In the next month, Finline Furniture will open the doors on its brand-new showroom in Emo, Co Laois, the place where the hand-crafted sofa business was first founded by Kieran and Bridget Finane in 1979.
The transformation is momentous for their sons Ciaran and Kilian who now run Finline Furniture, given the journey the business has navigated over the past 47 years.
“Up until 2010, we were a wholesale business,” says Ciaran, who says the factory floor was like a second home growing up.
“My parents always focused on quality and secured great clients – the likes of Arnotts, Brown Thomas and Caseys.”
But the early noughties presented challenges to the business, and the Irish furniture industry overall.
“A lot of retailers started sourcing their furniture from further afield, arriving in containers from China and the likes. Our product was being diluted on shop floors, so instead of having say 25 sofas and chairs on display, we might have 10.
"And it wasn’t just us who took the hit, there were a lot of factories in Navan and Monaghan for example, who were also exclusively wholesale that shut down during that time.”
From 2000 to when the recession hit, Finline’s headcount more than halved.
“We went from 60 employees to 25 in less than 10 years. We knew we had to pivot the business and the decision was made to sell directly to the consumer.” It was a move that was easier said than done because, “when we did that, all our retailers literally shut down our accounts,” outlines Ciaran.
On top of all the stress and the reduction in headcount, we had to spend money doing up a retail premises
As well as losing this major revenue stream, the Finane family business had to spend a lot of money to set up their showroom.
“What we had at the time in Emo was a factory and some storage areas. We had to convert some of that space into a retail operation – and very quickly. So on top of all the stress and the reduction in headcount, we had to spend money doing up a retail premises.”
It turns out this was just the starting point and they later opened showrooms in Dublin, Cork and Galway.
Three years ago, they upgraded their Dublin offering by purchasing a bigger premises on the Long Mile Road.
“It took us 18 months to refurbish it, but now not only is it our showroom, we also sub-let space to other Irish-owned businesses – CA Designs who do dining furniture, Square Blinds who specialise in blinds and curtains and then the bedroom is catered for by Limerick company Natural Fleets.”
Full circle
The premises in Cork also had a refurbishment last year. But doing up the original showroom in Emo feels like the company has come full circle, making it all the more poignant for the brothers.
Ciaran explains, “We’re opening up the factory roof to let natural light into the upstairs showrooms, and we’ve created a gallery effect with a lovely open feel so the furniture has more room to breathe.”
Emo is still where all their furniture is made so Ciaran says, “there will be a viewing area where visitors can see the scale of the production line, they can look down and see the furniture being made and our sewers and cutters at work.”
As much as Finline’s showrooms have evolved, so too has its product offering.
“Furniture ultimately, is a fashion item,” says Ciaran. “It’s constantly evolving and changing, with trends and colours and designs. Back when we first launched, our designs would probably have been perceived as quite traditional – the big roll arms and floral fabrics, that kind of thing. But we have evolved, according to people’s tastes, and our customers, even our older customers are going for designs which are more contemporary and modern.
"Now we have lots of square lines and a more tailored look. When I walk through our factory, 90% of the furniture being made is in a plain fabric. These more muted pieces give a sense that the room is bigger and it ties everything together. Saying that, florals are making a comeback but it’s mostly on the likes of statement chairs, footstools and cushions, rather than being the main piece.”
While leather has become less popular, polyester velvet has seen a surge. Most people don’t realise they are one of the easiest fabrics to keep clean. “They are pretty much bomb proof,” says Ciaran, laughing. “They have an inherent stain repellent in the fabric. A simple wipe of a damp cloth will get pretty much get rid of all stains.”
The fact that Finline Furniture offers a customised approach has allowed Ciaran to see this evolution of trends firsthand. He explains, “We offer a bespoke product – so people choose their frame and their fabrics – and these fabrics are at different price points to cater for different budgets. Contrast piping is very popular at the moment, it really gives that bespoke look.”
High back cushions are finding themselves on order sheets, “especially if there is someone tall in the family,” says Ciaran. “And you can choose whether you want your cushion soft, medium or firm. Medium is the most popular by a mile, although people with back issues often opt for the firm.”
Design trends come and go but quality furniture is timeless, and Ciaran outlines how the company leans heavily into sustainability.
“We have a Revive project, and the overarching point is we never want our furniture to end up in a landfill. Our frames are Irish kiln dried beech frames. They can be used forever – they won’t break or creak.”
The company are so invested in the quality of the frames that they recently bought the frame manufacturing company. Ciaran continues, “We offer a scheme whereby if you bought a sofa from us previously, you can either sell it back and we’ll give you a voucher towards a new piece of our furniture or you can get your sofa recovered.”
When frames are returned, they make their way to a factory in Waterford and are worked on by those involved in Aiséirí. Ciaran explains, “Aiséirí provides treatment for adults and young people who are struggling with alcohol, drug or gambling addiction. After their treatment, often people need some time before going back to normal life. They can stay in a middle house and work in the factory.
“Ripping out furniture is very laborious and its hard work but often people find it therapeutic. We pay them to do that and then we recover the piece with a new fabric and sell it as a pre-loved sofa. We always have a collection of revived furniture on display, ready to go and they’re sold at a discounted price. So across the chain, our frames are being preserved, it gives employment to those attending Aiséirí and it offers customers a different option to our bespoke range.
Ciaran finishes by saying the real success of this refurbishment in the home of Finline Furniture is because of the people behind it.
“People who started working for our parents are still here with myself and Kilian and that is important – it takes years to become proficient as a sewer, a cutter or an upholster. Anne Meehan is a sewer who has been with us since the start. Our two production managers, Mark Nolan and Mark Carrol, they’re in their mid-50s and they’ve been here since leaving school. Then Sid Dunne is an upholster who has been with us for over 40 years – his brother Willie recently retired, and he was the same. And now Willie’s son Chris is our warehouse manager. As part of the refurbishment, we’re also doing a huge job on the offices – something that the customer won’t appreciate but it’s about valuing the staff and giving them a nicer place to work. Dad has been on the journey with us, we consult him on all the big decisions but Mam passed away in 2013. It’s sad she isn’t here to see all this, but we think she would be delighted.”
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