This summer we are proudly celebrating 40 years of business in Kenmare, and would like to mark the occasion by launching our website www.joopduyn.ie where new and existing clients will be able to find us easier from our online presence. Get in touch, find more information on our range of services all the while viewing our dedicated Design & Conservation/ Restoration galleries, where we will continuously upload new pictures of our latest projects.

 

Starting off in a basic workshop or more so a cow shed with no electricity back in 1979 working at first for the Park Hotel, restoring the entire collection of furniture and from there spotting a niche in the market. The local people of Kenmare were trusting towards our work and day by day, year by year we steadily grew. Kenmare was a small town with big ambitions, an accepting, progressive and outward looking drive of the people all helped establish this little town as a key destination for tourism. This worked hand in hand with us, from boutique and high end hotels to guesthouses, private clients both local and people with holiday homes all played a part in the continued success we have had in the past 40 years.

 

We have had occasions to work with some fascinating personalities, celebrities, politicians, public and state bodies. Nevertheless these exciting projects and opportunities come and go with time. Our backbone and core clientele are people with collections and sentimental pieces of furniture all needing care and attention or bespoke custom design. We can honestly say that we have not had one complaint over these 40 years with attention to detail of our work and level of service.

 

Our main pool for attracting new clients throughout the years and to this day continues to be - word of mouth from existing satisfied clients - something we pride ourselves on daily and continue to uphold. Our range of services have progressively increased in the recent years, with a clear division of antique furniture restoration and custom furniture / interior design, one week working on a 18thCentury Italian Baroque period ebonized curio cabinet with bone inlay for Nano Nagle Place, South Presentation Convent Cork & JCA Architects and the next week working on designing and creating a complete relaxation suite for the Spa at Parknasilla Resort, while also creating a pair of custom after dinner drinks trolleys and petit fours chocolate boxes for Sheen Falls Lodge.

 

Some of the highlights from the past 40 years have been in the early years we were asked to reproduce a 17th Century oak baroque bed side locker for the family of the previous owners of Muckross Estate. More recently we worked with the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation and the 1916 rising 100 year celebrations. In 2018 we collaborated with Fíor Studios on an art installation at the Electric Picnic Music and Arts Festival. In the 80’s we participated with someone in the antiques challenge on’ The Late Late Show’ – coming out as overall winners.

 

Our vastly different ranges of experience, training and skills complement each other and invigorate our creativity, keeping things interesting as every job, and every day is different. As the world grows smaller our client pool has with time increased over the years, reaching right throughout Ireland, the UK, and Mainland Europe. Even as far afield as The United States, Hong Kong and Japan, where clients have shipped items over to us for some special care and attention.

 

We have had the privilege to work with some fantastic people and businesses throughout the years and for this we thank each and every one of you, for keeping this local business going – here’s to the next 40 years!​​