In a bid to bring a bit of a local flavour to the blog I popped in to my county town, Ennis, to meet the lovely Laura Vaughan at her design studio and shop. Laura had a background in interiors and textiles, launching her range of textiles as part of Creative Island at Showcase 2016. She opened her shop in November 2017 and it is wonderful to see her showcase her own creations as well as giving a platform for other Irish and International designers.
The contents are well considered, and each maker seems to strike a chord with Laura, I feel that stems from the very fact that she is a designer herself. It’s a beautifully curated space, well thought out and uncluttered, giving every item the room to shine it deserves.
Laura has created the lampshades that are for sale, as well as homewares including aprons, cushions and tea towels. I asked about the designers in the shop that are based in Clare. Ekotree Knitwear, Rowena Sheen Jewellery, Nice Day Design cards and Siobhan Dyer Ceramics are all local designers. Laura’s own brother Dara Vaughan, is the photographer behind ‘ Irish Soul Space’ and his framed work is for sale in the shop too.
The space works in a threefold manner, apart from being a shop Laura also brings her own interior design career to the table, offering one-on-one hour long consultations for clients who need design direction in their own homes. In addition Laura runs a successful series of workshops on site, for the general public and also for private groups. Workshops include lampshade making, cross stitch, design and make your own tote bag, and Laura is currently working on offering short interiors workshops.
You will find Laura at 89 O Connell St, Ennis. And the town is all the better for such a gorgeous shop. It gives people the chance to have that tactile experience that doesn’t come from online shopping, to see the quality and intricacies up close.
Happy shopping!
—