MOOD Home & Lifestyle | My Family Business
Taking a look back at and reflecting on what was my passion project of 5 years, and where it all began…My little family business in the heart of the Buckinghamshire countryside.
Where to begin? This project was one very close to my heart for many years, one that, along with my Mum, together lived, breathed, nurtured and developed from the ground up. As many who know me know, I have always been very passionate about design, photography and interiors. With a degree in Graphic Communication, I have always been very creative, and once I graduated, I knew I wanted to run my own business. After renting a little space and working in another shop for 2 years, it felt like natural progression to look for my own premises, and so many coincidences at the time led us not only to where we lived at that time, but also the shop. In the summer of 2018, upon moving to the area and exploring the market town of Winslow, we came across this unused, unloved premises in a very old building just off the Market Square, but one with lots of potential (Even complete with outside toilet!- Yes, this would prove fun in the Winter!). After lots of deliberation, we took the plunge, thinking we wouldn’t know if we didn’t try, and if it didn’t work, well then at least we gave it a go. This would be the beginning of a rollercoaster adventure of highs, lows and everything in between, learning so many valuable lessons all the while. It would give me an outlet to showcase and nurture my creativity, give me the chance to develop and explore my signature style and photography, and ultimately teach me so many fundamental skills I would go on to use, and with valuable knowledge of owning and running a small business.
We were overwhelmed by the response and feedback we received, from our customers, our family, friends and neighbours. It was such a lovely little community we built from our shop. We opened in the October of 2018, just before the Christmas madness, but was such an exciting, albeit scary time in the best way. With one room at the front, leading down to a kitchen area, and a lovely long window display, myself and my Mum were able to unleash our creativity, utilise the space to the best we could, and continually re-dress, style and photograph seasonally, to always keep things fresh and new, with a growing list of suppliers both in the UK and Europe.
Our signature style also developed organically over time, yet we always gravitated to our love of neutral colours, a rustic meets modern aesthetic, layered textures, and a mix of unique items (A big feature we became known for was our statement branch display suspended across our central table!).
A highlight was always scouring the trade shows to find new and exciting collections to introduce to the shop. From Consoles to Mirrors, Lamps to handmade cushions/soft furnishings, down to faux florals, gifting, home fragrance and cards, we wanted to have something for everyone. It very much felt like a family unit not only of course being a family business, but saw all of our customers as friends and an extension of this. We had so many wonderful conversations over our counter, putting the world to right, advising people of the perfect pieces for their home, putting together floral arrangements, and also having a good old chin wag!
We felt lucky to be able stock lovely brands such at NEOM, St Eval candles and Nkuku to name just a few, with larger brands in Denmark, and handmade products made on our doorstep, as well as our very own Seasonal Stories collection, and a cushion from our lovely friend and fellow business owner Jasmine, from Alterme Home.
The big season was always Christmas time, with the magic and anticipation of Christmas launch, sourcing all the latest and unusual decorations, decorating the trees, and the event of the year- The Winslow Christmas Market. Always on the last Thursday evening of November to kickstart the festivities, the Market Square was always abuzz with Christmas lights, Children, Reindeer, carol singers, and the smell of Mulled Wine…and our shop was no different (Well apart from the Reindeers!).
We built our customer base organically both in store, but also from the power of Instagram (This would ultimately save us over the Covid Pandemic), which brought people from all over. We also loved the chance to be filmed for British TV, for a property renovation program of a beautiful home nearby, and also enjoyed showcasing at local Fairs.
I always took pride in our window display, and so loved changing these regularly and seasonally, from Christmas to The Queens Jubilee!
Despite all the wonderful, rewarding moments, there were lots of worrying, uncertain times, navigating Covid, Brexit and the subsequent cost of living crisis, paired with our lease coming to an end, and so felt like the natural time to close, as difficult as it was. I always knew I wanted to get back to what I love, and believe everything happens for a reason. After a couple of years since working for a couple of luxury brands, I feel it is the right time to pull together my portfolio, set up my website, and see what this next adventure holds!
Take a deeper dive in to our shop through the years over in my portfolio.
