Welcome

This issue we are preparing our homes for the cooler autumnal months with a selection of the latest sofas, stylish radiators and luxurious bathroom finishes for the ultimate home retreat. We even include a few ideas for your outdoor rooms to ensure use all year round – as long as the rain stays at bay!

Our homes this month include our stunning cover home in Castlewellan. This self-build family home has recently undergone an extensive redecoration and we were allowed in for a closer look at the end result. We also head to Dungarvan to hear all about Niamh and Mark’s passive build and get a tour around this modern, functional home. Finally, we are transported to a restored Victorian semi in Rathmines to see how owners Kate and Cian have transformed this home to suit their style and lifestyle needs.

We also highlight two readers’ kitchens which both tick all the boxes in terms of functionality and design. In Omagh, Mountfield Kitchens made Cathy’s dream kitchen a reality in her new build home and in Belfast, Mode German Kitchens achieved the perfect layout for avid cake baker Pamela.

Once you’ve had a chance to enjoy all of the features in this issue we would ask you to take part in our Reader’s Survey on pages 31 & 32 and let us know what you think about the content offered. The survey is also online at ihil.net if you prefer to fill it in here. Everyone who submits an entry will also go into a draw to win a luxurious spa break at the Velvære spa at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin!

Our food pages offer more exciting competitions from eight of Ireland’s top cookery schools and we have lots of flavoursome Indian recipes to hone your culinary skills, including some curries in celebration of National Curry Week. There is so much more in this issue which I don’t have the space to tell you about here, so I think it’s time you enjoy a closer look for yourselves.