Welcome back to GAFF #shelfies! We are excited to bring you this Instagram series, as we explore some of the coolest nooks and crannies of cool homes in Ireland. Each week, we’ll be taking a snoop at a special shelf or space in a super stylish GAFF, examining the owner’s favourite accessories, asking about their home inspo, and taking styling and decor tips as we go. This series is designed to help YOU get excited about your own home space. It doesn’t matter if you have a single shelf or an entire room to get creative with – we want to help you kick start your own interior inspiration.
This week, we’re escaping to Irish Tatler Editor Sarah Macken’s‘s west-coast inspired apartment pad. We adore Sarah’s Instagram, which is a constant source of home inspo for us here at GAFF HQ. Check her out here for all of your interior, beauty and fashion needs.
Tell us about this space and why you chose it.
“To me, a sideboard often feels like the heart of a living space, especially, when you’re in an open-plan apartment. I love using it as a blank canvas to style up depending on my mood; with a seasonal bunch of flowers, a colourful piece of art, or a statement vase or lamp.’
Can you tell us about 3 of your favourite items in this space? Where you got them from, why you love them?
“The journey to getting my sideboard was a bit epic. I had been searching for one for ages, but to no avail. Everything I liked was too expensive, too vintage or – on the other side of the coin – too contemporary; there seemed to be no happy medium. Eventually, I spotted one on La Redoute, and it was reduced by forty percent in the Black Friday sales. However, La Redoute only sells furniture in the UK. After much convincing, they eventually let me do a mail-order and send it to aj address in Northern Ireland. I then sourced a man with a van who brought it down to me in the nick of time on Christmas week.”
“The pink Murano glass lamp is the fruit of months of hunting. I’d admired these lamps from afar on accounts like @monikh and @emmahoareau, but every time I would happen upon one it was either too expensive or not in the right colour. Or I’d find one on an Instagram seller account and, when I’d enquire, it would be sold out. (This would happen a lot!) After a lot of scrolling, I eventually found this one on Etsy, for nearly half the price. Happy days!”
“I love this sketch of our cat, Daisy, so much. When we arrived home from our honeymoon in California last October, our catsitter had left it as the most thoughtful gift for us. It really nails her likeness, too.”
How would you describe your home and interior style?
“Right now, my dream interior style is part California wine country, part Swedish summer house. Wildflowers, creased linens, blue stripes, white wooden slatting, shades of ochre, and eggshell. I always love a pop of colour, as per the Danes too.”
How do you approach styling areas of your home?
“It’s always easy to design a little nook around a hero piece – whether it’s a sofa or an amazing chair. I guess I approach interiors a bit like my wardrobe; once I have the foundational pieces – or staples – right (a leather sofa, a great marble coffee table, a vintage chair) I layer on accessories (vases, paintings, books etc) from there. That being said, it’s fun to go with your gut and purchase a completely left of centre accessory on a whim, that might actually completely reinform how you approach a space.”
Where are some of your favourite places to shop for interiors?
“Zara Home is great for nice quality bed linen; H&M Home is a good all-rounder for trend pieces. Matches Fashion has the most dreamy home section if you want to splurge on something statement. Honestly, the main place I shop is Instagram. I love seeing a piece in situ in someone’s home – then tracking down the brand or item. It definitely has the biggest influence on how I shop.”
What was the last thing you bought for your home?
“A blue glass candle holder from Anna + Nina; a jewellery and homewares label based in the Netherlands.”
We’ve recently become obsessed with the Architectural Digest Home Tour series on YouTube – where do you find your home inspo?
“I can pass hours down a Pinterest rabbit hole. But equally, a sense of place can often inspire me the most. A TV show set in the leafy orange groves of Santa Barbara, the set of a Nancy Meyer’s movie, or googling homes in Nantucket. I’m a sucker for a good beach house.”
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Follow Sarah HERE for more interiors, fashion and beauty updates.
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Don’t forget to check out all of our other house tours here!
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