Design Knows No Borders (Design KNB) was founded by Sarah Zarebinski at the end of 2019.

She created an online space with a selection of designer and bespoke home furnishings ranging from a number of different styles from Mid-Century, Scandinavian and Art-Deco. The furnishings are sourced and curated by innovative and design led European brands that are new to the Irish market. The range of furnishings covers Living room, Dining room, Hallway and most importantly at this present time, Home office furniture.

 

Design KNB focuses on timeless and bespoke design that will allow you to enjoy your furniture for many years to come. The ethos of Design KNB is to be able to help you make decisions that will work with your home and allow your home to be unique and a reflection of your personality. Design KNB offers complimentary home design consultations to allow you make sure you are making the right choice.

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Cobelis is owned and run by Space Designer, Eleanor Clarke. Eleanor helps homeowners to reconfigure their homes to better suit their needs.

By connecting and understanding her clients, Eleanor’s aim is to create homes that embrace you each morning with a big trusting HUG.

Using her unique approach, the ‘Memory Making Method’ Eleanor helps clients imagine what life would be like living in their home now and in the future, giving you absolute clarity and comfort that this design is the one for you. Knowing how your home will work and feel for you and your family before you spend a penny on the build will give you confidence in your project and allows you to gain control of your renovation.

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The Doorway Gallery exhibits fine art paintings, amongst other works, from a selection of both Irish born and International artists, who are individually recognised for their unique talent and contribution to art.

The primary focus of the Doorway Gallery is to support Artists in achieving international recognition for their work.  This is achieved through their presence at a number of annual international art fairs at which a selection of artworks is promoted. There is an independent ethos to The Doorway Gallery.  Patrons are encouraged to develop their own concepts in appreciation of art.  This is evident through the gallery’s regularly hosted ‘Solo Shows’.  Such events are organised in an effort to promote the artist.

The Doorway Gallery is based in the heart of Dublin city centre and run by the owner, Denise Donnelly, for the last twenty years. The Doorway Gallery has been hosting weekly online exhibitions called ‘Getting to know you’. Since the start of lockdown, the gallery launched these weekly online shows which feature a different artist each week. They provide a video of the featured artist in their studio and also a complete take over a week where they launch a Q&A every Thursday evening, so you can really join in and get to know their gallery artists.

Fine Art Paintings – Various Artists

Trudy Good

Roisin O’Farrell

Pete Monaghan

Padraig Parle

Padraig McCaul

Michael Steinbrick

Lucy Doyle

Maura Culbert

Dan Henson

Ken Browne

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One should never underestimate the importance of owning a garden. As someone who is living in an apartment at present, it is times like these when I long for the long summer days and nights spent in the garden relaxing and enjoying the serenity it brings.

If you feel that your garden is more jungle-like than the rainforest, now might be a fabulous time to create the garden you always longed for. Think about all the time you could spend relaxing outdoors and enjoying the summer sun especially as we all need to be spending more time at home these days with the current restrictions in place.

My ideal back garden would include a spacious deck with lounge chairs and a water feature for some beautiful background noise while reading my favourite book. Also, I will not forget about my toddler who would love his very own little playground which might stop him asking when the park playground is reopening again, a question that I cannot seem to answer for him. Check out this fabulous playhouse, slide and swing set (image below) available for delivery from Jungle Gym. They have a wide range of children’s climbing frames and play equipment available online for delivery.

Check out this sandpit which is only €49.99 available to order online from Plumplay, which stock a wide range of outdoor toys and equipment to suit all ages.
If you are someone who loves to entertain family and enjoy this barbeque weather, you may love the garden furniture and bbq items featured below.

Images sourced from LivingSocial who are selling a wide range of garden furniture and have many garden deals like this outdoor swing bench and furniture set featured above.

However, let us not forget the front garden which can make your house stand out from the rest. I know from walking around the different neighbourhoods outdoors, I do love to look at how people have designed their gardens and what they feature. Items such as a bench, garden ornaments, lighting and flowers can all make a garden look truly spectacular.

A large selection of plants and herbs are available from Mount Venus Nursery, currently operating an online service. Check out our Finished Directory for a full list of suppliers to help cater to all your garden needs.

Have a look at my ideas below and if you need any help with creating your own perfect garden, I have a list of people who may be able to help!

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Finished Virtual Homeshow – 27th June

10am to 6pm

We’ve all been stuck at home these past months and are really missing the opportunity to renovate, remodel and lets face it build our homes!
The schedule of usual Spring HomeShows and events have all been cancelled and really, we just don’t know if these events can even take place in Autumn.

