Style Stories with EZ Living Interiors

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 tight budget with DIY labour, blended original Georgian features with contemporary style, and pushed through relentless construction challenges. We discuss uncovering hidden history, finding invaluable mentorship, and the ultimate reward of building a space you fought for.
Joining Laura O’Keeffe is Rob Hennessy, a restorer and educator who gained national recognition for his work on RTÉ’s The Great House Revival. Rob is an advocate for restoring Ireland's vacant housing stock, demonstrating that passion and a strong DIY spirit can bypass the traditional housing market.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
High ceilings dictated the house purchase.
Hugh Wallace advised keeping original layout.
How living on-site saved the budget.
Overcoming wet rot and structural setbacks.
Trust your ability and hire experts
GUEST DETAILS
Rob Hennessy is a restorer and educator currently working as a school teacher in Cork. He is best known for his high-profile Victorian home renovation project in Passage West, Co. Cork. Rob gained national recognition after appearing on RTÉ’s The Great House Revival. He is a leading voice in the Irish restoration community, demonstrating how a strong DIY spirit can bring life back to vacant housing stock. 
Hear the complete conversation on Style Stories with EZ Living Interiors Podcast available on all podcast apps now
Connect with Rob:
QUOTES
I knew the minute I walked to the front door I wanted it. I knew I wanted the house. - Rob Hennessy
I wanted to respect the history of the house and try and look after as much of the original features as I possibly could on the opposite side.
Then I was conscious, I'm not living in the museum either, right? I wanted to kind of put my own stamp on things.. - Rob Hennessy
I was also very conscious of, you know, not going super cheap on finishings or orange like that, because I wanted a nice finish. - . - Rob Hennessy
MORE INFORMATION
EZ Living Interiors is a family-owned home furnishing retailer which sets the standards for quality, style, and design in the industry. We advise on how individuals and families should furnish their living spaces to create homes that are both beautiful and functional. 
Our mission is to inspire and elevate the art of interior design through the promotion of high standards of product sourcing, craftsmanship, and customer service. 
We achieve this by providing innovative and thoughtful design solutions for our customers to support them to create stylish and comfortable living spaces.
Visit EZLivingInteriors.ie to learn more.
This podcast is produced by dustpod.io for EZ Living Interiors
KEYWORDS #PeriodRenovation #DIYBudget #PeriodProperty #HughWallace #RestorationAdvice

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 making small, informed changes to your routine and environment. This episode breaks down mattress myths, explains how to choose a mattress for back pain and different sleep positions, and reveals simple, actionable habits for deep, restorative sleep.
Our guest is Conor Stapleton, Marketing Officer at King Koil, Ireland's number one luxury bedding brand. Conor shares his expert insight into King Koil's handcrafted, durable mattresses, which are designed with long-term comfort and healthy back support in mind
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Keeping cool improves sleep quality simply.
Choose mattress that adapts to back curvature.
Side sleepers require contouring for shoulder pressure.
Pocket springs minimise partners' movement disruption.
Cool bedroom and regularity are key habits.
GUEST DETAILS
Conor Stapleton is the Marketing Officer at King Koil, Ireland’s number one luxury bedding brand. King Koil mattresses are known for their healthy back support, durability, and hand-crafted construction. The brand is also Ireland's largest furniture maker and deeply committed to community and sustainability. Conor is our guest on the podcast.
Hear the complete conversation on Style Stories with EZ Living Interiors Podcast available on all podcast apps now
Connect with Conor:
https://kingkoil.ie/contact-us/
QUOTES
What you're looking for is a mattress that will retain its shape, firstly and secondly, adapt to the curvature of your back. – Conor Stapleton.
Look for something that has centre third support underneath the lower back, because that is going to ensure that your back and your lower spine does not dip overly in the mattress at night." – Conor Stapleton 
If you're a side liar, you have more prominent hips, you have more prominent shoulders, and the problem is going to be, if the mattress is too firm, you're going to get excess pressure on the hips and the shoulders. – Conor Stapleton
MORE INFORMATION
This podcast is produced by dustpod.io for EZ Living Interiors
EZ Living Interiors is a family-owned home furnishing retailer which sets the standards for quality, style, and design in the industry. We advise on how individuals and families should furnish their living spaces to create homes that are both beautiful and functional. Our mission is to inspire and elevate the art of interior design through the promotion of high standards of product sourcing, craftsmanship, and customer service. We achieve this by providing innovative and thoughtful design solutions for our customers to support them to create stylish and comfortable living spaces.
Visit EZLivingInteriors.ie to learn more.
KEYWORDS #SleepHealth #MattressBuyingGuide #BackSupport #KingKoil #SleepHabits

