From scented-candle delights to stylish corner couches and dinosaur lunch boxes, Esther N McCarthy peruses an eclectic range of products.

Two new furniture stores open this week in Cork, underlining economic recovery and increased consumer spend.

For this week’s Small Business Q and A, Kehlan Kirwan talks with Kieran Finane of Finline Furniture in Emo, Co Laois. Finline produces bespoke, made-to-order furniture. Kieran explains why they decided to start selling direct to the public, and how it how it has changed the way they operate for the better.

JUDGING what a house will be like when looking at it on the plans is challenge enough. So, imagine the nerves when deciding to radically alter the builders’ blueprint from the outset.