The Salvage Squad: A Home Makeover Show with a Difference!
The Salvage Squad is a fun new home interior makeover series packing an important sustainability punch. Each episode features two families who have the opportunity to get a room makeover with a twist - everything must be freecycled, up-cycled, sustainable, second-hand or salvaged!
This series is all about bringing joy back into tired spaces. The Salvage Squad designers, upcycling experts and trusty tradespeople are tasked with the transformation on a budget of €1,000 and just three days to sustainably turn a neglected room into a gorgeous, functional new space. But this isn’t a budget show – it's all about thinking outside the box and putting sustainability to the forefront.
Pat McDonnell Paints – Sustainable Paint Suppliers to The Salvage Squad
Pat McDonnell Paints were delighted to supply paints and painting accessories to team Salvage Squad! For the most sustainable option, we felt that Ralston was the perfect fit!
Ralston uses the latest technology to create paints that are not only high-quality but also friendlier to our environment. This water-based paint range uses premium raw materials derived, where possible from natural sources to minimise the environmental impact of their products. Extending the life cycles of their paint products, and striving to reduce waste, water usage and CO2 emissions are core to their manufacturing principles.
Ralston's biobased range is VOC-free and made from fully renewable, sustainably extracted organic ingredients while maintaining best-in-class paint performance. The BIOseries contains raw materials that can grow back within the lifetime of the paint. These materials are extracted from renewable sources, produced responsibly and don’t negatively impact on the food chain.
House 1: Stephen's Cottage in Stoneybatter, Dublin
(Image Credit: Biophilic Design by Natasha Rocca-Devine)
For the first makeover of the episode, designer Natasha Rocca-Devine helped new home-owner, Stephen, give his cosy cottage a new look. As part of the challenge, team Salvage Squad would tackle Stephen's small living area into a stylish multifunctional space that could be used for working, relaxing, hosting and dining. To achieve this, designer Natasha devised a unique biophilic design that offered the perfect blend of style and functionality.
For the colour scheme, Natasha went with Monstera – a rich, dark green from the Ralston range. They painted this colour all over the walls, woodwork and furniture. They complemented this with brass/gold accents for a luxury finish.
To ensure a consistent finish across all the different surfaces, the Salvage Squad team used a variety of Ralston paint products. For the walls, they started by applying a coat of Ralston Colour Prime to ensure a beautiful depth of colour followed by Ralston ExtraTex Matt. Both items are from the Biobased range and have strong eco-credentials. They primed the woodwork with Ralston Aqua All-Primer and followed with a topcoat of Ralston Aqua in a stylish Matt finish.
House 2: The Galligan's Self-Build in Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
(Image Credit: Peter Irvine)
For the show’s second makeover, Belfast-based designer Peter Irvine helped the Galligan family in Ballyboughal breathe new life into the family room of their self-build home. Filled with mismatched hand-me-downs, this tired space lacked the cosy, family-friendly vibe that the Galligans wanted to achieve.
To transform the room, designer Peter developed a "refined" concept that made great use of salvaged and sustainable materials. Key to the design was the use of a warm neutral colour palette made up of off-whites from the Ralston range including 'Aran Knit' and 'Olive Leaf'.
You can watch all six episodes of The Salvage Squad online via the Virgin Media Player.