{"id":643,"date":"2025-04-08T15:38:12","date_gmt":"2025-04-08T15:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/?p=643"},"modified":"2025-04-13T08:04:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-13T08:04:58","slug":"the-skyscanner-tool-thatll-save-you-money-refurnishing-your-property","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/08\/the-skyscanner-tool-thatll-save-you-money-refurnishing-your-property\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u2018Skyscanner\u2019 tool that\u2019ll save you money refurnishing your property"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Deirdre McGettrick created the ‘Skyscanner for interiors’ (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deirdre McGettrick\u2019s decision to start interiors<\/a> website ufurnish.com<\/a> was borne out of one overwhelming emotion: frustration. \u2018When I bought my first ever home<\/a> in 2017, I was excited about decorating <\/a>and furnishing it, but I soon realised I couldn\u2019t find any of the furniture I wanted,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018I could use Rightmove to find my home <\/a>without knowing every single estate agent in Woolwich<\/a> \u2013 I just had to search on Rightmove <\/a>to see all the properties within my budget \u2013 and I wondered why there wasn\u2019t a similar tool for interiors.\u2019<\/p>\n

Five years ago, ufurnish.com went live. It doesn\u2019t sell furniture directly; instead, it directs consumers through to the furniture retailer’s website, where they can complete their purchases. Think Skyscanner<\/a> for interiors.<\/p>\n

Since then, Deirdre\u2019s vision has remained unchanged. <\/p>\n

\u2018It was all about providing ordinary people with the tools they need<\/a> to be able to create their ideal home. We wanted to enable them to shop across the market, across various budgets, finding alternative products to achieve their desired look,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Deirdre wanted to give ordinary people the tools to create their ideal home (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Deirdre says she and her team continually strive to enhance the site \u2013 with a new feature allowing users to upload images and compare prices.<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tReady to start your homebuying journey?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Award winning service from the UK\u2019s leading mortgage broker<\/p>\n

\u2013 Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week<\/p>\n

\u2013 Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market<\/p>\n

Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won’t charge you a fee for their advice.<\/p>\n

Find out how much you could borrow online<\/a><\/p>\n

Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018Consumers can now upload a photo of something they\u2019ve seen. Using AI <\/a>and image recognition, ufurnish.com will display similar items available across the market, along with information on where to buy them at the best prices.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
The mirrored splashback helps reflect natural light (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The launch of the ufurnish.com Home Awards<\/a> last year was part of the effort to provide a comprehensive resource for consumers. Metro <\/strong>is backing this year\u2019s awards as official media partner.<\/p>\n

\u2018There are so many influencers and homeowners sharing their homes and interiors journey<\/a> on social media,\u2019 says Deirdre. \u2018They\u2019re providing their audience with the tools, inspiration\u2028and courage to have a go at decorating their homes.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Deirdre co-founded ufurnish.com with her husband Ray Wright (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Metro <\/strong>couldn\u2019t resist having a peek around Deirdre\u2019s own home, a riverside apartment in Woolwich she shares with her husband Ray and baby daughter.<\/p>\n

Determined to create a bright and airy space, Deirdre removed the shelving cabinets and replaced kitchen tiles with a mirrored splashback.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Ottoman beds provide extra storage (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018This helps reflect natural light and allows me to see what\u2019s going on behind me when I\u2019m in the kitchen. I can look out on to the river with London City Airport in the background while washing the dishes,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

Living in a small flat, Deirdre has had to be creative when it comes to storage, using Ottoman beds in both bedrooms, fitted wardrobes and a chaise sofa bed in the living area. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Deirdre loves the view from the chaise to the Thames and City airport beyond it (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018One of my favourite spots is sitting on the chaise, gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling windows,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018I can watch boats on the Thames, planes landing and taking off from City Airport <\/a>and, at night, all the lights at Canary Wharf\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018My home is my sanctuary, where I can let my guard down, walk around my home in my PJs and just relax<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tCould you win the 2025 Ufurnish Home Awards? \t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Anna Jacobs completely transformed her Crystal Palace rental (Picture: Anna Jacobs)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

Anna Jacobs\u2019 home<\/a>, pictured here, was a winner in the 2024 Ufurnish Home Awards. <\/p>\n

Entries for this year\u2019s are now open, and you can find details of the categories and how to enter here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s closing date is April 27.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tWhat's your home like?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

This year Metro <\/strong>is partnering with the Ufurnish.com Home Awards<\/a> to bring readers the best in UK property.<\/p>\n

From jaw-dropping before-and-after renovations to effortlessly stylish spaces on a budget and rental DIY masterpieces, the awards recognise outstanding talent across 20 categories covering interiors, gardens, furniture innovation and home accessories.<\/p>\n

As part of our partnership, Metro\u2019s Property channel <\/a>will be full of inspiring homes, fly-on-the-wall property pictures and tips and tricks from those in the know.<\/p>\n

Need some inspo (or some eye candy)? We\u2019ve rounded up nine winners<\/a> from last year\u2019s awards to get those creative juices flowing.<\/p>\n

Head to Ufurnish.com<\/a> to enter now.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Do you have a story to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Deirdre McGettrick created the ‘Skyscanner for interiors’ (Picture: Deirdre McGettrick) Deirdre McGettrick\u2019s decision to start interiors website ufurnish.com was borne out of one overwhelming emotion: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-property"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=643"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":653,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643\/revisions\/653"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.merlinscove.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}