Rip It Up: The Renovations Podcast

Gardens are often treated as the final step in a renovation - but they can completely transform how you live, entertain and use your home. In this episode, we break down the big landscaping decisions, from layout and materials to planting, pergolas and outdoor rooms.
What we cover
 How much to budget for landscaping and where the money really goes 
 Designing your garden in zones: dining, relaxing, planting, storage and outdoor kitchens 
Optimise for light - don't just plonk your patio outside your back door
 Choosing paving materials: porcelain, natural stone and gravel 
 Timber vs composite decking and long-term maintenance 
 Planting strategies that create year-round structure without overwhelm 
 Common planting mistakes and how to avoid a messy, high-maintenance garden 
 Awnings, pergolas and shade options for the Irish climate 
 Garden rooms, offices and adding usable outdoor square footage 
 Furniture sizing, durable materials and weather-proof storage 
Projects & items mentioned
 Jenny’s living wall by Gannon & Associates Landscape Architecture
 Kate’s garden design by Louise Checa Landscape Architecture
Amelanchier lamarckii as a favourite tree for seasonal structure and softness 
The big takeaway: spend on structure, groundwork and layout first - planting and styling come afterwards.
Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

A great paint job has far less to do with the paint tin than most people think. In this episode, we focus on preparation, paint quality, finishes, choosing the right colours for your home, and the mistakes that ruin your paint jobs.
What we cover
 Why painting is 80% prep and 20% paint
 Filling, sanding, taping and the ungodly amount of dust
 Fresh plaster - use a mist coat to prevent peeling later 
 What you’re really paying for in high-quality paint 
 Why to be wary of colour matching
 Choosing the right finish: various matt finishes, eggshell, satin, and gloss 
 How light affects your paint colour
How to test paint in your room
 How to choose the right off-white for your room 
Items mentioned
Festool dust extractor
Wooster paintbrushes
Purdy rollers
Our favourite off-white paints
Slaked Lime - Little Greene
Schoolhouse White - Farrow & Ball
Powdered Shell - Colourtrend
Subtle - Colourtrend
Trigg - Farrelly & Co
Greene Street - Prestige by Fleetwood (Roisin Lafferty collection)
Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Flooring is one of the biggest design decisions in a renovation - but it’s also structural, thermal, and incredibly hard to change later. In this episode, we cover everything from timber, tile and LVT to polished concrete, terrazzo, carpets, subfloors and underfloor heating compatibility.
What we cover
 Engineered timber vs solid timber - and why engineered wood is so popular these days 
 Stone, porcelain and the maintenance requirements
 LVT, glue-down vs click, why levelling is everything
 Polished concrete - is it right for Irish homes? 
 Terrazzo tiles vs poured terrazzo 
 Carpet, acoustics and the role of good underlay 
 The real hero: subfloor preparation, moisture control and levelling
 Which flooring types work best with underfloor heating
 Floor build-ups, levels and how to avoid awkward transitions 
Key takeaways
 Choose flooring based on use, comfort and maintenance, not just aesthetics 
 Every flooring failure usually comes back to poor prep
 Underfloor heating should influence your flooring choices early 
 Mixed materials need finished floor levels planned at design stage
This episode is packed with the practical decisions that help flooring feel seamless, durable and right for how you actually live.
Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

Windows and doors might seem like simple decisions - but they affect heat, light, ventilation, security and how your home feels every day. In this episode, we break down the key decisions to get right early when planning your external windows and doors.
What we cover:
 Why windows and doors must be decided early in a renovation 
 Different window types - fixed, casement, tilt & turn, sliding and bi-fold 
 Choosing the right frame materials (uPVC, aluminium, timber, alu-clad) 
 Double vs triple glazing - and when each is worth it
 Designing for light, privacy and ventilation 
 Front doors vs secondary doors - function, security and everyday use 
 Sliding, bi-fold, and French doors - pros, cons and real-life trade-offs 
 Thresholds, flow and how doors actually feel to use day-to-day 
Key considerations
 Start with use, not style - how will you actually live with these openings? 
 Opening direction, clearance and furniture placement matter more than you think 
 Bigger isn’t always better - especially with large, heavy doors 
 Plan for privacy without losing light 
Items mentioned
Fineo slim double glazing
Spring sash windows
This episode focuses on the early planning decisions - helping you avoid costly mistakes and choose windows and doors that work for your home long-term. 
Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines

To celebrate Paddy’s Day, we’re doing something a little different this week - an A–Z of our favourite Irish home, renovation and interiors suppliers.
From big renovation essentials to smaller finds, these are the brands, makers and shops we come back to again and again - whether we’re working on our own homes or recommending to others.
If you’re renovating, decorating or just love discovering great Irish suppliers, this is a brilliant place to start.
What this episode is about:
Our go-to Irish suppliers across home, interiors and renovation
A mix of well-known names and hidden gems
Brands we’ve used ourselves or consistently recommend
Ideas and inspiration for sourcing locally in Ireland
🔤 The A–Z List
A - April and the Bear
B - Browsers
C - CA Design 
D - Des Kelly
E - EZ Living Furniture
F - Finline Furniture
G - Grove Home
H - Havwoods
I - Industry & Co
J - Jam Art Factory
K - Kilkenny Architectural Salvage
L - LoftStyle 
M - Mullan Lighting
N - Newbridge Fabric Outlet
O - Oriana B
P - POD Furniture 
Q - Quirkes Homevalue 
R - Rosalin’s
S - Savvy Kitchens
T - Tiles and Terrazzo 
U - Ulster Carpets
V - Vintage Dublin
W - Woo Design
X - XO Tile
Y - Yeats Country Antiques
Z - Zozimus Gallery
🎧 Who this episode is for
Homeowners planning a renovation
Anyone sourcing furniture, finishes or homewares in Ireland
Listeners looking to shop more locally
People who love discovering new brands and suppliers
💡 Save this episode! It’s one you’ll come back to when you’re shopping for your own home or for gifts.
Follow the podcast on Instagram @ripitup_podcast_official, or follow us - Jenny is @workerscottage and Kate is @victorianrathmines