Interior designer who followed her dream honoured for amazing work

Gavan Becton

Published: Wed 23 May 2018, 5:57 PM

Last updated: Wed 23 May 2018, 7:08 PM

Trim based interior architectural firm Audrey Gaffney Associates has won the Female Led Business of the Year Award at the fourth Annual All-Ireland Business Summit held in Croke Park last month.
The company was also accredited with the All-Star Interior Design Team 2018 award
Audrey Gaffney Associates, based in Scurlockstown Business Park, Trim, specialises in hospitality interiors from castles to restaurants and nightclubs. Among the projects the firm is currently working on are the Dublin Skylon Hotel and Castleknock Hotel.

Sumptious..Cabra Castle (ALL PICS: NIALL CUMMINS PHOTOGRAPHY)

Speaking after the awards, Audrey said “Achieving All-Stars accreditation is a great source of pride for us and we look forward to continuing to meet and indeed exceed the standards set by the All-Star programme.
“The process which led to this accreditation truly stretched us, the structure of the competition required us to put our brand story on paper and gave us the opportunity to reflect on who we are, our growth strategy and above all the value we create for our target audience.

The Blaney Bar at Lough Erne.

“The opportunity to hear first-hand feedback from our Judge-Mentor, our existing customers, partners and suppliers through the reference module combined with the results from the mystery shopper round was invaluable.”
Originally from Cavan, Audrey has lived in Meath since 2001 and is now settled in Bohermeen with husband Niall Cummins and daughter Sienna (5).
She worked in retail management before embarking on a change of career, prompted by a conversation she had with a close cousin who had been diagnosed with cancer. “I always had a love of design. My cousin was so positive when I went to see her in hospital. I asked her how she could be so positive and she said ‘I have three years and I will make the most of every moment. You will go and do the same thing you have always been doing’".

Stunning.. The Skylon Hotel.

Audrey decided to follow her dream to study interior architecture in Griffith College, first achieving her diploma and then her degree while working with a Dublin firm.
She gave up her job in Dublin after purchasing an old schoolhouse in Cavan for a renovation. Some of her old clients came to her for help and it “snowballed” from there resulting in Audrey setting up her own business in 2008 and which now employs nine staff.

The Skylon.