There are some good bargains in interiors shops, so January is the best time to splurge on that designer armchair, dining table or bed you've had your eye on.
The January sales are under way, so now is the time to shop for furniture, particularly for key pieces that are well reduced. Before you set out, try to have an idea of the shape and style of what you're looking for. Open your mind to things that are different from what you might usually consider. Look for furniture that's out of the ordinary.
Brian Corcoran Antiques (01-4548744) on Francis Street in Dublin 8 has in stock a decadent 1970s headboard that looks as if it has been taken from the bedroom of a Hollywood star. The top is semi-circular and it is covered with blue suede and includes smoked glass mirror. There are built-in cabinets on both sides. It was €2,500 and is now reduced to €2,000. This new shop is already one of the gems of Francis Street. You never know what you'll find there. It is also relatively affordable, and has a mix-and-match approach to its inventory, with good ideas you could apply to your home, too. Another interesting item that has been reduced is an artisan hall mirror and console table made from beech twigs and branches. It's very Lord of the Rings and is also reduced to €2,000, down from €2,600. See www.myantiques.ie.
Peter Johnson's shop on Cow's Lane, behind Parliament Street in Dublin 2 (01-4537088) has a beautiful Art Deco washbasin in stock. It costs €550 (previously €700), is made from pale blue porcelain, and sits on a pedestal. It has chrome taps and plug. Johnson found it in France and reckons it was made in about 1930.
Having too many design classics can overdo it - a few well-chosen pieces are enough. Janie Lazar, who runs www.designclassicsdirect.ie, a furniture retailing website, runs special offers all year around. At the moment she has reduced a Mies Van der Rohe leather cantilever chair from €430 to €366 and the Brno chair, by the same iconic designer, from €695 to €550. Not all reproductions are as good as what Lazar offers, and although you might be wary of buying from a website, this one is used by many architects.
If you are keen to upgrade your laundry room, Miele has a good deal on stainless steel washing machines and matching dryers. They look fantastic, in an industrial chic sort of way. The washer was €1,954 and is now €1,344. The high price is because the drum of the machine has honeycomb perforations that, we are told, are much kinder to clothes. See www.miele.ie for stockists.
If you are re-designing a bathroom, Versatile Bathrooms in Navan, Co Meath (046-9029444) has a low-lying KOS bath that originally cost a hefty €6,500 but is now a more accessible €3,250. It's one of the most elegant, minimalist baths I've come across and would be extremely stylish in any type of house, provided you have the space. There is only one remaining. The same shop also has a long double sink and storage unit that was €4,000, reduced to €2,000. Versatile usually has a couple of good offers at any particular time.
If you insist on buying a leather sofa, point yourself in the direction of House of Fraser, Dundrum Town Centre, Dublin 16 (01-2991400), which has some decent reductions. A large black L-shape leather sofa was €3,039, and is now €1,519. A neat brown leather sofa was €4,366, and is now €2,183. These are slouchy and comfortable, and don't look dated. House of Fraser's furniture department always has good sales. This year there is 50 per cent off almost everything. It's a good opportunity to stock up on their Linea 250-thread-count Egyptian cotton, reduced by 50 per cent.
The (branches in Dublin, Cork and Belfast) sale is different from many others as it offers a discount of 15 per cent off all new orders. That includes SieMatic kitchens and Rolf Benz living and dining room furniture. The company also sells off some display models, such as a Rolf Benz tub chair in cream leather that was €2,035 and is now €1,424.50. These are quite small in size (perfect for an apartment), and could also be used as very comfortable chairs to sit around a large dining table. See www.houseworks.ie.
Some beautiful tables, substantially reduced, can be found at (01-4760362), the design shop on Camden Street in Dublin 1. It has one ex-display, white Carrera marble-topped table that was €4,550 and is now €2,730. Its dimensions are 200cmx106cm and it sits on a stainless steel frame. It could be used with almost any kind of chair, perhaps even antique ones.
The Danish furniture company, Bo Concept (01-2932008), has recently opened a large new shop in Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford Industrial Estate, Co Dublin and there are some good opening offers. Bo Concept is about contemporary furniture that is not as ubiquitous as other brands, but is still affordable. For example, the Amari round dining table was €1,499 and is now €1,199, the small Occa coffee table in oak was €206 and is now €149 and the Indivi two-seater sofa was €849 and is now €679. Next door to Bo Concept are Diamond Living and Roche Bobois, both of which have some items reduced.
(01-2020130), the shop in Monkstown, Co Dublin that is a mix of fashion and homewares, has a new furniture showroom on the first floor and is marking down some of its distinctive furniture. What you'll find here are special, expensive pieces that are limited in number.
The elegant Poltrona wide chair in white oak and leather was €2,950 and is reduced to €1,950. A deeper armchair in the same style was €2,750 and is now €1,750. Other good offers include the Jules purple velvet armchair that was €1,495, now €950, and a bookcase that was €1,199, now €840.
Kube Interiors (01-2973064) is a new shop in Sandyford, Co Dublin that is strong on bedroom furniture. It is not cutting-edge stuff, but it is good for the price. Don't buy a whole matching suite of furniture though. One eye-catching king-size bed is made from walnut, and has curving chrome legs and a high-gloss cream headboard. It was €2,488 and is now €1,991. An accompanying mattress will cost about €350. Take a look at their built-in wardrobes - a walnut model that is two metres long is reduced in price from €1,695 to €1,413.