Shop for the Senses is more then just a shop, it’s an experience, somewhere you can come and immerse yourself. When you hover over the threshold you can feel the energy of the space. It feels serene, smells incredible, the textures and colours are sumptuous and inviting. The shop is based in the Lake District which has recently been given UNESCO heritage.
If you follow me on social media you will already of seen that I have opened a Concept Shop with my Co-Founder Victoria from Feather and Wild. Together we’ve invited a handful of local artisans to join us and create this this space at Rheged in Penrith.
Before making candles I worked for 15 years as a lingerie designer, a portion of my job involved regularly travelling to major cities in the UK and Europe to assess the market. One thing that I kept experiencing was the same old boring large chain shops that just made me feel like I was on a conveyor belt of consumerism. I use to feel exhausted and uninspired, like they were sucking the life out of me.
A creative community is very important to me and after moving back to the Lake District I was reminded about all the incredible talent the county has, getting together with Victoria we soon learnt our values and passion aligned and Shop for the Senses began. We are here to support and amplify some of Cumbria’s best Artists and Artisans. Hidden away in their rural studios they are often missed. But we have set out to share our secret network and their beautiful wares of which are made to be treasured.
The items in the space harbour incredible craftsmanship and are exquisite. The quality flows right through the shop, if feels like a collection even though it’s a mix of several different peoples work. You can see the influence of the fells and the surrounding landscape in each product, and the thumbprint of emotion they leave on the senses, the lakes and mountains of The Lake District.
The product mix is paintings, artwork, furniture, functional pottery, sculptural ceramics, cushions, screen printed textiles, rugs, candles and home fragrance. They are all created to be treasured and passed down rather then thrown away.
So if you are visiting the Lakes this year come and find us at Rheged, just outside Penrith, I’d love to hear what you think to the space and how it made you feel.
1 comment
Visited Rheged this week literally in our way to Bassenthwaite. A very quick whistle stop tour of the shop. I kept thinking about the ship and, in particular, the fragrance. Just signed up for the subscription box to enable me explore your entire range and discover the elusive fragrance from the 27th December! Love the whole concept. Well done!