Design company Monarú to represent Limerick in National Enterprise Awards finals

Monarú is a Design and Production Company based in Watchhouse Cross, Limerick City.

With a team of designers and makers, Monarú combines modern digital fabrication methods with traditional craftsmanship to design and produce high quality contemporary furniture, products, props and artworks. 

Monarú produces both directly for the public and is a supplier to other companies. They produce everything from small scale residential products to full fits outs of offices and restaurants. They use a huge range of materials but specialise in Birch Plywood.

Michael Mc Laughlin, director of Monarú describes:  “Birch Plywood is our core material. It’s an elegant, strong, versatile, contemporary material. We use natural wax oils to seal it and have a press for adding natural veneers or hardwearing laminates such as Formica and Fenix - allowing our furniture to compliment almost any interior colour palette.”

Using Birch Plywood, Monarú designs and creates fitted furniture such as bespoke Kitchens as well as a range of contemporary products such as dining tables, coffee tables and storage units. The furniture is a contemporary minimal style and can be customised to fit the exact needs of the client.

Shipping all across Ireland, the company is steadily growing and will be launching its new interactive furniture website later this year. 

Michael, a native of Donegal came to Limerick to study at the School of Architecture UL. After graduating, he further developed his passion for design and making while managing Fab Lab Limerick for the University of Limerick.

Michael lectured in digital design and fabrication for 4 years at Limerick School of Art and Design before moving full time into the role of managing director at Monarú in 2021.

The Monarú team has now grown to 7 staff who all have backgrounds in design, craft and production. The team is passionate about materials and craft and use this knowledge to work diligently together to design and produce bespoke solutions for each project. 

Furniture is just one of Monarú’s business avenues as Michael explains:  “Although furniture is our “bread and butter”, we really enjoy the challenge of other bespoke objects such as architectural models, sculptures, exhibitions, props etc.

"We collaborate with artists, architects and design studios of all sorts to create bespoke projects. Last year we collaborated with Odyssey studios (Limerick City) to produce many of the props for “The Popes Exorcist” movie.

"Currently we are working on props for a high profile Netflix series that will be released next year. Collaborating with the
Hunt Museum we created a large scale sculpture of “Olmec man” which can be viewed in their beautiful river side garden.” 

Monarú produces projects of all scales with commercial clients that include Limerick City and County Council, Brown Thomas, Irish Manufacturing Research, Technology University of the Shannon, University of Limerick, and Johnson &Johnson.

They are developing some exciting large scale projects at the moment including a collaboration with Artist Cathal Mc Carthy on an exciting sculptural Bench for Coilte’s Mote Park in Co Roscommon.

Monarú is the producer of products for other companies also. They produce the elegant range of doors and panels for Modoco.ie Kitchens. These Kitchen elements fit onto IKEA products, creating a unique Kitchen with an economical price tag. Monarú  produces the Opendesk.cc office furniture range.

Most recently Monarú have become the supplier of Wikihouse.cc modular building systems. All of these products are produced at the Monarú workshop in Limerick city. 

The growth of Monarú has been a fast exciting journey, Michael continues: ”I’d like to sincerely thank all our customers who have entrusted us to be creative designers and producers.

"Designing and making can be very therapeutic and to be given the opportunity to work on so many exciting projects is a great pleasure. We hope to expand our reach and work with many more exciting customers in the future. I’d also like to sincerely thank the Limerick Local Enterprise Office.

Their fantastic support, both financially and in an advisory capacity, has been the enabler for Monarú to continue to grow and
employ in the Limerick City area.” For more information about Monarú follow them on instagram @monaru.ie or send them an email, studio@monaru.ie.

Monaru will be going forward to represent Limerick at the National final of the National Enterprise Awards in the Mansion House Dublin this Thursday May 23.