ART CONVERSATION | Design Week Dublin 2026: The Importance of Art in Designed Spaces
Join interior architect Maria Fenlon, art specialist James O’Halloran, property expert Helena Hart and interior designer Deirdre Coleman for a conversation on the role of art within considered interiors. Drawing on their distinct perspectives across art, design and property, they will explore how original and handmade work can complement architecture and materials, shape the composition of a space and bring depth and individuality to a design scheme.
The discussion will consider how art can be approached as an integral part of the design process, rather than simply a finishing touch. Moderated by Deirdre Coleman at Gerard Byrne Gallery, 13 Trinity Street.
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MEET THE PANEL
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Maria Fenlon
Interior ArchitectMOREMaria Fenlon is an interior architect and founder of Enhance by Maria Fenlon, a specialist interior design company with more than 27 years’ experience. She studied Fine Art Sculpture at Limerick School of Art & Design before completing a Higher Diploma in Art and Design Teaching, and later studied Interior Architecture at Griffith College Dublin. Her background in fine art informs her approach to interiors, with a particular focus on craftsmanship, considered design and the incorporation of original artwork within the homes she creates.
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James O’Halloran
Director at Adam’s AuctioneersMOREJames O’Halloran is a Director at Adam’s Auctioneers, where he has worked since 1981 and served as Managing Director for twenty years. A qualified general valuer and specialist in 20th-century Irish art, he is a former President of the Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute, a Fellow of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. With more than four decades of experience in the Irish art market, he continues to appraise and sell artworks at the highest level in Ireland.
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Helena Hart
Associate at Owen ReillyMOREHelena Hart brings a distinctive perspective to Dublin’s residential property market. After eight years working in financial services on Wall Street, she returned to Dublin and made the move into residential sales with Owen Reilly. A History of Art graduate of Trinity College Dublin, she combines a strong commercial background with a keen interest in architecture, interiors and the role design plays in shaping how we experience and value a home.
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Deirdre Coleman
Interior Designer, Presenter of 'RTÉ’s Home Rescue: The Big Fix'MOREDeirdre Coleman, moderating the conversation, is an interior designer, broadcaster and former lecturer at Dublin’s Institute of Design. As presenter and designer on RTÉ’s Home Rescue: The Big Fix, she is a passionate advocate for the power of thoughtful, human-centred design to genuinely enhance lives. Her private practice creates authentic, individual spaces that respond to the people who inhabit them rather than to trends, with an emphasis on quality, craftsmanship, connection to nature and the considered use of materials.
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