Contributor post by Emily Westbrooks of From China Village
Hi there! It's Emily, back again from Dublin to share one of my favorite City Centre spots in Dublin.
One of the interesting things I learned about Dublin when I first moved here is that most people don't live right in the city centre. Dublin's not like Paris, where you feel like you're right in the city, even if you head to the outer arrondissements. Instead, Dublin sprawls with suburb-like neighborhoods to the South, North and West from the City Centre. Some people do live in the City Centre, but lots more live in neighborhoods on the outskirts.
We live about 6 miles from the City Centre, but technically, we still live in Dublin. Our neighborhood is close to the sea, and a short drive away are fields and farms, so we don't always feel like we live in a city. But when I hop on the train to the City Centre, I always feel that city buzz!
One of the best places to feel the city vibe is to stroll through the small streets west of Grafton Street. Between Grafton Street and South Great Georges Street is a winding maze of tiny streets lined with cute boutiques, cozy restaurants and bustling Dubliners. Between Clarendon and South William Street is the Powerscourt Centre. The Powerscourt Centre is an old Georgian building built in the 1700's for entertaining and extravagant parties. You can learn more about the history of the building here, but today the beautiful old building has been turned into a center for shops and restaurants. At the center of the stories tall building is a courtyard topped with skylights. It's the most romantic place on a chilly winter evening!
And all that to tell you about one of my favorite spots in Powerscourt: Article. Opened by John Adams in 2010 after his job was eliminated when Habitat closed, Article started out in a smaller space in Powerscourt. Last October, John moved the shop down the stairs to the front of the building. The new location is larger, stunning and the perfect new home for it. The ceiling is the original intricate Georgian design, painted a pretty green with white trim. The previous occupants had installed floor-to-nearly-ceiling dark wooden shelves that suit Article's fabulous finds perfectly.
If there is a well-curated shop in Dublin, Article is it. John has found elegant pieces - mostly focused on tabletop and decorative accessories, he told me, in order to keep the selection tight. Glasses, tea towels, vases, lots of different vessels, John finds most of the pieces at trade fairs, but he also shops whenever he travels and finds a lot of unique pieces that way. What a life!
They don't stock a ton of Irish made items, but the handful that are designed and produced in Ireland are extremely popular - from woolen throws made in Donegal, to laser cut maps of Dublin. When I stopped in last week, nearly all of their Irish products had sold out!
Article is the kind of shop that makes me want to buy a big old Georgian home and fill it with contemporary colors and elegant pieces. And then I'd have to buy everything from them to decorate. I know it would be beautiful!
You can order online at www.article.com and a more full online store is coming in 2012.
22 Powerscourt Townhouse
South William St
Dublin 2
+353 1 679 9268
Email items@articledublin.com
See you again soon!
Emily
Emily Westbrooks is a Dublin-based creative and travel writer, artist and blogger. Raised and educated in Maine, Emily married an Irishman and moved to Dublin in 2008. She lives with her husband, Michael, on the northside of Dublin. Originally planning only to stay for a year, she now calls Dublin home. She loves exploring Dublin, adventuring through the hills of Ireland, and traveling around Europe,. And she really loves to write about her adventures, which she shares over on From China Village. She's passionate about design, and can't wait to change your perception of Irish craft and design.
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| Powerscourt |
Hi there! It's Emily, back again from Dublin to share one of my favorite City Centre spots in Dublin.
One of the interesting things I learned about Dublin when I first moved here is that most people don't live right in the city centre. Dublin's not like Paris, where you feel like you're right in the city, even if you head to the outer arrondissements. Instead, Dublin sprawls with suburb-like neighborhoods to the South, North and West from the City Centre. Some people do live in the City Centre, but lots more live in neighborhoods on the outskirts.
We live about 6 miles from the City Centre, but technically, we still live in Dublin. Our neighborhood is close to the sea, and a short drive away are fields and farms, so we don't always feel like we live in a city. But when I hop on the train to the City Centre, I always feel that city buzz!
One of the best places to feel the city vibe is to stroll through the small streets west of Grafton Street. Between Grafton Street and South Great Georges Street is a winding maze of tiny streets lined with cute boutiques, cozy restaurants and bustling Dubliners. Between Clarendon and South William Street is the Powerscourt Centre. The Powerscourt Centre is an old Georgian building built in the 1700's for entertaining and extravagant parties. You can learn more about the history of the building here, but today the beautiful old building has been turned into a center for shops and restaurants. At the center of the stories tall building is a courtyard topped with skylights. It's the most romantic place on a chilly winter evening!
And all that to tell you about one of my favorite spots in Powerscourt: Article. Opened by John Adams in 2010 after his job was eliminated when Habitat closed, Article started out in a smaller space in Powerscourt. Last October, John moved the shop down the stairs to the front of the building. The new location is larger, stunning and the perfect new home for it. The ceiling is the original intricate Georgian design, painted a pretty green with white trim. The previous occupants had installed floor-to-nearly-ceiling dark wooden shelves that suit Article's fabulous finds perfectly.
If there is a well-curated shop in Dublin, Article is it. John has found elegant pieces - mostly focused on tabletop and decorative accessories, he told me, in order to keep the selection tight. Glasses, tea towels, vases, lots of different vessels, John finds most of the pieces at trade fairs, but he also shops whenever he travels and finds a lot of unique pieces that way. What a life!
They don't stock a ton of Irish made items, but the handful that are designed and produced in Ireland are extremely popular - from woolen throws made in Donegal, to laser cut maps of Dublin. When I stopped in last week, nearly all of their Irish products had sold out!
Article is the kind of shop that makes me want to buy a big old Georgian home and fill it with contemporary colors and elegant pieces. And then I'd have to buy everything from them to decorate. I know it would be beautiful!
You can order online at www.article.com and a more full online store is coming in 2012.
22 Powerscourt Townhouse
South William St
Dublin 2
+353 1 679 9268
Email items@articledublin.com
See you again soon!
Emily
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6 comments:
greetings from dun laoghaire! i love the powerscourt townhouse centre too! must drop into article one of these days to tease myself with temptation!
Chicago feels a lot like that, too, with the smaller neighborhoods branching out from the Loop. I really enjoy it, having lived in smaller cities (and very rural towns) all my life, it's great to have the sense of community as well as the option to be right in the middle of all the action.
Also, that green ceiling is to DIE for!
beautiful photos, thanks for sharing
Thanks for this great suggestion! I went yesterday right after you posted it and found a ton of great things.
Thanks four yout suggestions! I will be in Dublin at the end of march and i am sure, i will "visite" all your "tipps"!
Nice blog! I miss living in Dublin! The link to article store should be articledublin.com - will be visiting this store when I'm there next, it looks great.
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