Top Drawer Max is an expansive two storey, 19,000 square feet premises which is a haven for furniture aficionados. Stocking everything from dining room and living room furniture to bedroom and occasional furniture, Top Drawer Max’s extensive range and staff expertise make it an imperative destination for prospective buyers. Perhaps its biggest attraction is the fact that everything is in stock. Anything advertised or on show is ready for delivery, and the lead times which can be prevalent in the industry are a welcome absence. Top Drawer Max aims to have all purchases delivered within a week, and customers also have the option of collecting the items themselves. The store also benefits from its prime location. Situated just off the N6, it is easily accessible from the M6 motorway, the Tuam road, and the Monivea Road, and customers can also avail of ample free parking.
Husband and wife John Cullinan and Cherlanne Fleming took over Top Drawer Max in November 2009. It employs four full time staff and the store is managed by Dunmore native Aoife Ryan. She joined the company in March 2010, and was promoted to manager in December of last year. A qualified interior designer, Ryan possesses a RHODEC diploma from the Connacht School of Design in Loughrea. Her education, coupled with her previous experience in other furniture outlets and as a curtain maker, gives her an appreciation of trends and an eye for design which she successfully imparts to customers.
On entering the premises, the most striking feature is the sheer volume of furniture and accessories available to peruse. There is a multitude of options for every room in the house, be it everything you need for the master bedroom or a few pieces of occasional furniture for the kitchen. The upper floor adds even more choice with the huge floor space full of quality and value products.
With people spending the vast majority of their time at home in their bedroom or living room, much focus is dedicated to securing the perfect components for comfortable living, and Top Drawer Max has something to suit all tastes. For the perfect complement to long winter nights beside the fire, there are two, three, and four seaters, armchairs, and corner units across a wide range of fabrics. Ryan extolls the virtues of one particular favourite: “One popular range is our suites from Casa Bella, an English manufacturer of fabric suites. These are made to measure and can be ordered to any combination and size to suit the customer. They are delivered within six weeks and they are constantly updating fabric ranges according to seasonal demands.”
Considering we spend eight hours a day within its confines, it pays to invest in our bed. Recent years have seen new technology with the advent of different spring types and memory foam. The variety can lead to confusion, and the intricacies are best outlined by Aoife: “There are two different spring types, coil spring and pocket spring. The coil spring runs throughout the bed while the pocket springs sit in individual pockets of fabric which are sown together. The pocket springs are more independent of each other and so they support you better. There is also the added comfort of memory foam, which was developed by NASA. These mattresses are designed to conform to the contours of your body. We have a range of Honey b mattresses which are manufactured in Northern Ireland which are particularly popular. They specialise in pocket sprung mattresses with memory foam.”
In dining room furniture, there is a beautiful range of tables, chairs, and sideboards in solid oak and mahogany, and cherry and dark stained pine are also popular. The soft furnishings sector is also a highlight with a huge selection of attractive cushions, throws, duvets, and bed linen. A full range of bed linen will be coming on stream next month which will illustrate the latest trends for the year ahead. The occasional furniture range is also an interesting alternative. Headboards and lamps are among the most popular items, but an unexpected favourite is the wide range of bean bags. Starting at €25 and available in all shapes and sizes, they are ideal for living rooms, children’s rooms, and lounges, and also a perfect resting place for pets. This versatility, allied to their low price makes them a fast seller.
Also contained within Top Drawer Max are OLMI Sliding Wardrobes and Stretch Ceilings. Igor Vasiliev is managing director of the enterprise, and designs, builds, and installs a range of walk-in and sliding wardrobes to order. The service offers customers the perfect opportunity to select the contents of a room and co-ordinate the designs and products fully all under the one roof.
Ryan has seen the recent trends in customers’ needs first hand, and also illustrates how many Top Drawer Max shoppers get a unique product: “More people are doing extensions these days and renovating existing homes. Customers are also becoming much more price conscious and inclined to price around. They are looking for a good deal but don’t want on compromise on quality. A lot of our stock here is one offs. This stops saturating the market and keeps stock regularly updated.”
Top Drawer Max will be hosting a sale next month and every item currently in store will be reduced to clear. However, bargain hunting is not confined to sale times. Upstairs, there is a little enclave which contains a number of prospective bargains. The discount corner features factory seconds and goods that may have been slightly damaged during delivery process. The effects are barely discernible yet customers can avail of discounts of up to 60 per cent on a wide range of products. With selection and value of this calibre, Top Drawer Max is set to celebrate its two year anniversary in style.
The Top Drawer Max sale starts on Wednesday next. The store is located at Unit 23, Briarhill Business Park in Ballybrit. The website is regularly updated and there is also a Facebook page. For more information, email [email protected] or call 091-380005.
