Kitchen talking point

The Store Yard (057-86 80088 thestoreyard.ie) in Portlaoise is a veritable Aladdin's cave of interesting antiques, architectural salvage and vintage buys. They have a good selection of steamer trunks and leather hat boxes that make offbeat storage units. A kitchen looking for a personality-laden talking point might like this 19th century gilded, painted and lacquered Mongolian store cupboard. The antique piece is reduced to €975 from €1,300.