A new beacon for interiors shoppers in Sandyford

Beacon South Quarter, in Sandyford, south Dublin, is due to have a host of interiors stores along with swish apartments and restaurants, writes Fiona Tyrrell.

Billed as a specialised interiors and leisure retail centre, Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford, Dublin 18, is set to open on July 12th.

While Dunnes Stores is the anchor tenant at the scheme, all eyes will be on the first Roche-Bobois store to open in Ireland. The French furniture company is noted for its high-end designs.

On display at the new 660sq m (7,100sq ft) store will be two Roche-Bobois ranges. Les Contemporains is a collection of slick contemporary furniture with a masculine feel, while the funky Les Voyages range is inspired by exotic locations and features lots of low slung slouchy pieces in bright prints and stripes.

Other interior retailers opening at the scheme are McNally Living, the well-known Irish kitchen supplier which will be launching a new brand of German furniture from the store; Limari, an Irish children's furniture designer; Diamond Living; IQ Living; and DunnesHome.

Four more interiors stores and a gym are in the pipeline for the fast-developing Beacon South Quarter.

The interiors and leisure centre forms part of Landmark Development's ambitious plans for the 12-acre former Microsoft site.

When complete it will incorporate a new neighbourhood with retail, residential, office and leisure facilities. It ties in with Landmark's other developments in the area, including Beacon Court, the Beacon Hotel and Beacon Hospital.

A total of 1,100 up-scale apartments are planned for the quarter and 750 of these have already been constructed in modern glass-fronted buildings.

Next door is the South Bar & Restaurant, a sister establishment of the successful Town Bar & Grill in Dublin 2. Its crisp contemporary diningroom opened for business earlier this month.

Nestling beside all of the smart glass and steel structures is a quirky curved wooden building which will be home to Imaginosity, Ireland's first children's museum, which is also set to open in July.