Alice in Scandiland

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The last few months and in particular 3 weeks have been pure madness around here.

2 big projects suddenly aligned themselves to create the perfect storm. If an exciting collaboration at home, seeing us move out, whilst our damaged engineered oak flooring was refurbished (much more about this soon) wasn’t enough to be getting on with, the slow burning renovations at the shop got served a deadline I couldn’t afford to miss.

91 Magazine are writing an absolutely wonderful and important book, 91 Places to Shop. A celebration of small business in the uk, divided up by region, allowing easy reference when you find yourself in a new area. It’s an opportunity for more people to discovering the best independent shops in the land and a total honour to be asked to feature. You can preorder a copy here.

Sometimes an insane timescale is just what I need to throw me full tilt into action, all of a sudden scattered threads of ideas and inspiration came together to form a plan. I stopped sleeping for several weeks, went a little insane, leaned in hard on those around me and we pulled off a rather wonderful transformation, even if I do say so myself.

Here are a few before/ during shots of the areas we’ve been working on -

I’m so in love with the afters, what do you think? -

The desk area is especially exciting to us, not just looks wise, though I’m so happy with where this space is heading, but even more importantly how it will better facilitate the way in which we need to work.

We’ve been desperate for an increase in space for a long time, to enable more order packing to happen downstairs, on the shop floor, to allow more surface to pack your wonderful choices when you visit us and to just be able to breathe out a little!

Initially the new desk was designed with a local Joiner, but when that fell through I got creative with Ikea Ivar components and my husband brought the vision to life.

I wanted a timeless feel for the back shop, subtle detail and texture, warming, welcoming tones as a backdrop for the furniture, which comes and goes, in the space.

It can be an odd task, designing and styling a space whose contents changes so much, you get it looking just so and then someone goes and buys the best piece and all of a sudden the whole dynamic of the space can change!

The long term plan is to have a kitchen setup in the back shop, where the Ercol daybed currently is. A place to properly show off all our kitchenware, to style, photograph and film beautiful things. The light is so wonderful in there.

This is a work in progress idea though, it was already happening, but that unfortunately fell through. Watch this space, I’m excited to see things develop even more as the year goes on.

It’s been an exhausting time, pushing hard to get all the work done ourselves, but I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved so far.

There’s more to be done, some things are photo finished, but in reality a little rough around the edges and missing the final touches, but I’ve decided it’s more than good enough for the time being. We’re going to take a summer break from diy and pick back up in September, fresh and rested.

I’m off to France for half of August, just me, my husband, our girls and our van. I can’t wait to switch off, read a book, eat cheese and watch my children enjoy themselves. Not to mention hunting for French treasure to bring back for the shop…

If you find yourself in the area it would be wonderful if you could visit and take a look for yourself. If Lostwithiel, Cornwall is a little too far afield, don’t forget you can visit us online too.

2023 is proving to be (another) difficult year for us independents, daily I see my fellow small business owners having to make the awful decision to shut up shop, which I know must be utterly devasting.

My aim for this year, aside from hopefully just make it through, is to really cement our standing as one of the best independent homewares stores in the South West, if not the country. For me, this means our customers should be inspired by us, every step of the way. I believe the recent renovation work has hugely elevated the store, offering even more design inspiration to those that visit, as well as those further away, who simply see the imagery we create within it.

I’m really proud of this little world I have helped to create and hope I get to continue playing shops and sharing the spaces I create with those that choose to visit and follow along.