Hailing from Foxrock on Dublin's Southside, Cronia McKay now lives in Swords, Co Dublin with her Scottish husband, Tony. She has been a self-employed interior designer for just over 2 years now, focussing solely on domestic projects to date.

Her path into interior design was an interesting one. Whilst Cronia enjoyed the everyday challenges thrown at her in the hectic world of Advertising, she longed for the opportunity to further explore her creative abilities. She has always had an interest in interiors and architecture in general and wished to incorporate this passion into her everyday life and career. After 8 years in media planning and buying she decided to make the exciting plunge into Interior Design and bid the chaotic world of Advertising farewell. She immediately spent 6 months as Assistant Manager in a busy international soft furnishing franchise in Dublin's city centre. This gave her a refreshing insight into up-to-the-minute trends and dealing with the public as well as enabling her to advise customers on their interior décor as a whole. This appointment along with her vast experience in previous media roles proved invaluable when setting up her own interior design consultancy in 2004 because if anyone understands the importance of working to tight deadlines and within limited budgets it's Cronia!

In 2003 she received an Associate Diploma in Interior Design with high merit from the Dublin Institute of Design. This was achieved whilst holding down a full-time job in a busy advertising agency, moving house and planning her own wedding!

Recent projects include a complete re-fit for a townhouse in Ballsbridge in the absence of the owner, supervision of furnishings and décor for a newly built 5-bed house in Malahide and the interior design of a new-build in North County Dublin. She is currently overseeing the implementation of a fully Japanese interior in a house in Dunboyne, Co Meath amongst other domestic projects in Dublin city centre.

When designing a property for showhouse-viewing Cronia feels that it is imperative to keep in mind at all times who exactly her target market is as well as the specific wishes of the developer or owner. In addition to this she believe that the key to any interior design project is to carefully plan ahead down to the finest detail. This way the perfect combination of furniture and colours can be married together so as to make the best of the space available. Mistakes can therefore be confined to paper before any money is invested in the fit-out and décor. Cronia also believes that it is important not to make a showhouse too feminine or overly masculine so as not too alienate any potential buyers. The implementation of clever storage solutions is always a key factor in any new-build, as well as the careful selection of colours and furniture so as to give the impression of space and a low maintenance living area. By introducing lots of interesting and luxurious accessories throughout the property an instant lifestyle impression can easily be enhanced because at the end of the day the public is for the most part buying into a lifestyle - and this is paramount in Cronia's designs.

Cronia is a big fan of textiles and likes to incorporate as many textures and layers in her schemes as possible. She is absolutely passionate about Italy and the Italian culture. Her own home reflects this grá in the many Venetian and Tuscan scenes, which adorn her walls. She greatly respects the work of Glaswegian architect and designer, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and regularly seeks new pieces in the Mackintosh style on trips to Scotland, such as light fittings and mirrors to incorporate where possible in her interior design projects.

Other current trends that Cronia has embraced are mixing and matching styles. With careful planning she enjoys placing new pieces of furniture beside older pieces, all of which create character and interest. This is reflected in her own home, part of a 300-year-old vicarage, which has been sympathetically decorated and furnished so as not to compromise the history and character of the building. She is also a firm believer that a house's interior should reflect the personality of its owners, so a more contemporary look with an old twist is what works best in her own home.

When it comes to colour Cronia often introduces a range of soothing blues, mauves and greens to her colour schemes. Whilst she loves a rich palette of creams and browns and is a huge fan of neutral colour schemes (for several reasons) she can't resist adding a random splash of colour, be it in the form of artwork or accessories so as to create a more unique and interesting interior.

In her property featured in "Showhouse" Cronia's main objective was to stick to the owner's brief by constantly baring in mind her target market - young professionals, who favour a city centre lifestyle. Her aim from the onset was to create an inviting and relaxing living space far removed from the hustle and bustle of Dublin city centre. The décor is classy and "urban-chique" with a low-maintenance look and feel. She has created a stylish interior that appeals to both males and females so as not to alienate any potential buyers. Her meticulous attention to detail is apparent throughout the apartment in terms of her choice of complimentary colour schemes and eye-catching accessories, all of which lend to an impression of space and continuity.

Current design trends Cronia is a little tired of are the minimalist "hotel" style bedroom, "canteen" style kitchen or "office" type lounge. Whilst this form of interior inevitably suits the likes of a city pad or penthouse in Cronia's eyes this can often compromise the soul of a home, leaving it stark and impersonal. She always favours injecting a little colour into even the smallest of properties so as not to overdo the overly neutral palette, which has become something of a norm in a lot of homes today. At the end of the day Cronia believes that everyone should put their own stamp on their home and not get too caught up in what's "in" at the moment. This means that she is always willing to incorporate the wishes of her clients into her designs alongside her own invaluable advice. This ensures that every project she oversees varies from the next, again creating a unique and intriguing interior.

Cronia would sum up her design style as "classic" yet adaptable.

Her ideal dream project would be to restore an old palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice to its original glory. That for Cronia would be the ultimate dream come true.

If you would like to contact Cronia McKay you can do so by email: info@croniamckay.com or visit her website: www.croniamckay.com.