If my Instagram feed has been anything to go by this year, you’ll probably have guessed that I’ve gone crazy for interiors.

Officially owning our very own family home has a lot to do with that in the sense that I finally have a space to call our own, that I can decorate, hang family photos and art up on the walls, and plant a garden that we’ll watch grow year on year.

My great pal Claire Price launched House/Edit last year to much acclaim and is now taking a really cool interiors and fashion show on the road around Ireland called ‘Insider Secrets’.

There are two upcoming locations for Insider Secrets – Galway (March 25th at the G Hotel) and Dublin (April 1st at The Marker, which I am attending!). The first one in Sligo was completely sold out so if you were thinking about going to either of the other dates, I’d get on it!

I caught up with my fellow ginger lash bag Claire (who is also mum to gorgeous 2-year-old Ella!) and asked her everything about her new business and what we might expect at Insider Secrets;

1.  Claire – we used to work in Luigi Malones in Temple Bar together back in the day. Was I the favourite of all your co-workers?

Obviously Sharyn!

2.  Great first answer (!) When did you get the idea for House Edit and tell us a bit about it?

I’ve studied & worked in architecture & design for the best part of a decade and came to realise that my heart was in interiors. Brain storming in the studio one day with co founder and college pal Elaine, we thought, why not bring our knowledge & expertise to a wider audience and make good, affordable design available to everyone. We wanted to make it really easy for people to get online home inspiration and shop stylish, affordable homewares all in one place. And there you have it. House Edit.ie was born.

3.  Do you find that being a mum propelled you to heights of ambition you had never felt before?

Absolutely. When Ella was born I was shell shocked by both the over whelming adoration for this tiny human and fear of the lack of control. I am a self confessed control freak. Ella on the other hand laughs in the face of control (she’s 2) You can see where I’m going with this. So once I blindly navigated my way through the first colic infused sleep deprived weeks (how many times did I FB you?!) I was quietly smug that I had the hang of this motherhood thing and thought at 5 weeks post birth that it would be a great idea to start my own business! The great thing about Motherhood of course is that it has this incredible way of turning you into a time militant. As a result my ambitions ended up becoming reality.

4.  Do you think the phrase ‘Working Mum’ is over or misused?

I think next to the word Mother in the dictionary should be: hardest working human being of all time, full stop. Since becoming one I have another level of appreciation for my own. Being a mother by definition is seriously hard work. I think by using the term working mother it kind of implies you have two jobs.

5.  What do you use on that gorgeous hair of yours to make it look so silky please? (this was a PEQ – a Personal Envy Question)

You mean apart from the flung remains of toddler dinners! Literally whatever my very thoughtful husband has picked up from the shop that week. Gone are the days of browsing the shampoo & conditioner isle for fortified manuka honey enriched concoctions. Pre child however, when I had time for those kind of luxurious trips to the shops, Le Occtaine was one of my favourite hair care brands as was Aveda. They both smell divine.

6.  Tell us about the Insider Secrets roadshow, what can ticket holders expect for their €65 bucks?

So we have RTE Design Judge & Interior Architect Roisin Lafferty sharing all her expert knowledge on the day in what’s set to be an awe inspiring masterclass. The very stylish fashion stylist Orla Sheridan is going to be hosting a fashion workshop and answering all of your fashion dilemmas. Myself & House Edit co founder will be talking all things colour alongside our partner Fleetwood Prestige and April and The Bear will be sharing tips on accessorising your home. All this served over a delicious afternoon tea style lunch with spot prizes galore and fabulous goodie bags.

 7.  Is it possible to get home decor ‘wrong’?

From a spatial configuration point of view there are definitely better ways of optimising and adding to what you currently have. On the decor side of things however the answer has to be no. We are not in the business of dictating what’s right or wrong because ultimately style is incredibly subjective, so what looks amazing for one person may not work for another. I think ultimately ‘good’ interior design & decor boils down to an environment that works for your current living dynamic and decor that reflects your style and personality.

8.  What are your top 3 tips for someone who wants to brighten up their home for spring?

Tip 1: I will sound like a broken record but you cannot underestimate the power of decluttering and investing in purpose built storage. Throw away or donate to SVP anything that you haven’t used in the past few months. Likelihood is you are never going to use it and it will instead contribute to physical and mental clutter.

Tip 2: A fresh coat of paint cannot be underestimated and is the single best tool you have in transitioning from winter to spring. My current favourite colours are Pantone Sky Gray & Pantone Silt Green. My bedroom will be one of these colours in the next few weeks.

Tip 3: Throws and cushions. There are some fantastic high street offerings in this department, from H&M homeware, Zara to Dust, Homelust, April & The Bear and TK Max, all of which have incredible selections of spring ready homewares. Remember to mix things up a little and layer pattern and texture to give depth to your interior.

9.  What part of the Insider Secrets events are you most looking forward to?

Apart from the incredible speaker line up and girlie day out, it has to be the prizes. I am considering going undercover just win some of them myself! Framed artwork from Lola Donaghue. Hampers from Brook & Shoals, afternoon tea with bubbly, the list is endless.

10.  Claire – you were at my wedding recently. Was it the best wedding you were ever at? OK I’M JOKING, YOU DON’T HAVE TO ANSWER THAT!!

*Laughing hysterically!*

 

Get your tickets for Insider Secrets now via EVENTBRITE