For me it’s maximalism. Lovely in a quirky cafe or boutique hotel but at home it would give me a headache. I like a restful house and so yes quite a lot of it is grey! Not battleship grey or anthracite but bluey or greeny greys. Concrete floors. Depressing, cold, ecologically not great, look unfinished. Plants very high up. How do you water them? Walk in wardrobes even if it means the bedroom becomes tiny. I’d rather have a bigger bedroom with wardrobes in it, than dress and sleep in tiny spaces. Uber industrial. There’s a reason we usually hide cables, conduits, vent ducts...because they are ugly. Buying new furniture and accessories very often to have an “up to date“ look. I see all these instagram pictures with everything brass, mid century, wood, rattan, green (today’s trends) and I wonder what has happened to all their grey, painted, silver, shabby chic items from 5/10 years ago. And what will they do with today’s items when the look swings round again...

Add in Hiberno-English; Long pants are English trousers Shorts are English men's underwear (boxer type) English shorts are Irish short pants Togs are English sports shorts. Swim togs are English swimwear To tog out is an Englishman changing into his sportswear. Also means to get yourself ready, gather up all that's needed for whatever it is you plan to do. A press is an English cupboard or wardrobe. A hot-press is an English airing cupboard (both usually have immersion tank in them). St Stephens day or Stephens Day is the same day as England's Boxing Day (26 Dec) Going to the bog is cutting turf for fuel, an Englishman would be visiting the toilet. A boreen (in a town) is an alley(-way) or lane (way) in England. A flat in Ireland is local authority/public accommodation An Irish apartment is privately owned/rented A shift is not a period of work hours .... Going for a ride does not mean you going for a drive for pleasure .... Having a fag is smoking a cigarette - I shudder to think what the Americans interpret that as !

I have a lot of throws! I have two huge faux fur ones rolled up at the end of a corner sofa, where there is no back as it's the chaise part, so they work as a back rest. I also have a gorgeously soft chenille type which is light grey with feint white stars on, to pull over my legs when it gets chilly. In the bedroom I have a basket full, mostly floral to go with the room, they are great when it's too warm to get under the duvet when watching a movie in bed.

Definitely hard surfaces all the way - you can refinish them when they get tired and are really practical for children/pets/outdoors lifestyle. We used a mixture of new polished concrete, exposed flagstones and original elm boards at our miner's cottages and don't find it cold or austere.