A day in the life of Carol-Anne Leyden, co-founder of CA design

6.45am

Rise and shine, for me, anyway. My day kicks off with my daily vitamin hit, The Elevator sachet from Sisterly; it sets me up for the day and gives me the energy I need to power through. A quick dash out into the fresh air before the rest of the house wakes. A pounding of local pavements leads me to my favourite neighbourhood coffee house, Nobó Treathouse, for an Açai bowl which I bring home.

7.45am

This part of my morning involves brekky with my two girls, school lunches and the general rush around the house before getting the girls off to school.

8.45am

If I’m lucky, I’ll sneak in a quick yoga or stretch session in the garden (weather permitting) I try to take a little moment at this time each day to myself, whether it’s to sit still or take in a quick meditation on the Calm App.

9am

First coffee of the day! I always log on at home first and chat with our Chinese suppliers in peace and quiet. They’re usually at the end of their day but we still get to cover everything. This time of year especially is crazy with multiple containers coming in for Xmas, and with lots of new orders coming in, there’s extra work trying to get orders over the lines and not missing deadlines.

11am

It’s time to hit the Portobello studio and office and catch up with the team – every day is different. We have deliveries coming in and out, scheduled appointments and then people just popping in. Our online chat portal can be non-stop, so the team are back and forth with customers throughout the day while the online sales come in. There’s a great energy and buzz around the office. We have a full schedule of meetings and Zooms with various European suppliers, online meetings or on-site checks to see how projects are developing. But sometimes, it’s pure joy, like getting to choose new fabrics for interior design projects or custom designs.

1pm

Lunch at Bibi’s in Portobello – it’s not an everyday occurrence, but it is so amazing when I can; their food is super tasty and nutritious to keep me fuelled for what’s in store for the rest of the day’s busy schedule.

2pm

An on-site meeting, donning my high vis and hardhat, to oversee a Cairn Homes showroom that is well underway. I get such a kick out of site visits; it’s incredible to see all our work and interior design vision come to fruition; it’s my favourite part of every project.

3.30pm

A quick detour to pop into a beautiful light-flooded photoshoot at the Home of the Year 2023 finalist, @HowStellaGotHerHouseBack, a renovated 1950s semi-D in Dublin, designed by Courtney McDonnell studio. It’s flat-out gorgeous. We were thrilled to see all the CA Design pieces they used in their renovation project; seeing them in situ is always such a thrill.

5pm

If the weather is nice, I might squeeze in a sneaky sea dip before getting home for the evening. Vico is my favourite spot. I’ll bring my dog Millie if I can; she loves to sit and watch all the swimmers. If not I pop into Eden One on the way home for a swim there!

6pm

I love this time of day catching up with the girls and hearing about their day. From now until the girls’ bedtime, it’s a race to get it all done: dinner, homework, baths and bedtime routines, but it’s such a gorgeous time of the day when I get to hang out with the family.

7.30pm

Popped into the Hugh Lane Gallery to see The Andy Warhol exhibition, which didn’t disappoint – it’s beautifully curated and just stunning.

8.30pm

The girls have gone to bed, and it’s time to unwind, have dinner and stick on Lessons in Chemistry which I’m glued to at the moment!

10pm

A few pages of my book, and it’s hard to keep my eyes open. Eight hours’ sleep is essential before I get up and do it all again. But I wouldn’t have it any other way; it’s an always-on business and an always-on life, but it’s all about enjoying every step of the journey.

Carol-Anne’s favourite cocktail

Carol-Anne’s Malfy cocktail of choice is the Amalfi Settantacinque.

Ingredients

• 25ml Malfy Con Limone
• 20ml clementine juice
• 15ml simple syrup
• 20ml lemon juice
• 75ml champagne

 

Method

Shake the first four ingredients and strain into a flute. Then top with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist and star anise.

For the season’s most stylish cocktail inspiration, and to learn more about Malfy Italian Gin, please visit malfygin.com