Bargains emerge at the last of the summer sales

Interiors: As the sales come to an end, look beyond the obvious and you can strike lucky, writes Eoin Lyons

Many shops have already wrapped up their summer sales but those that haven't are offering some good bargains for the eager shopper. Others, such as Brown Thomas and Arnotts, still have a few items reduced, although their sale has officially ended.

The end of a sale usually includes a lot of odd pieces but look beyond the obvious to strike lucky.

Livingroom

At Arnotts a Ligne Roset sofa is down from €2,700 to €2,000. This is a quality sofa in a style that won't date - it's worth buying, sale or no sale.

Diamond Furniture's beige or chocolate Tuscano two-seater sofa was €650, now €249; standard, but a good price for a neutral sofa. The same shop also has a 1950s-style leather three-seater and two-seater, sold together for €995 but originally €1,999.

At the Dalkey Design Centre owner Glynis Robbins has reduced her signature French and Italian chandeliers: for example, a pretty pink glass version was €1,350 and is now €1,080.

Hollands in Cork, which deals in high quality rugs, has a 9ft by 6ft vegetable-dyed, hand-tufted Pakistan carpet reduced from €2,400 to €1,600: a good price for a traditional carpet.

French Country Interiors (052-41187) specialises in pale, painted furniture - but real antiques not reproductions - and French art deco furniture. It has relocated from its shop in Cahir to a warehouse on the Dublin-Cork road. The sign reads "The Antique Warehouse". For the next few weeks it has up to 20 and 30 per cent off lockers, beds and armoires. Usual French art deco standard lamps are wonderful but, even with reductions, think a couple of thousand euro. Smaller items, such as mirrors, are also reduced and can be had from €400.

Diningroom/kitchen

Mobilia has reductions of up to 50 per cent off shop floor items. This shop specialises in contemporary furniture and the best deal we saw was a cute flip-top table with a smooth cream finish reduced from €275 to €140.

Marble and Lemon in Cork has a traditional rustic solid teak dining table reduced from €1,295 to €795. Matching teak chairs are down from €295 to €260.

At Brown Thomas, you can find a simple 24-piece stainless steel cutlery set for €50, originally €100.

At Inreda on Camden Street, Dublin, a table and four chairs were €2,995, now €1,995. The table has a dark wood veneer and slender proportions; the chairs have white cotton slipcovers. One of its more usual sale items is a small table and two chairs moulded from black rubber, reduced from €2,060 to €1,060.

At Meadows & Byrne a simple oak wood table made of small individual pieces is down to €495 from €780. The matching bench is €195 down from €250. Meadows & Byrne has also reduced its Monaco garden set (six metal chairs, a round glass topped table and parasol) from €2,495 to €2,245: not much of a saving but a worthwhile buy.

Bedroom/bathroom

Sales are the time to buy the very best bed linen and that can be found at Bottom Drawer in Brown Thomas. There are 50 per cent discounts on a golden cream damask range called Maison: bed spreads that were €350 are now €150, and pillowcases that were €45 are now €25.

At Home with Clery's has duck-down double duvets reduced from €255 to €127.50, and pillows from €50 to €28.

Classic Furniture in Carrickmines has a wonderful bedroom section and has reduced a sold oak 5ft bed from €995 to €695. High quality mattresses have also been reduced with prices now starting at €360.

Elegant John has a deal on a classic white sink, bath and wc for €795, which would normally be well over €1,000. Marks & Spencer has good reductions in its range of towels: hand (€7), bath (€17) and extra large (€25) in any almost colour you fancy.

Across the furniture range, Flanagans of Buncrana and Mount Merrion is having its "biggest sale in its 65 year history" starting tomorrow (August 4th) for a short time.

Bargains include leather and fabric sofas, chairs, occasional, bedroom and dining room furniture, rugs, pianos, antiques, clocks, pictures, lamps and mirrors. Examples include a satinwood desk down from €2,450 to €975, a four-poster bed at €1,795 from €3,750; upright piano at €450 from €975; and oval mahogany dining table at €395 from €995.

Contacts:

Arnotts (01-8050400); At Home with Clery's (01-8066077); Bottom Drawer at Brown Thomas (01-6056666); Diamond Furniture (1850-454444); Elegant John (01-8658010); Hollands (021-4551311); Living (01-2828905); Marble & Lemon (021-4271877); Marks & Spencer (01-8728833); Mobilia (01-4780177); The Dalkey Design Centre (01-2856827); Classic Furniture (01-2076566); French Country Interiors (052-41187); Inreda (01-4760362); Meadows & Byrne (01-2804554); Flanagan's (01-288 0218)