Cabbages and Kings

18/12/2024

I’ve been very slack at publicising this.
Not 100% sure why. Well I probably do. It’s been a tough 6.5years. I battled until I had nothing more to give.
What have I learnt? A LOT!
What will I remember? Not always your names! 🤦‍♀️ but I will remember the connections. There have been so many gorgeous customers. Frann I loved working with you. Helena you have nagged and encouraged me towards the path I will take when I leave here. And Debbie And Declan. The first to entrust me with the bigger aspects of your interior, to name but a few.

It has been a scary rollercoaster of a ride. I have had to navigate through so many challenges.

I’d say on the whole I’ve been unsupported but that isn’t really true. I’ve been unsupported by those I’d supported who should have supported me in return.
But I HAVE been supported since the pandemic hit but a number of people I didn’t know before.
Dylan, you were young but you were a safe pair of hands. Annabelle, you gave me the phase “you’re VERY welcome” I loved working with you on those crazy Saturdays of 2020 and have many memories of moments we shared.
Charlie I will always remember for the Spider-Man post and your easy personality. Amelia for her calmness and finally Chris, without whom I’d not be here today. I am ever grateful for your patience and your understanding.

So that said there will be life after 43 London Road but as it closes I will be launching myself off the cliff and hoping I can financially hold things together long enough to sell my house.
So we have a shop full of beautiful things in our closing down sale. The proceeds of the sale will be what I live on until I can sell my house and move.
I will be posting the large items in stories later.
We have a stepped discount system from 10% off items we only took delivery of this month up to 40%.
As you know all our shades and cushions are made from designer fabrics by brands such as GP & J Baker, Designers Guild, Sanderson’s, Jane Churchill and Zoffany.
Already super competitively priced at half of what Neptune would charge they are now discounted in the sale.
So please support us in our final hour and come grab a bargain!

03/05/2022

One of the things you’ll definitely find inside our front door is colour.
I don’t know about you but I do most of my shopping on holiday. Why? Because generally you can’t find it back home, so it’s original well, more original than buying from M&S and because I don’t have a shopping list the things I buy are connecting emotionally with me. I buy because I love them.
I believe a home should connect to its owners emotionally, so when you walk round the corner into whichever room there’s a little tingle of “Ooo I do love that!”
This little wooden box of colour definitely connects with me emotionally and gives me the warm and fuzzies. Which this chilly spell isn’t!
We stock a varied collection of throws which if we are going to sit out as the evenings get lighter we will probably still need! Some are made from recycled wool, some from lambs wool, Marino wool on occasions and some super soft and snuggly man made throws.

03/05/2022

I live to CREATE and to INSPIRE….Come what MAY!
So just like that, it’s May! And there’s still a chill in the air.
So what are your plans for the year?
Who’s getting on a plane for the first time in what seems like forever?!
When we came back to work last year after the last lockdown I told the team I have two ambitions, one was to go to Bali again and the other is to move house.
This little, not so little shop on a personal level was meant to be a stepping stone to moving house. I’ve worked from home my entire life. As a soft-furnisher moving both home and business was a lot, especially as it was pretty much single handed the last time and I have dreaded the day I need to move again ever since.
The plan hasn’t gone quite as I originally envisaged and the last two years have been based around survival. Moving is still a way off.
But now it’s time to drill down to the core intention of the business.
And to get my Instagram Feed to accurately represent what we are here to help you with!
I’m here to create and inspire.

03/05/2022

22/12/2021

Woke up to this view today, felt I should share it.
This is MY Christmas present to myself. Two nights in a place I’ve always felt cared for.
Because we all need to feel cared for even if it’s just for a short while.

21/12/2021

I love it when the uni students return, Amelia agreed to model our pink pompom scarf and cross-body purse bag and they look smashing!
When they are gone they are gone.

21/12/2021

Love it when the Uni students return, our pink Pom Pom scarf and grey leather purse/bag looks smashing on her.
When they are gone, they’re gone!

21/12/2021

So a billions years ago, or so it seems some days I was a soft-furnisher, handmade, bespoke and using lots of gorgeous fabrics.
So I’ve pulled out my good scissors and decided we are going to make our own lampshades because I was getting tired of oatmeal coloured linen! So if you have a lamp that deserves something more interesting maybe we should talk?! 😉

08/08/2021

Is it real? Or is it fake?
If you have green fingers then the only way to go is real.
But how about those of us who kill plants with a glance but still want to “green up” our homes?
These days the fakes can be so good it’s tricky to tell even close up!
Maybe you fancy trailing plants in places you can’t reach to water? Or maybe you don’t want them dripping on your velvet sofa when you water them?
And how about those bathrooms that don’t have windows? Or rooms that don’t have great light?
Maybe it’s time to see how good artificial plants can be?
Yes this Areca palm is artificial!
Sometimes it’s good to keep your options open! 😉🌿

29/07/2021

Today I made a spur of the moment visit to in Ringwood but it’s been on my list for a while.
Did you know I spent 26yrs making bespoke hand made soft-furnishings? Supplying bespoke sofas and chairs and helping clients style their homes?
I loved what I did but it was very insular as I worked solely on recommendation, there was me, the clients and my elf helpers!
So just how did I come to make some cute little blue velvet curtains for the queen to pull? 🤔
I was always my biggest critic. But I loved working 1:1 with clients.
Ok so it’s not been a great first year to find to find suppliers and products to make a cohesive collection. Ordering stock has been tricky with so much out of stock and really long lead times.
So I’ve been thinking to create our own collections and this is the first step.
Watch this space!

22/07/2021

There’s nothing like the early morning sunlight streaming through my tiny cottage window casting shadows on the walls. I wasn’t quite quick enough to capture the full warmth and energy of the sunlight but I think you get the picture?
I’ve slept with my curtains open for a great many years. I’m lucky to live in a village with no street lights so when it’s dark, it’s dark!
As I’m writing this the sun has moved, the glow and the shadows have gone.
Knowing and understanding the orientation of your home is an important especially when decorating.