Edel Morganshows how it's done

Silky stripes that smooth out walls
The striped walls in the library of 24 Fitzwilliam Square are covered in a silk specially made in France and fixed to the wall using battens. A great alternative to wallpaper, fabric can give walls a lustrous texture.

Hanging fabric on walls can be a skilled job and is often best left to the experts. Contact Michael Hogan on 087-2399600.

Kevin Kelly Interiors (no relation to the owner, also Kevin Kelly) stock a range of silk fabrics suitable for hanging, such as the Nobilis Patrimoine range which costs €150 a metre. For a similar look that is easier to hang, try Brian Yates' striped silk wallpapers in its Arte Sanghati and Odyssey ranges which cost from €90 a roll.

As well as the striped wall fabric, a number of other elements in the room give it a gentlemen's club feel, such as the leather chair, book cases and the club fender around the fire. These cost from €1,800 at Club Fenders by John O'Keeffe (01-280 1543).

A great room for entertaining in, it's a treasure trove of antiques and collectables picked up at auctions and fairs all over Europe, such as the early 19th century Adams-style overmantle mirror, the Nicky Halsam ottoman and small gilt-edged tables beside the sofa. Two Louis XVI chairs behind the couch hark back to the style of grand old period houses.

Keeping it clean but not mean
Not everyone has the discipline to do hard-core minimalism but the livingroom of Rockville is an example of how it can be done.

This is only part of a large room divided by a fish tank into several distinct spaces. The furniture - an Artisfort couch and footstool from Detail Furniture (01-651 0148) at €5,000- floats off the ground to promote the feeling of space and light.

The floor is a neutral Beech Junckers, available in a number of grades from Brooks Thomas (01-294 0200) from €58.29 a sq m.

The blue-grey panels on the far wall look like modern art but are actually eight Waveform panels designed to stop echo in the room. They cost around €900 for the eight squares from Detail Furniture.

The Danish Tema wall unit - also from Detail Furniture - is attached to the wall by hooks and can be removed, it costs €2,300.

An artist's sanctuary all decked out in timber, tiles and choice paint shades
The decked garden of Eagle Terrace in Dalkey, is a private sanctuary away from the fray. Unusually for a deck, the wide-plank timber used is Keruing, a resinous hardwood typically used to make truck bodies. Abbey Woods (01-839 3435) which stocks Keruing (around €42 a sq m) says a popular hardwood alternative is Yellow Balau, also known as Bankarai, which can have a smooth finish or anti-slip grooves, and costs around ¬38 a sq m.

Dressingroom and footware storage makes luxury a shoe-in
If you suffer from dressingroom envy, read no further. The owner of Fernhurst designed her walk-in wardrobe following 17 years in the rag trade.

Carpenter David Nevin (087 2867441) built the wardrobe and shoe space in what was a double bedroom. A similar job will cost €4,000-€5,000.

Painted in Farrow & Ball off-white 10615, it is a calm, ordered space with a few girly touches such as the bust that displays jewellery. Hickeys Home Focus has a similar one for around €15 (01-294 3732). There's no perching on chairs to get at high clothes, all are hung on pull-down bars.

The two-person vanity unit is double-sided so you don't have to look at each other. Each has its own mirror and handbasin from Elegant John (01-865 8010). The theatre-style lights either side of the mirror are from Stillorgan Decor (01-288 5824). There's plenty of storage underneath for make up and accessories.

There is a corner unit where you can display shoes and never again have to tackle a jumble of odd ones at the bottom of the wardrobe.

The garden is a haven of order and symmetry with a fountain made by the owner using large ceramic tiles from Tilestyle (01-855 5200) and a lion's head he happened to have lying around the house. It has a dual purpose of hiding the garden shed from sight. The planters are from Murphy and Wood garden centre (01-285 4855) and plants are from Scalp Wood Nurseries (01-295 4636).

The table and chairs used to be white but were bleached by the sun and given a new lease of life with a paint job in Colortrend 0780.

The 15ft purple planks - painted in Fired Earth Carragheen 78 - hide an extension. Garden designer Agata Mocior was involved in the design of this garden (agata.mocior@gmail.com or 087 4140567.