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Eva Byrne, Architect, House Consultant & Interiorista. Expert advice to maximise Space, Light & Sto

Specialist in House Consultations to optimise your Renovation, Extension or New-Build Project.

23/07/2026

Houzz is an online home design platform that can be a great source of free inspiration and advice. It showcases the portfolios of architects and home design professionals from all over the world.

I think of it as a huge photo library and use my own Houzz profile to show clients examples of my small house designs during consultations.

You can search Houzz for photos, professionals and advice, but the sheer volume of images can be overwhelming. The answer is to use the filters – a feature that many people overlook.

One of the most important filters is what Houzz calls "Area", by which they mean country. Selecting Ireland immediately narrows your search to homes that are much more relevant to Irish homeowners.

This carousel focuses on just one search tip, but there's much more to Houzz than photos. In a future post I'll show you how I use Houzz Stories and and the advice section, both of which are packed with useful ideas and practical information.

Add Houzz to your armoury of free design tools.

16/07/2026

Finding the right table for our small garden turned out to be far harder than I expected. After a long search, I finally found one that ticks every box. 🌿

It’s a round pedestal table measuring 90cm in diameter. Its form is inspired by Eero Saarinen’s iconic Tulip Table, designed in 1957. Frustrated by what he called the “slum of legs” beneath traditional tables and chairs, Saarinen created a single elegant pedestal instead. Nearly 70 years later, it’s still one of the most practical and elegant table designs around. 🌷

A round table is a great solution for a small garden. Its shape softens the geometry of the square walls, echoes the natural flow of the planting and there are no pesky corners to catch your hip as you move around.

I love a central pedestal because everyone - including the dog! - can sit wherever they like without a pesky leg getting in the way. These small design details make a surprisingly big difference.

A 90cm round table comfortably seats four people but you'll happily squeeze in six for a relaxed lunch or evening drinks.

The powder-coated aluminium base has adjustable, non-slip feet for levelling on uneven paving, while also helping to prevent the base from staining the surface beneath it.

The sintered stone top, with its ceramic finish, is made from 100% natural minerals, making it exceptionally durable, weather-resistant and easy to clean. I like outdoor furniture that you can safely leave outside all year round. It makes the garden feel lived in and inviting, even in winter.

The top is just a little too heavy for me to lift on my own, but together we move it around the garden to catch the morning sun or, at this time of year, the welcome dappled shade beneath the trees. 🌳

We bought ours online from Murphy Home. At €299, it proves that good design doesn’t have to be prohibitively expensive. If you’re looking for a larger option, JYSK currently have a similar table, the Vandrup, measuring 120cm in diameter.

Wishing you sunshine and dappled shade. 🌞 🪴 🌷

14/07/2026

Great news for design lovers...the 2026 edition of the RIAI House + Design magazine has just landed.

Whether you’re planning a renovation, an extension or a new build, this is a wonderful source of ideas and inspiration.

One of the things I love most about this magazine is that it includes floor plans alongside the photography. You don’t just admire beautiful spaces—you can also understand how they’ve been designed. After all, drawing is the language of architecture!

I’m honoured to be a member of the Editorial Board and pleased to have created a new feature this year called, “INSTAnt Inspo”, created with Instagram lovers in mind.

I wanted to show that great design inspiration doesn’t always come from grand projects. Sometimes it’s a staircase, a window, or a clever kitchen detail that changes the way you think about your own home. It's the Art of the Glimpse.

The feature highlights six simple but inspiring ideas to borrow for your own home:

✨ Borrowed Light on a Landing

✨ Attic Drama with distinctive plywood stairs

✨ Sculptural Landing where light and form interplay

✨ Garden Bathroom that brings nature indoors

✨ Minimalist Kitchen where crisp design creates calm

✨ Sociable Kitchen where the island steps down to become a welcoming window seat

Copies of the 2026 edition—as well as coveted back issues—are available from the RIAI Bookshop at 8 Merrion Square, online and from all major booksellers.

Sending love from an urban garden...where will you read yours? 🌿

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