Meanwhile, here at FINISHED.ie, the Premier Irish Home Renovation marketplace platform we are experiencing huge growth in traffic from homeowners, first time buyers and trade uppers who still want to extend, renovate and self build during 2020. Lockdown has made us all look at our homes and living spaces and make plans – A garage transformation, a home office, a home gym , a new kitchen or a garden upgrade to name a few.

Even before Lockdown plans at Finished.ie were advanced for a virtual alternative to traditional Home Exhibitions We have built a bespoke Virtual Exhibition Hall, mirroring a show, where businesses exhibiting will have “virtual stands”. When the public visit the stand, the Exhibitor will be streaming live from their own showrooms and workspaces. This is the unique opportunity offered by the FINISHED.ie Virtual Homeshow.

Taking place on Saturday June 27th (10AM- 6PM), The event is centred around by a virtual centre stage and we are thrilled that the stage will be hosted by Broadcaster, Presenter and Influencer Lorraine Keane, interviewing a who’s who of highly accomplished industry professionals.

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With the majority of us now working from home for the foreseeable future, now is a great time to consider a home office upgrade. In an ideal situation, a dedicated home office would be the top choice. However, there are still ways to develop your own dedicated work office space even if space is limited. Conduct an audit of your home to source the most suitable remote working space. Walk around each room and consider their suitability by using the following key factors: Noise and traffic flow, Lighting and ventilation, Space and organisation.

Noise and traffic flow

When choosing where to set up a home office, consider the noise levels from appliances such as the television and washing machine. Family and neighbours may also impact on your concentration levels so try to find somewhere closed off to minimise distractions from family members interrupting or walking by and increase work productivity. Invest in good quality headphones and use background noise if you find it helps you to be more productive.

Lighting and ventilation

can really impact on work efficiency so try to strike a balance between natural light and artificial lighting. Position your desk near a window, if possible, which will ensure great natural light as well as ventilation to clear your head space.

Space and organisation

Space and organisation is vital when setting up your office. If space is very limited, go vertical by investing in some tall bookshelves and drawers for effective storage space. If you are lucky to have a bigger area to work in, consider investing in a high quality desk and desk chair. A cluttered workspace can damage productivity. A spacious desk and comfortable chair will ensure you can work to the best of your ability while supporting your back and body.

Consider what you need on your desk. This could include laptop, screen monitors, a phone, lamp, hardware, printers, stationary, desk lamp…Which will all impact on the size desk you may need. Check out the fabulous desk above by @rowell_design. A great addition to any home and not many left up for grabs over on their instagram page. Another fabulous desk featured above is the Carter Desk, available now for home delivery from Neptune By Global Village.

Check out harveynorman.ie and ikea.ie which have other home office equipment available for home delivery.

Consider some desk decor which can help your mind and mentality by placing some plants, flowers, photo frames, candles or other decor which will create a sense of calm and focus. A himalayan salt lamp may be the perfect addition to your desk.

Check out Zara, Dunnes, and H&M for some decor ideas- all offering home delivery services.

Remember, ergonomics is of paramount importance and will impact your comfort, health and overall work performance.

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How to Prepare For Your Heat Pump Installation

Heat takes up a large part of the energy consumption in Ireland. Therefore a large section of the cost of owning a house. Companies like MasterTherm are striving to lower that statistic, by doing heat pump installations in more and more homes. These silent renewable energy sources can work away, heating your home with ease while keeping your carbon footprint down.

Do Heat Pumps Work The Same as Boilers?

Boilers work like a kettle. They use a combustion chamber where the combustion of air occurs by burning gas or oil. This hot air is put through a heat exchanger to convert it into heat energy. This energy is then used to boil up all of the hot water.

While heat pumps do use an exchanger, the important difference is that they do not use a combustion chamber. Instead of combusting oil or gas, a heat pump gathers its heat energy from natural sources. These natural sources can be the air, water or ground.

The heat that is collected from these natural resources is compressed repeatedly until it is at a temperature hot enough to heat your home and water.

The heat can then be distributed via standard radiators or underfloor heating.

A Heat Pump installation as a Gas Boiler Replacement

A typical air to water heat pump would cost 4c to run per kWh of heat. Whereas a gas boiler would be 8c and an oil boiler would be around 15c. We consume thousands of kWh a day. So the savings make a significant difference to our overall utility costs in a year. Another benefit is that you’re moving from fossil fuels to renewable sources. As heat pumps are constantly circulating their process to condense more energy, there is constant energy being transferred into heat. This means roughly every 1kW of electricity used produces up to 3kW of energy.

