Opening a retail store in my beloved Barnes, a place without the balmy weather of Carmel, but rivalling it for unusual charm, is a long-held dream of mine. I’ve worked in interior design for over 10 years, after careers in the charity sector and law, and raising a family. I have been both excited and overwhelmed by the massive choice of products for the home available on-line, from lighting and paint colours to fabric choices and furniture. I’ve also become increasingly frustrated that finding things for the home has either been driven on-line or to places that may produce lovely, well-priced goods, but ones you don’t know the environmental or human cost of. Don’t get me wrong, without these vast resources I’d probably still be trying to complete projects started 15 years ago. But what I miss is the joy of choosing things that resonate with me, that I can touch and feel. And I truly believe that it is vital to touch and feel things in person to make great choices of things which then do more than fill a home. Whether it is the weight of beautifully crafted cutlery from France in your hand, or the comfort of linen cushions, there simply is no substitute for choosing things for your home in person.