Today we're joined by Dr Laura Lenihan (@drlauragp), the skincare guru who somehow bought AND renovated her home in Galway, grew a skincare business, and built a clinic on-site, all while raising three small children with her husband - basically superhuman right?! She joins us to tell us about her home renovation, working from home, and to share some brilliant skincare tips too.

Check out Dr Laura’s range of top skincare at https://phare.store/

Skincare items mentioned:

• AlphaRet Overnight Cream.
• Metacell Renewal B3 by Skinceuticals.
• Alto Defence Serum by Skinbetter Science.
• Nail brand newly available at Phare - Manucurist.
• Dr Laura’s “Core Four” - an antioxidant and an SPF in the morning; a retinoid and an exfoliating acid at night.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Sorted for Christmas - you're welcome! 

• Thomas Lynham Ceramics
• Orla Walsh Artist
• Ciara O’Neill Art
• Martina’s Palette
• Tina Reid Art
• Luke Reidy Art
• Button Studio
• Intelligent Tea
• Jimmy Lawlor
• Wrapped in Kindness
• Aoife McLaughlin
• Ardmore Pottery
• Jerpoint Glass
• Motly Designs
• George Casey Catering (also does cooking classes)
• Kids Books - Tales for Tadpoles
• Seven Oak
• Steele
• Snugi Knitwear
• Little Rolla Kids Suitcase
• Adare Grocer - Hampers
• Gosson & Gartla kids clothes
• Cowshed Design
• Andrew Caslin Photography
• Beneath the Ash
• Hardpressed Xmas Cards
• Gaiety School of Acting Vouchers
• Lir 
• Pale Yellow Palette - decorations
• Slated
• Primrose and Fern Earrings
• Sayers Studio Art
• Catriona Curtin Art
• Irish Hide Designs
• Foxford
• Amurelle
• Somas
• Cloonkeen
• La Bougie
• Treaty City Brewery
• Mortons Supermarket
• Rosalins
• April and the Bear
• Industry & Co
• The Designist
• Jaqi
• Fallon & Byrne (great hampers)
• Sheridans Galway (also do a cheese club)
• Bow Baby
• Cogs
• Barn

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

This is the second of two episodes that we recorded with the SEAI's Housewarming podcast. In this episode, we talk to Steven Farrell from the SEAI about the new Traditional Homes Pilot Scheme. This is for you if you are doing up a period home and have maybe found it difficult to navigate the currently available grants because your home is listed or has conservation restrictions. Visit SEAI.ie to find out more about this pilot scheme.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

In between full episodes we will be fielding listener questions about their renovations. So if you have a burning question send us a voice-note on Instagram at @ripitup_podcast_official or via email to [email protected].

Items mentioned:

• Poly-velvet
• Velour
• Boucle
• Microfibre
• Aniline leather
• Dr Beckmanns
•  Textured herringbone 

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

This week we’re diving into dining - from compact kitchen nooks to dramatic dining rooms, we'll go through design, layouts, materials, and lighting to help you create a dining room that is both beautiful and practical for everyday living.

Editor's note: We were short on time today and are talking super fast to fit everything in - we understand if you need to play this episode at half speed, sorry! ;)

Items mentioned:

• We both have a tulip-style dining table (Eero Saarinen style) 
• Ghost chairs - Philippe Starck style
• Carver chairs with arms that can double up as bedroom chairs
• Bench seating with hinged lid (preferred over drawers)
• Slope the back of the seat 5-7 degrees
• Poly-velvet fabric is ideal for easy-to-clean upholstery
• Bar stools should be 65-70cm maximum (assuming standard countertop height of 90 - 95cm)
• Solid wood tables - seal well with oil - we love Ethnicraft wood tables
• The Interior Design Handbook by Frida Ramstedt has great dining measurements
• Dr. Beckmann’s (fabric cleaner)

Jenny's dining dimensions:

• 90cm diameter round table
• 175 x 185cm bench seating

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

In between full episodes we will be fielding listener questions about their renovations. So if you have a burning question send us a voice-note on Instagram at @ripitup_podcast_official or via email to [email protected].

Items mentioned:

• Ikea curtain fabrics
  • Hilja - Kate’s original
  • Stockholm - new and improved
• Wundaweb - iron-on hemming tape
• Net curtain wire + hooks
• Tension rods for cafe curtains
• Glass film suppliers:
  • Coatek
  • Glassfilm.eu
• Link to Kate’s cafe curtain tutorial

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

This week we are bringing you a shared episode which we recorded with Kim Buckley, host of SEAI's House Warming podcast, to talk about the range of energy upgrades that we both made across our various home renovations. Visit SEAI.ie to check out the range of supports they have available if you're planning to make energy efficient upgrades to your home, and keep your ears tuned for a follow-up episode where we will discuss SEAI's Traditional Homes pilot scheme, designed with period homes in mind.

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

In between full episodes we will be fielding listener questions about their renovations. So if you have a burning question send us a voice-note or a message at @ripitup_podcast_official on Instagram or [email protected].

Our favourite (off)white paints:

• Slaked Lime - Little Greene
• Subtle - Colourtrend
• Arctic Blonde - Colourtrend
• Powdered Shell - Colourtrend
• Soda Bread - Colourtrend
• Trigg - Farrelly & Co
• Wimborne White - Farrow & Ball
• Old White - Farrow & Ball
• Schoolhouse White - Farrow & Ball
• Shaded White - Farrow & Ball
• Shadow White - Farrow & Ball
• Dropcloth - Farrow & Ball
• Designer White - Fleetwood (for outdoors)

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Are you bamboozled by kitchen countertops? Can’t tell your quartz from your quartzite or think marble is just a fancy tile? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. From the grit of quartzite to the ease of porcelain and the affordability of laminate, we’ll help you choose the perfect countertop material for your kitchen.

PLUS - do you have a burning question for us? Send a short voicenote to [email protected] or via DM @ripitup_podcast_official on Instagram and we’ll answer on the pod!

Catch us on the DFS stage at the Ideal Home Show this weekend.

Items mentioned

Quartz brands:

• Concertino group (silestone)
• Sapienstone

Man-made materials:

• Laminate
• Quartz
• Porcelain

Natural materials:

• Quartzite
• Marble (including Connemara marble)
• Granite
• Wood

Types/names of patterns mentioned (there are many more):

• Calacatta
• Carrara
• Calacatta Violo
• Arabescato 

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

In between full episodes we will be fielding listener questions about their renovations. So if you have a burning question send us a voice-note at @ripitup_podcast_official on Instagram or [email protected].

Items mentioned:

Floating shelf with drawers:

• Sklum floating shelves
• Kave home floating shelves
• Zara Home floating shelves

Headboard with built-in shelves:

• Kate’s Moebe bed frame
• Kave Home 
• IKEA Nordli
• Ikea Brimnes

Brands mentioned for good quality bedside lockers:

• Homesense
• West Elm
• Kave Home
• Zara Home
• Ikea Tonstad
• April and the Bear - metal side table / coffee table

Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines