It’s the little details that are vital when it comes to design. Tom Collins created this beautiful mirror for us for the Red Hen main back bar centerpiece. The gold leaf vintage mirror design is unique and adds another layer of intrinsic drama to the scheme…….

It’s that time of year again where you need to start thinking about your Garden for the Summer. Here are a few useful ideas: 1. GARDENS ARE OUTDOOR SPACES First and most importantly, a garden connected to a Pub, Bar or Restaurant should feel like a Garden and not in interior space. Many proprietors try […]

Here is the shopfront drawing which we prepared for Claire Kearns who opened her Kearns Pub and Country Kitchen a few weeks ago. You can see how having a drawing showing colours and signage can really help visualize the final outcome. We wish Claire and family all the best and if you are passing by […]

Our brief for the famous Heritage Pub, O’Neill’s on Suffolk Street, Dublin was that anything we do must feel authentic, as if it was there a long time. The first step was to match an existing porch floor to a porch which was designed with 50 year old terrazzo and inset letters. Our terrazzo expert […]

Many people decide whether to go in to a Pub by assessing its Shopfront’s appearance. This is a totally subconscious process which is based on many criteria. Women are particularly sensitive when it comes to this so if you get it right it can make a big difference. Personally I want to feel comfortable walking […]

 Here is a recent article which I wrote for the Vintners Federation Ireland magazine highlighting how pubs and bars can better attract women: Recently my husband and I were passing through a small town in Ireland, a town that we were not familiar with. We wanted to watch Katie Taylor’s Olympic boxing match and so […]

One of the first questions I ask when we do pub design  is “ Who are your customers and who would you like your customers to be?” In this article I would like to highlight the fact that Marketing and Design go hand in hand when it comes to looking at your business. Actually working […]

“If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on getting what you’ve always got.”     W. L. Bateman The Terrace Bar at McCormacks in Naas has achieved real success with their Pub renovation. They have totally rejuvenated their business and attracted a wider range of clientele from early 20’s to late 80’s! […]

Red for Valentines Day, Green for St.Patricks Day, Pink for Gay Pride Day, Colour Change for Party time. With the flick of a switch atmosphere can be changed with the use of LED strip lights to the back bar. This back bar by KAA design is so simple yet so dramatic.

A client of mine is having trouble with his decking as it gets very slippy when it is wet. I have found a great product which gets around this problem. The hardwood iDECK boards are treated with the SafeGrip concept. SafeGrip is a combination of 2 polyurethane components mixed with a layer of quartz sand […]

I came across this photo of The Ten Bells Pub in Spitalfields, London.  The wall behind the bar counter is covered in beautiful Victorian patterned antique tiles. Though tiles are cold to the touch these tiles give a warmth and richness that is difficult to replicate. The contrast of the detailed tiles with the simple […]

CREATE A MOOD Colour is the easiest and most effective way of instantly creating a mood for your pub. Try using warm, advancing colours in areas where you want people to feel welcomed. Decide the mood of the pub using a little colour theory. The value, lightness or darkness of the paint colours will make […]