SEAI Grants for Heat Pump Installations

The Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland is offering significant grant support for the installation of heat pumps into buildings built before 2011 that are used as homes and businesses. First, you need an advisor to look at your building and tell you if it is suitable for a heat pump installation. This costs €200 which SEAI will cover the cost of. The advisor will use a very specific heat loss indicator.

This heat loss indicator will consider how good your insulation is and if your home is airtight.

If your house loses too much heat then you may need to make changes before installing your heat pump. This could include triple glazed windows, extra insulation or fixing any small openings that may be causing drafts in your building.

If you meet the standards needed (2 Watts/Kelvin/m2) you may be eligible for a grant of €3,500.

How Do I Know If My House Is Suited To A Heat Pump Installation?

t is important to seek professional advice on the matter of whether you are suited to a heat pump or not. Technically, you can install a heat pump into any building, but it may be more hassle than it’s worth. This means that you may need to install insulation and more energy-efficient windows. However, to preserve heat energy and make your house more sustainable, these changes should be made regardless. They just may need to be made over time, as it can be a lengthy and expensive process. Luckily SEAI is offering grants to make houses more energy-efficient.

Whether you can install a heat pump into your building comes down to how much money you are willing to invest. This is especially relevant if you do not meet the heat loss requirements. However, it is worth remembering that the benefits are not purely financial. Heat Pumps deliver a more efficient and comfortable and even temperature as well as volumes of hot water being available 24/7.

Do I Need A Completely New Central Heating System?

Most radiators and existing heating systems may be used with a heat pump system. This is especially useful if your pipework is built into your walls and floors which would make it expensive to remove or replace.

The heat travelling through a system operating with a heat pump doesn’t need to operate at the high temperatures of gas or oil boilers. Systems with a larger surface area like underfloor heating are particularly suited to the heat pump system.

What If The Hot Water Runs Out?

While heat pumps are made to heat the desired space consistently and comfortably the priority of a heat pump system is to provide domestic hot water first. Domestic hot water operates at higher temperatures than central heating. The amount of water that can be stored and heated normally cannot be guaranteed. However, all MasterTherm heat pumps prioritise hot water. Additionally have a backup electric boiler when you may need that additional volume of hot water.

How Much Can I Save?

Heat pumps can save you a LOT of money on your monthly bills because your gas or oil bills will be eliminated. However, your electricity bill may increase slightly, depending on your heat loss rating. If you are an A2 or A3 home and have a large surface area heating system such as underfloor heating, your bills can be extremely low. Possibly as low as €300 per year. If you have no insulation and single glazed windows, you may not find the savings as significant. However, you will still enjoy the comforts of even heat in your home.

Air-to-Water Heat Pump Benefits

Air-To-Water heat pumps are the most common because they are the easiest to install. They also have the least amount of requirements. If you do not own a certain amount of land or a water source like a well or lake, ground and water source heat pumps can be difficult or impossible to install.

The air to water pumps can be fitted on any building like an air conditioner. They are also the least expensive option and the mechanics are understood by most mechanics.

How are the Noise Levels?

All of the masterTherm heat pumps run with an incredibly silent operation. Our new DC fan ensures minimal noise levels. While it is not recommended to place your air to water heat pump right outside your bedroom window, the noise should be minimal (around fridge volume) and should not affect you or your neighbours.

How Long Does Heat Pump Installation Take?

After checking that everything is ready for your heat pump to work efficiently in your home, an air to water heat pump system should only take two days. These days will consist of setting concrete to support the external unit. The balance will be removing your old boiler and connecting your heat pump system.

However, this depends on the quantity of heat needed, if you are heating a larger building you may have decided to get multiple zones in the system which may take longer to install.

If you are installing a ground to water heat pump it may take a bit longer as there is earthwork required.

What is the Heat Pump Cost

If you have all of the required insulation and double or triple glazed windows and your house is not losing heat, then a heat pump could cost as little as €7,000 (€3,500 after the grant is applied). The average cost including insulating houses in 2018, however, was around €11,000.

It is impossible to accurately say how much the cost would be for you without undergoing a proper assessment of your building so it is always preferable to have a proper technical assessment.

Will My House Value Go Up?

If you have installed insulation, triple-glazed windows and a long-lasting heat pump it would make your home extremely energy efficient which in turn would increase your house value.

Why Mastertherm

Heat pumps can be used in any industry that requires heating or cooling. Including refrigeration, cold water, hot water or a heating system. A MasterTherm heat pump can be an efficient way of repurposing heat energy that otherwise would have been wasted. This will make your company more sustainable and economical.

