Tucked away on a Norwich industrial estate, you'll find a little piece of elegance and sophistication in Woods Interiors.
Offering interior design services and decorative pieces for your home, the business on Roundtree Close, Sprowston, opened in 2018, but since the introduction of a chic new coffee bar at the end of last year, business is flourishing.
It's the commercial arm of an already successful business, The Finishing Touch Ltd, owned and run by Lorraine Wood, alongside husband Daren and son Ross, which makes and supplies curtains and blinds for businesses, care homes, offices and the NHS. Now, though, they've branched out into retail so customers are able to walk in and place an order or buy off the shelf.
Candles, ornaments, furniture, vases and floral arrangements, supplied in the most part by local businesses, are on offer. And whatever you buy, you can be safe in the knowledge you're one of a very small number to own one.
"We tend to only buy a few of each item and keep the stock turning over," says Lorraine. "So it's not like you could go into someone else's house and say 'I've got that'.
"We try and keep it unique, so when someone buys something I know there'll only ever be three or four that we've bought in, and that will be it."
It was three years later, in 2021, that Lorraine had one of those 'middle of the night' ideas to install a coffee bar - a completely different side to the business, which she'd never ventured into before.
"People can be spending a lot of money on their interiors and I thought it t would make it a lot nicer for them to be able to sit down, go through the books and see the displays," says Lorraine. "It gives them a bigger picture of how everything's going to look."
It's come into its own, offering fresh barista-served coffee and, among other goodies, tray bakes and croissants supplied by local Dollie's Bakery. And thanks to a newly-installed kitchen, a selection of their own delicious efforts.
"We now bake a lot ourselves - scones and sausage rolls," says Lorraine. "We're also offering a full dinnertime menu, because that's what people were asking for, where we do hot paninis, bacon rolls and soup. And we're getting regular customers for the coffee bar on its own, which is really nice."
Inspiring interiors combined with the smell of baking and fresh coffee works well together, and the customers love it - those with two legs and four. Despite being a place of elegance and sophistication, the place is doggy friendly and welcomes those looking for a rest after a ramble on nearby Mousehold Heath. Thankfully, Lorraine's not overly fussed about the odd muddy paw here and there.
The Woods' own furry family member, Bobi the cockapoo, attracts her own adoring fans who pop in to see her. By all accounts she's become a bit of a hit on Instagram, too. "People come in and say they're only there to visit the dog!" laughs Lorraine.
As we've been spending more time at home in the last couple of years, it's true, says Lorraine, that more of us are looking to make the most of our surroundings.
For those among us who have little clue as to where to start when it comes to interior design, Lorraine asks you to either bring some photos in of your home or she can visit you in person.
And if you're keen to stay on trend this year, her advice is to opt for bold colours and original florals - Laura Ashley or William Morris type of designs.
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