Good furniture goes the distance.

And at a brand new studio and workshop down on the Marina, a local furniture maker is creating pieces that are designed to be heirlooms of the future.

Opened 15 years ago by Fergal O’Leary, Horizon Furniture is now based at Unit O11 in the Marina Commercial Park (just next to the Marina Market), where they turn raw planks of hardwood into beautiful items for everyday use.

Fergal says Horizon Furniture’s new workshop is small but perfect for the type of work that he does.

“It’s in a great location, close to home, close to the city, and next to the very popular Marina Market. I can cycle everywhere!” Fergal told us.

“I started Horizon Furniture in 2008 to produce high-end furniture for domestic and commercial customers. The work has always been characterised by a refined aesthetic of strong geometric shapes with references to classic designs of the past.

“Our new studio is laid out for small batch production of high-end pieces.”

The brand’s pieces have been commissioned by Cork City Council’s Lord Mayors Chambers, the EU, the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Apple Computers, among many other private and commercial clients.

Their Maryjane stacking chair (pictured above) is an Irish Design Institute award winner and their Stanley lounge chair travelled with President Michael D. Higgins on his official visit to China in 2018.

The new location also offers the Horizon team the chance to control all aspects of manufacture in-house, maintaining complete control over the process and ensuring the high level of finish they are known for.

Open studio and exhibition 

To celebrate the new spot, Horizon Furniture will host an exhibition and open studio from August 17th -19th, 2023, 11am to 5pm daily.

The exhibition will feature new and older pieces, artist’s models, and prototypes and Fergal will be there to answer any questions about the work and discuss our process from design concept to finished piece.

“The open studio and exhibition offers a small retrospective of our work history including new and old pieces, experimental pieces, discarded prototypes, and the chance to talk through our process from the selection of timber to the decision on finishes and methods of production,” added Fergal.