Author Laura de Barra is back with her special brand of She-IY skills. She joined Louise McSharry on RTÉ 2FM last week to speak about her new book, Décor Galore: The Essential Guide to Styling Your Home.
The Cork-born author released her first book, Gaff Goddess, in 2020 and has since built a steady following of fans on social media - with a jaw-dropping 40.7k and counting on Instagram - thanks to her endless list of tips and tricks for dealing with household jobs.
With a busy life in London, where she works as a property manager, Laura says she fell into "She-IY" when she realised that, with a bit of research, she could do a lot of the repairs and maintenance jobs needed across the properties herself, rather than hiring in contractors.
With her new book, Décor Galore, the author is stepping away from the nitty-gritty of fixing washing machines and cleaning drains and stepping into the glamorous - if not intimidating - world of interior design.
"Here's how to have a house that you love," Laura says of the book, "but when you're buying a couch know things like rub tests and fabric compositions. When you're buying rugs, sofas, tiles - it's like arming people with knowledge to then create it."
"It's not about telling people what it should look like," she adds. "There's a snobbery in interiors that is based around budgets and whether you own your home."
Noting that the world of interior design can often be sold as "aspirational" and ultra-expensive, the author says that her book focuses on the joy, empowerment, and "sense of achievement" that can come from creating your own sense of style at home.
Writing with sustainability, budgets and realistic lifestyles in mind, the Cork woman says she hopes to empower her readers to slow down and choose items that make them truly happy.
"The things that we do every single day should be the most stunning, fabulous things that we do," she explains.
"Stunning is different for everybody and fabulous is different for everybody. Your fabulous and my fabulous might be rhinestones, somebody else's might be minimal. But find your fabulous in the ordinary. My kettle literally looks like something in a casino, but the joy it brings me," she smiles.
Insisting that people should do their research before making any purchase, Laura reminds listeners that they are the "bouncer and gatekeeper" of their home. By slowing down, consumers can shop smarter and more sustainably.
"I do think that finding joy in small things will slow down a lot of consumption," she says.
For more tips, listen back to Laura de Barra on RTÉ 2FM at the top of the page.
