Peter MacCann, an associate of the Irish Furniture Designers' Network (IFDN; www. irish-designers. com), has used his verbal . . . and not inconsiderable creative skills . . . to come up with a funky 14piece dinner set titled 'Good China, Bad China.'

This quirky fine bone china set, unveiled to Irish shoppers at the IFDN exhibition at the Loft in Powerscourt, Dublin, to coincide with Irish Design Week, is sure to be a real talking point at dinner parties this winter. Featuring seven deadly sins and the seven contrary virtues in traditional Prussian blue script text, it brings an extra dimension to dining.

The collection which consists of 12 26cm dinner plates and two 32cm serving dishes, is sure to generate a frission or two before the food even features. The dinner plates, which focus on abstinence and gluttony, serve up humility and pride; kindness and envy; charity and lust; temperence and anger; charity and greed; and diligence and sloth. Just how you feel about your guests can be spelled out as you get the chance to literally dish the dirt.

The collection which is sold separately at 40 per dinner plate and 75 for the 'abstinence' and 'gluttony' serving plates or at 300 for the full set, is available to order through MacCann's company No Fixed Abode Design (www. nofixedabodedesign. com). It's also sold through London-based Thorsten van Elten on his website, along with McCann's 'Traditional Irish Welcome' doormat which radiates a real failte in the form of 'Feck Off '.

Just the one to get the message across when the politicians come calling next year.

Having just come back from the UK, MacCann, who has made a name for himself as a furniture and product designer, is going to be distributing van Elten's ranges in Ireland.

His set of side tables with ceramic inserts for Habitat racked up sales of 18,000 and he has also designed a full bedroom range in oak for Heals.

MacCann believes there is a real appetite for design with an element of humour. "It's taking things to a slightly different plane and connecting with people on a more intellectual level, " he says.

Byrning designs Gordon Byrne, (www. gordonbyrnedesign. com) another member of the IFDN, is also taking a tongue in cheek approach to some fundamental Irish design objects.

He is turning the tables on Irish icons with his provocative concepts developed in conjunction with his design team and manufacturers around the country. His solid ash shapely 'hurley table' unveiled at the IFDN display, certainly raised the game. The tripod base is inspired by hurleys, tied together with sugan rope.

The design scored with visitors to the Loft show, with lots of orders for the table which is in batch production.

Byrne also dreamed up a fourhandled basket which, turned upside down, becomes a canny chair.

Another Irish icon up for reinvention by a fired up Byrne is the peat briquette which he believes is the ideal size for a domestic sponge.

Byrne is planning on working with other Irish designers in developing a 'Heritage' range.

"When I exhibit pieces like the hurley table in London or Milan, they are first taken with the design but when you give them the background, they love that depth of heritage, " Byrne says.

Seating plans for style Leo Scarff (www. leoscarffdesign. com) got down to the serious business of hot seating, showing his new selection of designs for Monaghan based family business Moy Furniture (www. moyfurniture. com). Moy's new brand 'Mono' features four Scarff collections in traditional, classical and contemporary looks.

They include three and two seater sofas, armchairs, wingback chairs and ottomans.

At a time when Irish furniture faces stiff competition in a sea of cheap imports, Scarff is hoping Irish homeowners will appreciate the quality foam and solid beech frames made by Moy in this range which is available in outlets around the country including Imagine, Strabane; McCabes, Newry; Ardfert Furniture, Limerick; Hanafin's, Thurles; House of McGregor, Cork; and Kenmare Furniture.

Scarff is continuing to home in on seating with a cane range coming up. Like sofas, cane collections are often sourced cheaply abroad, but Scarff points out that a lot of them are very ornate and bulbous. He is going for a more minimalist look for modern sun spaces.

The Dublin designer who previously worked for cult Norwegian company Stokke, has also developed smart storage units, colourful magazine racks, side tables in different woods, and switched on polycarbonate light fittings.

John Doolin of Imbue Furniture (www. imbuefurniture. com) hit a high note at the IFDN event with his 'Fine Tuned' dining table range in solid wood and tinted glass, furthering his quest for minimal classic design.

While Scarff believes the dearth of Government support for Research and Development and innovation in Irish furniture is no laughing matter, the IFDN members are raising a few smiles with their inventive approach to contemporary design.