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 expand your search options, and how having professional support can completely change how the home buying process feels.
Joining us is Liz O'Kane, a highly respected Buyer's Agent and TV host of Help Me Buy A Home. Liz works exclusively on the purchaser side, advocating, advising, and guiding people through every complex step.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Buyer's agent exclusively represents the purchaser.
The slow, antiquated Irish property process.
Bidding strategically and leveraging relationships.
Expand home thinking; consider extension options.
Advice for buying during uncertain market times.
GUEST DETAILS
Liz O'Kane is a Buyer's Agent who runs her business, Get-Sorted. She is also known as the TV host of Help Me Buy A Home. Liz pioneered the service of acting exclusively for the purchaser in Ireland to source and negotiate their new home. She is known for her firm, no-nonsense approach in providing sound advice to clients. Additionally, she hosted House Hunters and House Hunters in the Sun for seven seasons.
Connect with Liz:
Website: lizokane.ie
Media: storied.ie
Instagram: lizokanebuyersagent
QUOTES
If you want to engage with a buyer's agent, for them to take your hand and lead you from A to Z successfully, you have to have complete faith in that individual. - Liz O'Kane
My job is to know everybody involved in the property industry on this island, and if they don't answer the phone when they see my name coming up, I'm doing my job wrong. - Liz O'Kane
It's knowing how to bid strategically. And the average punter who's out there in the bidding market doesn't really know how to bid on a property. - Liz O'Kane
MORE INFORMATION
This podcast is produced by dustpod.io for EZ Living Interiors
EZ Living Interiors is a family-owned home furnishing retailer which sets the standards for quality, style, and design in the industry. We advise on how individuals and families should furnish their living spaces to create homes that are both beautiful and functional. Our mission is to inspire and elevate the art of interior design through the promotion of high standards of product sourcing, craftsmanship, and customer service. We achieve this by providing innovative and thoughtful design solutions for our customers to support them to create stylish and comfortable living spaces.
Visit EZLivingInteriors.ie to learn more.
KEYWORDS #IrishPropertyMarket #BuyersAgent #HomeBuyingAdvice #StrategicBidding #PropertyIreland

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 wood rot, damp, and losing original features. We talk about developing confidence in your decisions, designing a compact 65 square metre space, and how thrift shopping and personal style choices can keep you motivated when the budget is swallowed by unglamorous foundational work.
We are joined by Gráinne Gillett, a content creator who meticulously documented the transformation of her small red-brick cottage on Instagram. Gráinne shares her expertise in combining vintage finds and colour, along with her practical, honest approach to compact living
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Always budget for emotional contingency
Demolition grows your renovation confidence
Focus on foundations before furniture
Design a small space for yourself
Build style from objects you love
GUEST DETAILS
Gráinne Gillett is a content creator who documented the renovation of her period cottage from start to finish on her Instagram account, @grainnegillett. She is skilled in developing a clear and confident interior style, combining colour and vintage finds, and finding practical solutions for compact living spaces.
Connect with Gráinne:
Website: https://www.grainnegillett.com
Instagram: @grainnegillett
TikTok: @grainnegillett
QUOTES
You don't really know until you start uncovering things. So just to have a contingency, an emotional contingency, and a financial one as well. - Gráinne Gillett
I spent like, a few days there, just like, walking around the different streets, going to the cafes, and just got a real good sense of the place. - Gráinne Gillett
If you take the wallpaper down, you uncover everything. - Gráinne Gillett
MORE INFORMATION
This podcast is produced by dustpod.io for EZ Living Interiors
EZ Living Interiors is a family-owned home furnishing retailer which sets the standards for quality, style, and design in the industry. We advise on how individuals and families should furnish their living spaces to create homes that are both beautiful and functional. Our mission is to inspire and elevate the art of interior design through the promotion of high standards of product sourcing, craftsmanship, and customer service. We achieve this by providing innovative and thoughtful design solutions for our customers to support them to create stylish and comfortable living spaces.
Visit EZLivingInteriors.ie to learn more.
KEYWORDS
#PeriodPropertyRenovation #DublinCottage #SmallSpaceDesign #InteriorDIY #VintageFinds

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 cocoons against the outside world. We dive into the colour trends set for 2026—from dark, moody shades to terracotta and green—and discuss how to confidently incorporate textures, antiques, and art. Listen for essential tips on finding your own style, from the right paint finish to incorporating global design influences.
Our guest is Penny McCormick, the Contributing Editor at The Gloss. Penny is a respected tastemaker with a unique perspective on interiors, drawing from her extensive travels and work shaping conversations around what is truly relevant and enduring in design.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Imperfection and personalisation are key
Dark, moody colours replace stark white
Comfort, colour, print are future essentials
Reclaiming home spaces from work clutter
Mixing vintage pieces with modern design
GUEST DETAILS
Penny McCormick is the Contributing Editor at The Gloss. Her primary specialties are interiors, luxury women's fashion, and international travel, and she is known for securing exclusive interviews with high-profile figures.
Connect with Penny:
linkedin.com/in/penny-mccormick
QUOTES
I think art is something that is very personal, and you should never pick piece of art to match your sofa. - Penny McCormick
I think homes are becoming a cocoon and sanctuary, and that is shown in lots of different ways. - Penny McCormick 
You can't beat investing in comfortable chairs and a sofa. - Penny McCormick
MORE INFORMATION
This podcast is produced by dustpod.io for EZ Living Interiors
EZ Living Interiors is a family-owned home furnishing retailer which sets the standards for quality, style, and design in the industry. We advise on how individuals and families should furnish their living spaces to create homes that are both beautiful and functional. 
Our mission is to inspire and elevate the art of interior design through the promotion of high standards of product sourcing, craftsmanship, and customer service. We achieve this by providing innovative and thoughtful design solutions for our customers to support them to create stylish and comfortable living spaces.
Visit EZLivingInteriors.ie to learn more.
KEYWORDS
#InteriorDesignTrends #HomeDecorating #ColourInInteriors #InteriorStyling #HomeSanctuary