From street markets to DIY chain stores, here's where to find your furniture bargains, writes Eoin Lyons
DECORATING SHOULD be a pleasure and it's nice to find unexpected things that you can somehow work into your home. It's even better if these purchases cost very little. Think outside the box and don't dismiss low-end or charity shops. Mixing things from inexpensive chain stores and small expensive shops is the way to go, and don't turn your nose up at the Blackrock Market in Dublin: there are often amazing quirky things to be had at brilliant prices. Usually, there is lots of old stuff, such as fittings and fixtures. Some are junk but others are crying out to be re-used. Everyone knows the odd antique brings personality to a contemporary home. The market is just off Main Street and takes place on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.
Also worth checking out is the Bodytonic car-boot sale that takes place once a month at the Bernard Shaw pub on South Richmond Street in Portobello, Dublin 8. Carefully vetted stalls sell quality items rather than charity-shop rejects. The next one takes place on November 11th from 1pm to 6pm.
The same goes for large DIY stores. B&Q has really improved its offering, particularly in the lighting department. Gone are the pastiche copies of expensive fittings and in their place are unpretentious shades in great bright colours for prices that start at about €5. Also at B&Q are mirrored wall tiles that might be best used in a hallway (or other small spaces in need of some visual expansion) to create a panelled effect: a set of four mirror tiles is €15.30.
Buckley's Auction House (Sandycove, Co Dublin; 01-2844717) holds auctions every Thursday at 2.30pm. It's a great place to find old furniture with character . . . that can mean shoddy or wonderful - what you see is down to luck. They're often good for old side tables or bedside lockers. While in the Dún Laoghaire area, if you're in the market for fabric visit Murphy Sheehy & Co's new shop (3 Corrig Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin; 01-2020642). Owner Jane Adams has just returned from a buying trip and has cool retro prints at reasonable prices.
Also visit Brian S Nolan (102 Upper George's Street, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin; 01-2800564) and look through the sale rail for end cuts of fabric costing next to nothing. They're often just two metres long. You can pick up lovely pieces of very high-quality fabric that can be used to make cushion covers, blinds or panelled curtains. At the higher end of the fabric market, Mary Wrynne Interiors in Carrick-on-Shannon and Longford (www.marywrynne.ie) has reduced fabrics by Beacon Hill and Robert Allen by 10 per cent. This may not seem a large reduction, but these fabrics can be €150 per metre so the discount is worthwhile.
Above all, a visit to Ikea in Belfast is always worthwhile if you haven't tried it yet (www.ikea.co.uk, Holywood Exchange, 306 Airport Road West, 00-44-845-3551113). Where else would you get a solid oak extendable dining table that seats 12 for €320? There are some things to remember, however. Make sure you arrive in a large car. The flat-pack boxes are big and bulky and it wouldn't be good if you discovered you weren't able to bring your bargain purchase home because it doesn't fit in your car. Go prepared: look online and see what you like. Bring any necessary measurements if you're looking to pick something up for a particular spot. The great thing about Ikea is that there is so much choice. You're sure to find something that fits. Think about what you actually need and don't go overboard.
When you arrive, go upstairs and have a coffee while flicking through the catalogue. Then head down to the showroom area. This is where the furniture is made up and placed on display in room sets. Make a note of what you want to pick up at the warehouse area. There will be details on each item. When you're finished, get a trolley and go to the self-service area. This is also divided room by room: in the kitchen area you'll find plates, glasses, cook ware and so on. Be very careful here: it's easy to fill three trolleys in an instant.
Progress to the warehouse. Here you will find aisles of stacked cardboard boxes with all the goods flat-packed within. In the showroom, you will have seen your desired item with a tag, for example: Aisle 12, Area 20.
Remember that your furniture could be in more than one box, so make sure to collect each item.
Then you pay and exit. It's important to set off early. If travelling from Dublin, leave at 8am, to get there for about 10am. It takes longer than you imagine to get through the building. Even if you know what you want, it could take two hours. It's better not to go at the weekend when the store is busiest.
Before you buy, make sure you know exactly what comes with the item. Sometimes you have to buy screws and bolts separately. If you buy a bed, it's obvious that you might not get the mattress with it, but neither will you get the slats that sit beneath the mattress. They must (annoyingly) be bought separately. When you are putting the darn thing together (you need patience for flat-packs) follow the instructions exactly. Don't take short-cuts. If it says twist the bolts left to right, do it that way: these things are so well designed, there's probably a reason. The whole thing might collapse otherwise. elyons@irish-times.ie