EACH WEEK, WE ask an Irish person with a passion for interiors to share one photo of their favourite spot in their home.

Saara McLoughlin lives in Co Limerick with her husband and two daughters, after moving to Ireland from Finland 20 years ago. 

“I’m into everything related to art and design, music and macramé especially,” says Saara.

When I’m not looking after our daughters or tying macramé knots I like to spend time trying to keep plants alive and planning DIY projects.

This week, Saara (@saara_mcloughlin) chatted us through her favourite spot in her home: her kitchen.

Saara McLoughlin Saara McLoughlin

What do you love about this part of your home?

This is a very central point of the house and we spend more time here than anywhere else. It has views from the back of the garden through the kitchen/dining area and living room straight out to the front of the house and driveway.

I love that I’m able to keep an eye on everywhere downstairs – and even see what is happening on the green out the front. I can spot anyone approaching the front door while getting on with dinner preparations.

We’ve only recently given the kitchen a major facelift by painting all the presses, splashback and countertops, and changing the sink. This has made a huge difference to how the entire house feels.

What was your inspiration when you were putting the space together?

I started working on the colour scheme by picking out pink and turquoise ombré salt and pepper mills and just went from there with the exact shades we used for the paints. We’d already used both colours in other rooms, so I knew they would work and would keep the overall scheme of the house coherent.

Talk us through some of the objects in the photo.

Through the window you can see some of our plants in the garden. I’m very fond of my plants. You’ll also spot the decked barbecue area where we dine all summer long (weather permitting).

In the kitchen we have just installed a gorgeous black granite resin Caple sink and a new tap which are both a huge improvement from what we used to have. Above the sink we’ve suspended a piece of driftwood for hanging all my herbs, conveniently close to the cooker.

By changing the handles and painting all the units in these colours we’ve brightened up the kitchen/dining area so much. It actually feels a lot bigger now and is just such a happy place in general. We couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out.

How well does this photo reflect the rest of your home?

Really well, I think. It all ties in together as we’ve used similar bold colours and a mix of natural materials with black and white patterns throughout the house. It’s all a little bonkers – just like us!

Be honest: how much tidying did you do before taking this photo?

Quite a bit, to be perfectly honest. With kids, especially, there is always a certain level of clutter and mess around the place, so it really doesn’t stay looking like this for very long.

We moved the trampoline out of the way outside the window and tilting it caused a load of rust to drip out of the frame onto the paving and this meant a big clean up operation after the photo was taken also. The cleaning never stops!

Do you have a spot in your home that you’re particularly proud of? Do you enjoy styling the different rooms in your house? Are you always adding and changing little things to make your space stand out? If so, we want to hear from you! Email amy@thejournal.ie with a few lines about yourself and your home for a chance to feature in My Home in One Photo. 

More: ‘Your home tells the story of who you are’: Mum-of-two Ruth shares her stylish kitchen built on a budget