Obsessed with mid-century credenzas and vintage sideboards? Join the club. Our hunger for 20th century design shows no sign of abating, and, with so many people stuck renting, there are a lot of us out there looking for beautiful, affordable pieces that – much as I love Ikea – don’t have that flatpack feel. But, if you don’t live in LA, home to giant mid-century showrooms, it can be tricky to source the same pretty styles here. 

While my hunt continues (we’ve got a rather obnoxiously-sized TV, so I need a wide, chunky number that can handle it), I’ve done a round-up of the best places that I’ve found to hunt for mid-century beauties in Dublin – click through to get stuck in.

The Collectors

There are a few great collectors here in Dublin, and Geoff from Kirkmodern is one of them. Find him selling his beautiful 20th century wares at both the Flea and Brocante markets in D8, or email him if there’s something specific you’re after. It’s also a good idea to follow him on Instagram – not just so you can ogle some gorgeous pieces, but because that’s where he often posts about new items, and they can get snapped up fast (it’s where I spotted a beautiful 1960s circus poster – which we ended up buying!)

PS: We featured Geoff’s mid-century marvel of a house in the mag not too long ago. It really is a lesson in loving and living with vintage furniture.

Another great collector is is Paul from Retrorumage. Viewings are by appointment only, but I have his Tumblr feed in my Feedly to keep on top of all his new bits and pieces. He’s great for quirky accessories as well as legit designer vintage. 

Often, when I’m on a house tour for the mag, I’ll fall in love with a lovely vintage table or sideboard and I’d say about 50 per cent of the time it’s from Table Lighting Chair. They have a great eye for stylish, post-war pieces with simple lines, and you can pop into their Dublin 8 space most weekdays and weekends for a look around. Follow their blog for updates on new products.

Shopping Online

Mid-century pieces tend to go fast and be one-offs, so there aren’t really any dedicated Irish websites that have shopping functionality built-in. However, you can create alerts on sites like Adverts.ie and Donedeal.ie based around strong keywords, and you would be surprised at what turns up (all the pics above are from current stock on Adverts). It’s particularly good for little things like containers, knick knacks, cute vintage trolleys, and tables and chairs. The more willing you are to travel further afield than Dublin, the better value you’ll get.

Again, be super careful when shopping, especially when it comes to the finish. Is that mid-century sideboard definitely teak, or is it a veneer? Make sure to have good look at the pieces before handing over any dosh. Also, trawling through listings can become super addictive. You have been warned. 

Some sellers worth checking out: DeeWee, benoli123, bandju28, ducks.

Out and about

I say out and about, but I mainly mean Dublin 8. On Francis St, head to Anonymous, which always has some really special mid-century stuff (and some very cool lights). Oxfam Home is just across the way, and is definitely worth popping into. Of course, there is also the Flea and Brocante markets as well as the Pure Vintage fair. Anyone I’ve talked to who has done well here makes it their business to visit regularly and get there early (living on the other side of the city, I’m not great at either).

One last place worth checking in on is Article in Powerscourt (otherwise known as where Ben gets all my presents). John in there often stocks very beautifully restored one-off pieces. 

So that’s it for my round-up! Let me know if there’s anywhere you like checking out – and definitely let me know if you come across a beautiful, chunky, TV-friendly credenza. 

Top pics: From Emily Henderson’s great 1 Credenza 4 Ways series | A gorgeous credenza Bash editor Kate O’Dowd’s Dublin house.