Moving In is a well established Interiors magazine and has been in existence for over 12 years.  The title has changed somewhat to Moving in to Inspire with the emphasis on Inspire as the magazine’s target has changed from the ‘moving in’ client to all those that have an interest in redecoration, restoration, extending and renovation.  Trish Phelan became editor of the magazine last summer and very kindly agreed to an interview about her career in publishing, the changes to the magazine and the future.

Trish, what changes have you made to Moving In to Inspire since you became editor?

I had been working as editor of Commercial Property and Interiors for the same publishing house.  That magazine focussed on high profile developments and interiors in the 4*+ hotel, spa, leisure and commercial sector.  With my experience of this market and my focus on top quality visuals and design I brought a new look to Moving IN and I was keen to embrace all new technologies to pitch ourselves at the top end of the retail interior market and to offer the best ‘bang for buck’ package to advertisers.

I immediately set about creating a new website which amongst other things has full online access to the magazine – this is something that no other Irish interiors magazine is offering.  With this facility we can set links from our online title back to the client website; we can report on traffic between the two sites with number of hits and number of click throughs.  This is all very useful information for clients and for us.  We are continuing down the technology road with the introduction of QR codes and Google Places links so it will be possible from the magazine to use smart phones for a ‘one click’ direct link to the advertiser’s site.  In doing this we offer a full online and electronic package as well as shelf life – again something that sets us ahead and apart from other Irish Interiors titles and delivers a great package for advertisers.

I am acutely aware of the need to keep up to date with shows and events in the Interior world.  We recently attended ISH in Frankfurt and will be reporting on it shortly and we will be at the Irish Design Fair to give our clients feedback on this event.  I am thrilled to have international designer Garry Cohn working with us on some of these projects.  I hope to expand on our network of ‘guests’ in the magazine to present real choice and inspiration to our readers.

I am also very aware of the power of networking and like the article we have done here with Garrendenny Lane, I feel networking with people out there in the business who can contribute to the magazine is a mutually beneficial exercise and will encourage excellent ‘word of mouth’   feedback (or even better, a positive blog!).  I can honestly say that if you talk to any of my longstanding clients they will tell you that they get ‘exactly what it says on the tin’ with me.  I don’t do smoke and mirrors, I tell it as it is and I deliver what I say I will.  That keeps me happy with myself and it gives me happy, repeat clients.

Prior to working with this magazine I took some time out to have my daughter while at the same time setting up a computer business with my husband which is running successfully in Ireland for over 10 years.  Before that I worked in the UK for eight years as National Training & Development manager for a UK plc where I also wrote all of the course and training material.  Going back further to that I ran a travel agency in West Africa which afforded me lovely business class travel to European capitals for shopping and sightseeing trips. For future plans, I will soon launch a new title into the public sector world also for this publishing house and I am about to start work on co-writing a coffee table style book.

I am absolutely passionate about travel and design.  I could watch wall-to-wall home improvement and property shows as I love a ‘before and after’ story.  I guess that’s what I’m doing to Moving IN.  It was good ‘before’ but it will be even better ‘after’.  That said, I never see an end, just an opportunity to keep doing more and getting better.

You will have a stand at the Ideal Homes Exhibition in the RDS this weekend and giving out your magazine for free – is this correct?

Yes, our stand is being decorated by Linda McNally of Clontarf Interiors and accessories are from Mindy Browne (a brilliant source for mirrors, tables etc) and rug by RugArt.  There are two interiors magazines at this show, Inspire from here and Irish Homes and Interiors – a predominantly northern Irish title.  We are delighted to have been selected yet again and yes, the magazine will be distributed for free to all visitors to the show so we’re looking forward to seeing lots of people there this weekend.

So, if you are looking for a sneak peek at the magazine, head over to their website to check it out and see my article in it below.  If you head to the Ideal Homes this weekend at the RDS, have a great day and don’t forget to pick up your copy of Moving In To Inspire!

The number of online interiors magazines is increasing which is wonderful and I’m going to tell you about another one that is now free to look at.  The Great Indoors Magazine is an Irish Interiors magazine, edited by Carol O’Callaghan and what I like about it too, is that it is laid out like a website so there’s no hassle zooming in on pages etc.

Well laid out, with a contents page , and lots of interesting content. I particularly like Editor’s choice, where Carol has focused on a few favourites. Having been at Sasha Sykes’ launch of her ‘Family Silver’ collection (where my 6 year old tasted a whisky sour and then devoured it!) , I was delighted to see her featured as I was to see a feature on Black and Blum, one of our suppliers to our site.

So pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of wine, make yourself comfy and pop over to The Great Indoors Magazine for a good read and drool.

Pour yourself a large cup of tea and settle back in the armchair to read Rue, the new interiors online magazine. I haven’t got through it all yet but what I have managed to look at, looks fab!  Enjoy!

Did you know that Fuse Interiors don’t just have an online store, oh no, they have also opened up a pop up shop at the moment at Gallery One which is open until 31st December. You can still purchase online but if you wish to go and see their fabulous stock ‘in the skin’, do pop along to Dublin 2.

The furniture is a quirky mix of designer mid century, vintage and one off pieces which have been individually selected and restored. Examples of items customers can buy include a 1950s metal filing cabinet for €795, a 1950s teak writing desk for €695, a re-upholstered fireside armchair from Belgium for €795 and an extendable rosewood dining table by Pastoe from Holland for €1,100.  I’m loving the shopping till below.

I was delighted and honoured to be asked to guest post on the fabulous Scarlet Opus Interiors Trends blog – you can check out my post here!