Period Features

A Romantic Look With Modern Influence

Farrow & Ball predict delicate candy colour interiors will replace starkly neutral schemes with pretty shades such as 'Setting Plaster' and 'Pink Ground' being key to this romantic, girly look. Accents of dark stormy greys, khaki greens and chocolate browns such as 'Mouse's Back', or highlights of mint and duck egg blues such as 'Teresa's Green' work equally well with these soft muted shades, evoking a world of faded elegance and sensuality.

Ancient Custom

Having spent a few hours helping with the Tissington well-dressing this year, I was amazed at the skill and commitment demonstrated by such a small community. Tissington is known as the mother-place of well-dressing and this annual event draws large crowds. The well-dressing takes the form of elaborate designs, using thousands of flower petals and depicting biblical or local themes. It is a skillful art, and the results are startlingly beautiful. This ancient custom looks certain to continue and survive for many years to come. For further information visit www.tissingtonhall.com

Unusual Items

We waved a sad goodbye to one of our favourite items today - a post war, children's kitchen furniture set with a conclusive collection of miniature utensils and authentic packaging. It even had a wonderful zinc sink with running taps, which were fed from a hidden closet. They don't make them like that now days and whatever your age .......you wanted to play with it!

After being a talking point in the shop, I am pleased that it has not been split up and I am delighted that it is going to such a good home.

Leek Arts Festival

The Leek Arts Festival is now in full swing! Thirty years ago, back in the dim and distant past of 1977, a group of like-minded people got together and decided that it was time the market town of Leek did something to show off the wealth and range of its artistic talent.

Thus was born Leek Arts Festival, which began as a single week of events featuring mainly local artists with just a smattering of outsiders invited to take part.

The result is a programme of events that is the envy of much larger communities throughout the UK. All you have to do is to go out and enjoy a full month of concerts, gigs, exhibitions and other events; safe in the knowledge that thousands of people from outside the area will be flooding into Leek during the month of May to see just why this small town of ours is so special.

For more details please contact Leek Tourist Information on 01538 483741 or visit www.leekartsfestival.org  for The complete calendar of events and workshop information.

Ways With Wallpaper

Increased sales of traditional wallpaper by Farrow & Ball certainly confirms its revival within the industry. In the paint room we have recently added a beautifully crafted oak peg rail to display all of our wallpaper books in order.This has certainly made it easier for our customers to browse over coffee and biscuits and imagine the beautifully blocked printed designs in their bedrooms and hallways!

My staff have also been busy with wallpaper and have been creating wonderful aprons, undergarments and Chinese fans to name a few out of the lovely stuff. This wallpaper origami is solely used in the art of window dressing and seeing the glint in Penny's eye I wonder what is coming next!