Style Stories with EZ Living Interiors

Creating a truly unique and calming home feels out of reach for many renovators and builders. This week, we explore the process behind a light-filled Cork bungalow that has mastered intentional design, proving that textured finishes and thoughtful architectural decisions can transform a living space into a safe haven. Host Laura O'Keeffe sits down with Anna Bougharbel, the creator behind the celeb...

Balancing a demanding, high-profile media career with a significant home renovation and the chaos of new motherhood presents a unique challenge to personal space. For Irish broadcaster Doireann Garrihy, life is currently a chaotic but embraced mix of nationwide tours and family focus. This episode explores how she navigates this high-octane life. Doireann shares her strategy for furnishing her Dub...

Ireland's natural environment is in a frighteningly degraded position, with minimal native woodland cover and vital ecosystems under threat. This critical challenge requires collective action, innovative financing, and a renewed human connection to the land. In this Earth Day special, discover the surprising reality of Ireland's temperate rainforests, learn how even a tiny houseplant can spark cha...

Many people struggle to find outdoor furniture that offers true comfort and style without compromise. They often feel they have to choose between a durable piece or a beautiful one. Discover how the brand new ‘Brendan Courtney Home and Garden Collection’ bridges the gap between indoor luxury and outdoor durability. This episode explores the inspiration behind the collection, from a home renovation...

Tackling a period property renovation project often feels like an impossible feat when facing massive costs, unexpected structural issues, and the need to preserve history. It requires more than design skill; it demands grit and perseverance. This episode reveals the grit and creativity needed to transform a derelict 170-year-old Cork house into a modern family home. Rob shares how he stretched a...

Most of us overlook the bedroom when designing our homes, giving more thought to living and dining spaces, despite spending a third of our lives asleep. This misplaced priority severely impacts our mood, energy, and overall health the following day, leading to poor lifestyle choices and reduced productivity. The key to unlocking quality rest is understanding the sleep surface beneath you and makin...

The journey to finding a home is often fraught with uncertainty and moments where confidence can drop, long before the keys are officially in your hand. This search phase can feel emotional and overwhelming in a challenging property market.  This episode tackles building confidence, developing resilience, and setting realistic expectations. We discuss knowing when to hold your ground, when to expa...

Starting a simple home refresh often leads to unforeseen complications and a complete overhaul of your original plan. Many homeowners enter the renovation process underestimating the hidden problems, especially in period properties, which can quickly turn a quick paint job into a full ground-up restoration. This episode dives into the brutal honesty of the renovation learning curve: discovering wo...

Are you tired of seeing flawless, highly-stylised homes that feel more like a show-house than a sanctuary? Many people are feeling weary of the 'perfect' life presented on social media, leading to a shift in how we approach our living spaces. The perfect-looking home often comes at the cost of feeling truly relaxed. This episode explores how homes are becoming warmer, softer, and more personal coc...

Modern life teaches us to perform constantly, rushing from task to task whilst our homes blur into workspaces and rest becomes guilt inducing luxury. Niall Breslin's new album The Place That Has Never Been Wounded emerged from complete rejection, dropped by label, publisher, manager and podcast platform within two weeks, forcing him back to classical roots with mother as violinist and piano teache...

Join us to discover more about the art and science of exceptional retail, celebrating EZ Living Interiors' Sandyford store being crowned Furniture Store of the Year. We unpack the 10 core pillars of retail excellence, the power of visual merchandising, and the surprising trends shaping the future of physical stores and e-commerce. Joining us is Matthew Brown, one of the world's leading retail tren...

Retail finance shouldn't feel intimidating—it should feel as natural as paying for Netflix monthly.  Adam Sullivan, Head of Sales at humm finance, explains how his Australian FinTech company transformed arduous phone applications into two-minute digital approvals whilst maintaining ethical lending standards that protect customers.  From helping first-time homebuyers furnish entire homes with up to...

When Sabrina Hill's 2-year-old Robin's juice landed on her Santorini sofa, it didn't soak into the fabric—it just rested on top, thanks to aquaphobic texture she didn't even know she'd chosen.   The owner of Cork's Kopper salon, known for its urban jungle aesthetic with copper planters and hanging greenery that makes people ask "is that a restaurant?”. Sabrina perfectly blends creativity, style an...

