ShopFront: In the bit of Temple Bar behind Parliament Street, Karen Crawford and Susan O'Connell run Smock, a fashion store that stocks Veronique Branquinho, Mayle and AF Vandeforst.

With such of-the-moment labels, it's important to keep the store looking fresh; coming up with simple ways to redecorate is something most fashion retailers face every now and again. In Smock the latest alteration is the covering of a wall and door with a silver and gold woven material. It has a gently swirling pattern and slightly rough texture.

"It's not a wallpaper but it's stiffer than a fabric," says Karen. "We bought it in a shop near Pigalle in Paris. It wasn't cheap, but covering the wall and door has been an inexpensive way to create an unusual effect. It makes the walls more interesting."

They got the idea to use the material after seeing something similar in a hotel in the Marais and because Susan lived in Paris for a time noticing that dyed muslin was often pasted to apartment walls. The success of the Smock wall is mostly down to the material itself.

"It's quite subtle," says Karen. "When daylight shines it sparkles because the silver strands reflect light. A flat material wouldn't have worked so well."

It didn't take long to hang but Karen warns that, if using a similarly porous material, "let the paste dry a little on the wall before hanging, otherwise it will seep through". The doorframe and skirting were painted a metallic silver to match the walls. The effect shimmers a little; the look of the shop is now as cool as the clothes.

Smock, Essex Street West, Temple Bar, Dublin 8. Tel: 01-6139000