A pioneering place to browse, sit, and touch beautiful furniture, furnishings, and objects.
A new store, Jaqi, at 20 to 21 South Richmond Street, Dublin 2, features furniture brands you will be familiar with, as well as new European labels you will want to add to your wish list.
The eponymous showroom, which opens to the public from tomorrow, Saturday, November 8th, is run by interior designer Jackie Tracey, who first learned how to create flow, function, the importance of aesthetics, and working within a budget while fitting out show homes at developments her family brought to market.
Jameson Orchard on Malahide’s Seamount Road is one example.
“You have to be a problem solver,” she says. “At Jackie Tracey Interiors, we make it more streamlined. We design, identify potential issues, and find solutions, all before we ever go onsite.”
In the 15 years since she set up business, she’s quietly made a name for herself delivering well-laid-out homes for private clients that look effortless.
Before the client sees any schematics, her in-house construction team will have already ironed out many issues, so there are no last-minute decisions to make, she explains.
It could be floor-to-ceiling heights, having to change floor levels to accommodate underfloor heating or window treatments.
The set-up also means her clients have just one point of contact. This reduces the risk of information getting lost in translation from builder to designer.
Every consultation is different.
“We work through that and what their reasons are for doing it. Do they plan to live there long term, or maybe they just want a quick fix? Painting and decorating remain one of the most effective ways to change a room. Changing pieces of furniture is another,” she says.
These are items you can take with you, too, when you move.
“When meeting new clients, it’s important that we connect, and that the client is realistic about budgets and what can be achieved.”
The firm also readies homes for sale. This involves decluttering it as much as possible and putting in timeless pieces.
Homeowners' tastes differ. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and this is reflected in the mix on view in the showroom.
There are Scandinavian names on her brand list. A steel storage bench by Danish designer Kristina Dam, for example, is sculptural but also functional.
You can set pairs of outdoor shoes into its curves, so it acts like a very artsy storage seat.
You have to factor in lifestyle, space, and life stage, she says. Parents with a young family want an open plan, whereas those with older kids need doors and walls.
Those who don’t have kids, or whose children have flown the nest, have an appreciation for investment pieces.
She’s also scoured mainland Europe to be beautiful ranges, including Dutch firm Vermissen, whose pieces already sit in many of the continent’s boutique hotels.
She feels art and antiques bring depth to a scheme, so she’s populated the showroom with a series of antique finds and is collaborating with several art galleries.
She already has relationships with contemporary Dublin-based Solomon Fine Art and Paris and New York-based Amelie du Chalard.
While Tracey loves period properties and juxtaposing contemporary, mid-century, and antiques in such spaces, she knows that not all her clients feel the same.
French label Marbera sells beautiful, art deco-inspired onyx lockers and side tables that look like they’re lit from within.
A burl wood sample features a slab of onyx 10 cm deep, atop which is an antique look, but it offers a contemporary alternative.
Ditto, the Portuguese-based Mezzo Collection, which has distinctly mid-century seating that is striking.
The selection includes statement sofas.
The Bahamian from Belgian-based Evolution 21 is notable for its undulating back. The model shown extends to over three metres in length.
A curved form by the same brand in a deep, serene green is another design that will make a daring declaration.
One of the most interesting collections on view is her own range of pieces.
It features beautiful marble coffee tables, which are made in Ireland, seating, and objects.
“Design and shopping for your home should be a pleasurable thing,” she says. “The idea is to create something that feels unique. You want a home that has character, soul, and depth.”
She wants you to wander in and browse to come see the range, test the seating, touch the sample swatches, and speak to the design team, led by Marc Galliano from Barcelona.
Jaqi is located at 20 – 21 South Richmond Street, D02 WF99, and opens tomorrow, Saturday, November 8th, from 10 am to 3 pm. It is closed on Sundays and is open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm.