Creating a home that looks beautiful on Instagram is one thing but building a space where your family actually lives—with mess, fingerprints, and scattered shoes—requires a completely different approach.  Vicki, the creative force behind Elibank, shares her four-year self-build journey from breaking ground during COVID to evolving her Georgian-meets-modern home into a true family sanctuary. Discov...

Emmy-winning broadcaster Baz Ashmawy joins EZ Living Style Stories to share the profound lessons he's learned from DIY SOS Ireland—where transforming homes means transforming lives.  From heartwarming stories of community volunteers rallying around families in need to his own renovation journey and the design tricks that have inspired his personal space, Baz reveals why homes should tell our stori...

Creating a home that truly reflects your lifestyle while juggling family, career, and personal wellbeing can feel overwhelming when you're constantly putting everyone else's needs first. Today, we discover how to create a balance between the two, how to transform outdoor spaces into entertaining hubs, the power of "pebbles of joy" in daily life, and practical tips for reclaiming your sitting room...

Whether you're planning a major refresh for Christmas or simply dreaming of that perfect sofa, pick up some great tips to help you make confident decisions. Discover how to navigate fabric choices like a pro, understand what truly makes a sofa comfortable for your lifestyle, and learn why timing your furniture purchases can save you both money and stress. Our guest is Emma Doyle, the multi-site ma...

In this episode of Style Stories , Laura is joined by broadcaster and Ireland AM co-host Muireann O’Connell, who opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of buying her first home.  From the tears of finally getting the keys to the reality of broken boilers, clutter battles and the “knees test” for sofas, Muireann shares a refreshingly honest take on what it really means to make a house feel like...

In this episode of Style Stories , we’re joined by writer, editor and creative director Orla Neligan—founder of creative media studio Cornershop—for a rich and reflective conversation on visual storytelling, intuitive style and the beauty of thoughtful details. Orla shares how her childhood comic books, a teenage darkroom, and a lifelong love of magazines led to a career spanning food styling, int...

Lots of us struggle with not knowing how to use flowers fully to create beautiful spaces. Some of us lack confidence when buying and arranging flowers, others have uncertainty about color combinations and are intimidated about creating impressive tablescapes for special occasions. Today you will learn how to befriend a perfect expert in this who is just around your corner! You’ll know how to inves...

David O'Brien isn't just an interior designer - he's a storyteller who happens to use homes as his canvas. In this vibrant episode, David pulls back the curtain on his creative world, sharing how he transformed a blank plot of land into the now-famous Black House, a design that caught national attention and challenged traditional Irish home aesthetics. Growing up in a creative family with a carpen...

In this episode of Style Stories with EZ Living Interiors, our marketing manager, Laura O'Keeffe dives into a fascinating conversation with Clare Vallely, co-founder of Kukoon Rugs.  Kukoon Rugs has completely transformed the Irish rug market and now offers a game-changing machine-washable rug collection. Clare shares Kukoon Rugs' incredible journey, from selling their very first rug in 2006 to be...

Sustainable living starts at home—and it’s easier than you think. Jo Linehan, Editor of Climate at The Sunday Times and sustainability columnist for Irish Country Magazine, shares her practical, inspiring approach to conscious design and how to make any space—rented or owned—feel intentional, beautiful, and better for the planet. With a background that blends journalism, interiors, and environment...

Step into the world of interior design mastery. Sive O’Brien, the visionary Editorial Director of House and Home magazine, shares her 25-year journey from fashion runways to living rooms that will transform how you think about the spaces you inhabit.  Sive gives us insider info on emerging trends like curved furniture and Boucle fabrics, along with some brilliant insights including: Career evoluti...

Get ready for some refreshing inspiration. Brendan Courtney is about to drop some serious wisdom that will make you want to grab a notebook, pour your favourite coffee, and hit pause on everything else. Some brilliant insights you will pick up include: Design hacks that will totally transform how you think about your living space Insider tips on creating a home that's not just beautiful, but compl...