“IT’S GENUINELY SOMEWHERE we’re happy to come home to.”

For Stacey Finn and her boyfriend Eoghan, putting their own stamp on their rented apartment and making it feel like home was top of their to-do list after securing their lease.

The pair moved into their apartment in Leopardstown in July after viewing close to a dozen other properties, but are “very glad” they waited to find a place that ticks all of their boxes.

“We’d always said we’d move in together and see how we got on before buying a house,” says Stacey. “We’re both teachers, so we wanted to find a place before the school year started in September.”

Making the apartment feel as bright and welcoming as possible was a priority for the couple, although this was made slightly more difficult by its north-west facing aspect. 

“It’s on the ground floor as well, so it can be a little dark. We put a lot of thought into thinking about what colours we’d use to make it cosy,” says Stacey. The pair opted for neutral colours throughout, and even got to choose what colour they wanted the walls in the apartment and the carpet in the bedroom as the landlord was carrying out upgrades.

“We went for white walls throughout to keep it bright, and chose a pale grey carpet for the bedroom to keep the cosy feel without dulling it down. It’s not a big apartment, but it’s good enough for us.”

Being located on a corner means there are extra windows in the living space, which are perfect for Stacey’s love of plants. Not to forget the apartment being pet-friendly, which was a necessity for pup Perry.

“I saw a little picture in the kitchen when we were viewing the apartment that said something about how a cat and a dog make a house a home, so I asked what the policy was on pets and thankfully she was okay with us having one,” says Stacey. 

Another way they made the place their own was by moving around furniture and experimenting with its positioning. “I asked if it was okay for me to move things around so we could optimise the space. I moved a set of drawers from the living room to the bedroom and put furniture I brought with me there instead.” 

As with any modern movers, Stacey and Eoghan were eager to set up their internet connection when they moved in. “We wanted to find the best value internet provider. We didn’t go for a TV package because we just use streaming services and wanted to save money wherever we could, so we just got the internet and ended up having it set up on the same day we ordered it.” 

 This service is offered by providers including Sky, where movers can book in for an engineer to install Sky TV and Ultrafast Broadband as early as moving day. 

Having lived in the apartment for close to six months now, Stacey and Eoghan are “really happy” with their new place.

“We’re thinking about putting up the Christmas tree this week and I was only saying at the weekend that I’m actually so excited to come home and sit on the couch and look around at the place that’s ours.”

Tick one big thing off your list before you move in with Sky’s exclusive new home offers and get your Sky TV and Ultrafast Broadband setup for your move in day. Find out more here. Terms and conditions apply.