Readers' questions on everything from kitchen worktops to tricky hallway storage
Q: We have just moved into a 1950s house and have started to do it up on a relatively tight budget. The kitchen units have been painted in cream and the door handles changed to an old chrome style. We're getting the floors sanded and stained to a natural wood colour and want a nice wooden counter top to match. Where should we look? And would we have to replace our old sink in the process or can we retain it?
Cara McKiernan
A:In-House at The Panelling Centre (branches countrywide; see www.in-house.ie) does several different solid wood countertops. For example, iroko wood, which looks similar to teak, costs €528 including VAT for a counter that is three metres long and 650mm deep. It doesn't take much to keep the wood in shape: just rub a little oil into the grain every so often. Other solid wood countertops available include oak, maple and beech. You shouldn't need to replace your old sink - In House supplies the countertops and recommends someone to fit it. He or she can cut a hole in the countertop to match the size of your sink.
Q: My daughter recently bought a solid oak floor for her entrance hall and living room. However, she cannot lay this floor because the front door is level with the floor and there is not enough depth to lay the wood. The store refuses to take back the flooring as the packages are open. Would you have any solution to this problem?
Patricia McHugh
A:In hindsight, it probably would have been wise to consult a professional floor-fitter before buying the floor. But all is not lost. The easiest thing to do might be to have the front door trimmed (a couple of millimetres shaved off the end). This will allow for the floor to be laid and a draft excluder to be placed on the shortened door. Alternatively, you could create a mat-well inside the front door. This is a bristled floor mat that runs across the width of the hall and a few feet into the house. Most mats are about 10mm thick and so should be able to lie easily against the door. The wood floor could then be laid where the mat ends, divided by a chrome or brass trim. Most wood floors are between 18 and 20 mm, so the trim will create a smooth transition from mat to floor. This has obviously practical advantages as the floor won't take the wear and tear than usually happens just inside the door. The company from which you bought the wood should be able recommend someone who will tackle either of these options.
Q: I'm looking for a hall storage solution for coats, shoes, a bike helmet and schoolbags. We recently redecorated our hall and made it more spacious by relocating the loo downstairs. The space now measures 1.8m wide. On one wall there is a long horizontal mirror with a radiator cover below it and the opposite wall is blank. Ideally, I would like some furniture, perhaps custom made, that would hide all the clutter, since it would be visible from the moment you walk into the house. My budget is €1,500.
Karen Dolan
A:Because a hall storage unit will be seen by everyone who enters the house, it would be best to have something custom designed. Employing a clever designer will mean that you get the most from the unit. In a small space, built-in furniture really has to work: a good designer will make sure everything is thought through. Interior designer Sarah Cruise (www.designintervention.ie) is talented at this sort of thing and works with various furniture-makers to turn her ideas into a finished product. She can work with the sum you mention by reducing the cost of materials (by using MDF rather than wood) and by making things as simple as possible, thereby reducing labour costs. The unit could be painted the same colour as walls and uses hidden catches so that the whole thing melds into the wall; or go the other direction and make a feature of the unit, perhaps mirroring part if it or using attractive handles.
Q: We live in a bungalow and have carpet on the floor of our entrance hall. While it has served us well over the years, it really has to go at this stage. I don't think a solid wood floor would be durable enough for family life that includes two boys who like mucky sports. I'm worried tiles would be cold underfoot going into the bedrooms that open from a corridor off the entrance hall. How would it look to mix two different materials, one in the entrance hall and another in the corridor area?
Eileen Smith
A:Perhaps you could mix the two materials by creating a "frame" of wood around both the entrance hall and corridor. Into the recesses thus created, tiles could be set in the entrance hall part and carpet in the corridor beside the bedroom. Some might say this involves using too many materials but it might work if complimentary coloured wood, tiles and carpet are chosen. I suggest using an interior designer to help choose the best materials for your taste and budget. A job like this also means matching the three different levels and they will help with that, too. The Interiors Association (www.theinteriorsassociation.ie) will provide you with a list of designers in your area.