Helping readers to find bargains, hire reputable tradesmen, source direct, and solve decorating dilemmas
Q: My living room has a cheap timber floor which is a horrible yellow colour. I was thinking of replacing it with solid oak, but that would cost about €4,000, which I can't afford. Is there a way to improve the look of the existing floor without spending that much money?
A:It's worth saving to buy a good quality wood floor, but in the interim, for a quick solution that will look the part, have the floor sanded and stained to a natural wood colour. This can be very effective if done correctly. Interior designer Sirin Lewendon and furniture retailer Helen Kilmartin of Minima both use Greg Knapik (087-2160503) for this kind of job. Knapik is an affable Polish man who works for himself. He will visit your home free of charge and price the job. I've seen his work and it's very good. Ask him to create a few samples on your floor in different coloured stains, so you can decide what looks best. To replicate oak, keep it a fairly light colour, with a matt finish.
Q: A scented candle burned through its tin holder and left a large solid black circle on my wood coffee table. The burn mark is around 7.62cm (3in) in diameter and is in the centre of the table. How can I repair this?
A:The top of the table will need to be stripped down, sanded and re-varnished. Antiques dealer Rosemary Whelan of Oman Antiques on South William Street, Dublin 2 recommends French polishers E.V Kidd (01-6685333), or Healy & Hicks (01-4753257), while Roxanne Moorhead, another antiques dealer, suggests using Sean Carpenter (01-4541806), who works with Jones Antiques on Francis Street. Depending on the size of the table, it should cost from €200.
Q: I've recently moved into a house that needed to be renovated. Now that the structural work is finished, my old furniture looks tatty in its new surroundings. The first thing I want to do is replace the sofa. I'd like something long that will sit on one side of the living room, but can't find anything the right size. A lot of sofas seem to be very traditional, very modern or else enormous American styles. Where can I have a sofa made to specific dimensions in a style that will suit my room?
A:There are plenty of places that will make a sofa to specific dimensions, but my choice would be Deirdre Byrne (00-44-77-12650803). She's a Belfast-based interior designer who also also designs furniture. She is responsible for many of pieces for the newly-renovated Lock's Restaurant, for example. Price from €2,500, depending on fabric, for a large size.
Q: I want to carpet a hall, stairs and landing in a neutral, light-coloured carpet. Where can I find good value?
A:The Carpet Showrooms at Arnotts (01-8050420) has a great sale running at the moment. For example, Ulster Carpets' high quality sand-coloured wool carpet with a velvet pile is reduced from €86 to €40 per sq m, including fitting. In a similarly neutral colour, there's a good quality Telenzo gold wool carpet, great value at €25 per sq m fitted (was €50 per sq m). Ryalux is a carpet brand that does a nice range called Natural Harvest (available in several colours) which has a sisal look but is made from wool and is therefore more comfortable underfoot. It was €91 per sq m fitted and is now €53 per sq m. The Carpet Showrooms offer a good service that includes taking up old flooring, moving furniture (within reason) and generally making the whole process easy. Phone first to see what quantities are left.
Send your interior design questions to elyons@irish-times.ie