were all mixed up with respectable wedding presents such as bone china tea sets and Waterford Crystal.

I’m not quite sure from where exactly our bed originated but it never let the sun go down on our wrath because it dipped in the middle, so short of grimly hanging on to the edges all night, we would always end up meeting.

Since then, a lot has changed, including my bed (although, surprisingly, not my husband) yet despite similar economic conditions today, most young couples would not tolerate second-hand junk in their homes.

Having lived through an affluent decade in which many became obsessed with property, the nation has become knowledgeable about décor and home furnishings and now demands certain standards.

And, despite the economic downturn, Ireland’s interest in interiors continues, so it is hardly surprising that next week’s Interior Design and Art Fair (at the RDS from May 14th to 16th) expects to beat its record of 18,000 visitors last year.

Perversely, the fashion for all things minimalist and monochrome, which prevailed during the boom years, has changed and people are making busy, bright and colourful furniture.

But cream (either matt or high gloss) is still the best selling finish for kitchens and wardrobes at In House Kitchens at The Panelling Centre. One kitchen package in either oak, walnut or cream, including worktop, handles and a free dishwasher, sells for €3,000.

So what are Irish buyers looking for these days?

The top item on a first-time homeowner’s list is a good quality bed and the larger the better. People are opting for a kingsize, at 5ft, and superking, at 6ft, rather than standard double beds, at 4ft 6in, which are no longer considered large enough for comfort.

Smart but comfortable sofas and armchairs come next on the list. Floral and geometric patterns are back but don’t think subtle teatime chintz, opt for bold, brash and clash in bohemian 1950s and 1970s retro prints.

If you don’t have the nerve for such drama, restrict the patterns to the cushions only.

Classical dining tables are out as few people have formal dining rooms any more. If they do it is more often used as a quiet place where teenagers can study for exams.

Instead, people are buying contemporary dining/kitchen tables, which normally seat six but can be extended to accommodate up to double that number.

The days of one undressed bulb hanging out of the ceiling are long gone and, apart from subtle mood lighting and dramatic table lamps, floor lamps (such as arc lamps and stage lights) are popular.

The recession has created a whole new set of interior design issues for many families who are now being forced to make unforeseen alterations to their homes.

Ironically, despite the number of empty properties littering the countryside, garages, attics, basements and extensions are now being converted, not as luxurious additional living space but as places for extended family members to live in.

Couples who have separated but have to stay living under the same roof because they can’t afford to sell their home, are erecting partition walls, installing second kitchens and battling over who gets the main bedroom.

And middle-aged parents, whose adult children should have long since flown the nest, are also now housing their children’s partners and their offspring in sometimes very restricted spaces.

They find they are having to convert diningrooms into bedrooms and conservatories into playrooms.

One empty nester I know of who had at long last completed the redecoration of her family room, recently had it reclaimed by two of her adult children who, unable to find employment, have resorted to adding to their already long list of academic qualifications and returned to live in the family home.

Now she faces the reintroduction of the large-screen TV, long legs supported on her smart new coffee table and plate loads of food precariously balanced on knees comfortably ensconced in her plush new cream sofas.