Inside the Studio
I work from two converted stables in a little barn in the Wicklow countryside
In winter I light the fire to stay cosy all day. In summer I work with the door open to hear the birdsong.
Below is a little more about how I work — and why.
The Barn Studio
I have been working from my barn studio since 2012.
I used to call it my ‘Barn Kitchen’ because I first converted these two stables into a kitchen, and worked as a private chef/caterer from here for seven years.
It was time to move on from that, and 2020 gave me the opportunity to consider what to do next.
Why I make scent from plants instead of perfume
I always loved scented products, especially when I was cooking full time and in need of a lot of pampering after long days.
But I was endlessly disappointed by what I could buy. Everything smelled so loud and harsh because of synthetic fragrance. I wished there was something that smelled of real ingredients — all the gorgeous aromas of plants, flowers, leaves, herbs and nature.
Finally it dawned on me in summer 2020 to have a go at making my own, and quickly realised this process was exactly what I was looking for.
Blending, like a cook
There are lot of similarities between cooking and creating scent.
In both you need good ingredients and good recipes as a starting point. But to create something special, intuition and your own creative input is what’s needed.
I blend oils to best showcase their botanical character, in the same way a cook might build a dish around one beautiful ingredient. The oil is the star. My role is simply to bring out its best qualities.
Small batches
Tiny adjustments make a big difference when working with scent, so it must be done slowly and with full attention. I pour candles 100 at a time, and make soap in batches of four loaves at a time.
I am a one-person studio, and intend to stay that way. I have no desire to supply the whole world with candles. Making what I can make, properly, with the time and the two hands I’ve got isn’t a stepping stone, it’s the whole point.
Gardens and landscape
My studio sits right in the middle of a four acre plot in the Wicklow countryside. I’ve got sheep as neighbours, birds as colleagues, and seasons for entertainment.
Daily contact with all this vibrant life influences how I create oil blends. They are designed to sit harmoniously in their natural surroundings, and bring the deeply restful feeling of contact with the elements into your home.
Do keep an eye on my Instagram where I love to occasionally share pictures from the garden and videos of our ducks who make everybody smile.