Mastertherm heat pumps are ultra-quiet and have a 7-year warranty. Because they use inverter technology they can be controlled easily from a device, giving you lower heating bills.

Mastertherm will design and tailor a personalised heating system to suit your industry needs. Whether it’s for a monitored heating and cooling system or a central heating system with air-conditioning. So, they will ensure that your business is getting the maximum benefit from your heat pump system.

If you’re looking for a heating and hot water solution for a large complex building they may suggest multiple heat pumps working together. If you are unsure about how to start the journey to renewables using heat pumps, contact them and they can start by creating a bespoke design for your heating system.

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How to Position a Rug?

Discovering the right area rug can be a hard and upsetting errand considering the vast assortments of colors, plans, shapes and sizes to look over. This is the reason one must consider the essential components in selecting a region rug. In any case, one may ask where he or she would begin. What elements do you need to first observe? Furthermore, how would you know what shade, material and size to pick?

Rug situation most presumably is one of the variables that you may need to consider first in selecting a rug. It is critical to know where the rug is going to be set. As you consider the situation of the rug, alternate variables will take after, for example, color, materials and size.

Who says size doesn’t make a difference? Who would need to pick a rug that is so undersized or too enormous? Standard estiruged rugs, for example, 3 x 5’s and 4 x 6’s, are generally put in rooms to stress furniture and inglenooks. These rugs, and considerably littler, can likewise be utilized as a part of gateways, kitchens and bathrooms as an issue rug. Bigger rugs, in the same way as 6 x 9’s and 9 x 12’s, are regularly utilized for parlors and lounge areas. Once more, know where you need the rug to be put.

Shade insightful, rugs that are put on getting regions ought to have a light and delicate shade; along these lines, giving the room a warm and snug feel. Should you put rugs under dim shaded furniture that you expect to make the inside of fascination, verify you choose lighter toned rugs and easier outlines to highlight the apparatuses. This additionally meets expectations with hardwood floors of darker shades. Regardless, in the event that you want to set a range rug as the point of convergence of the room, select rugs with extreme colors and complicated outlines; gave that the room’s theme is straightforward and wouldn’t diverge from the rug’s example.

Realize what room you need it to be situated in order to know a rug’s capacity; whether it remains as an issue rug covering or a divider décor. Contemplating on a rug’s capacity will permit you to consider the material of the rug. For rooms with overwhelming foot movement like lounges and eating areas, pick a rug that is made with strands that are strong to earth and stains; particularly regular filaments like downy. In the event that you wish to utilize a region rug as an issue décor (like embroidered works of art), pick rugs made of characteristic silk; since silk has a tendency to last better than other regular materials in light of its fragile and shiny quality.

Keep in mind to tolerate as a main priority what some piece of the room the rug is going to be situated; whether it is put on entryways or close air vents, and so on. This is on account of a few rugs are excessively thick or a few entryways simply don’t have enough space distributed for an area rug; this would either cause the way to not open or permit the rug to slide and move each time the entryway opens. Likewise, there are rugs that can’t withstand the high temperature from air vents. Verify you pick a rug’s material painstakingly focused around the position of the rug.

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Get finished Budget planner template

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Guide to Crittall?

With the ‘on trend’ Crittal interest reaching new heights across Ireland, we set the FINISHED.ie team the task of bringing you a little addition for your home to embrace this trend. So we started searching across Ireland for the perfect Crittal Mirror.

In fact, Crittal is far from new, but rather the first steel windows were manufactured by Francis Hentry Crittall in the 1880’s. However we are seeing a great resurgence and we at FINISHED.ie are loving this style and want to embrace it.

So what was the result of our search?

The usual reliable stores are on top of this trend all stock Crittal Mirrors, Next Home’s ‘Silver Squares Mirror’ €201 and Laura Ashley’s Malory Mirror, both available instore and online through their catalog shopping.

This journey did bring us upon, Interiosity, a fabulous interiors store in Cork which has a great range of Crittal Mirrors. Interosity began as a collaborative effort between Nicole McGee and Caroline Breen – two interior designers from Cork whom create beautiful and personalized homes. The 9 Panel Metal Mirror (118cm wide 118 cm high) retails at €295, and they tell us there is a 6 panel version.

But it was Rowell Design, Donnybrook that we fell in love with the xtra large ‘Garden Mirror’ although they display it outside with the Garden collection this Mirror is equally fabulous indoors and really manages to deliver a WOW factor. Tip: to create a statement wall, for example in a hallway try putting two together. The impact is really large space creation and to finish the trend maybe opt for a metal console table too?

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