One Last Thing with Joi Hannigan

Arriving at 31 Chapel Lane’s airy Limerick studio, you can’t help but be uplifted by the overall feel of lightness. Open since last summer, bringing the building up to spec was no mean feat, but it didn’t hurt that Joi’s husband and company co-founder, Damien Hannigan, is an architect.

“We renovated the space ourselves,” Joi explains. “Damien cut 150 pieces of plywood squares to fill the drop ceiling. We did our own painting, took partition walls down ... there was a lot to do, and we were running two businesses throughout. It was a very challenging time.”

Today, stress seems far away. The studio is calm, with the linen house’s first collection of wearables on display. Like their tableware, the new line has a sense of timelessness. The room itself is brimming with plants and trees.

“I need greenery. When you’re in a city space, you really need nature, and indoor plants are such an immediate way of getting it,” says Joi. “They bring great peace. Although, I have a nursing area for them at the moment, as they’re not doing so well ...”

One of Joi’s favourites is a potted Iris, which was a gift from her friend Rachel. “She is the first friend I made after moving to Limerick. She popped into our office to meet us because she found us through Instagram. Ever since then, she has just been so nice and generous with us.”

The pot itself was a gift from Damien to Joi. “I’ve found the easiest plant to grow is the rubber plant. You just leave them alone and they grow.” 31chapellane.com

PHOTOGRAPHY Al Higgins
PUBLISHED Image Interiors & Living Jan/Feb 2017