Coastal Interior Inspiration

This week our spotlight is on the magical county of Cornwall. I may well be biased as I grew up on the beaches of Polzeath and Daymer Bay but there's no denying it's charm and beauty, which I'm sure is where Jen and Ali from The Clementine get plenty of their inspiration from. We managed to grab them for ten minutes in between running two stores in Truro and Fowey and their own growing lifestyle brand Liga to find out a little more about what gets them out of bed in the morning.

In a few words tell us a little bit about your store

Our two stores are in Cornwall and they are both big beautiful and full of inspiration

What was the inspiration behind The Clementine- have you always had a yearning to run/manage your own bricks and mortar store?

Who didn’t love playing shops when they were little !?

Where did your love for interiors come from?

Ali - Changing Rooms ! 

Jen - I always loved painting my bedroom different colours and moving it around as often as possible, I guess thats where it started.

Which new brands that you are working with are you really excited about this season and why?

We’ve loved helping our customers to create a Spa Bathroom at home with relaxing candles from our own Liga range, practical storage from Blomus and of course peshtemals which are not just for the bathroom or beach, they are also for wafting around at home in with a face pack on !

Why is it important to you as a retailer to be working with small / independent brands?

It is important to support creativity at grass roots level for new ideas to gain momentum and grow. Small business owners can be passionate about their business in a way that big corporates cannot. Add passion to professionalism and it can be a winning combination.

What makes your store unique?

Our Customers! We spend a lot of time analysing what our customers like, what they want and we aim to give it to them, sometimes before they even know they want it !

What interior trends are you excited about for 2018?

We are loving using sustainable materials, eco, recycled - there is so much buzz around all of this at the moment, with new products being launched.

What does an average day at The Clementine look like?

Our days are full … we have so many things we want to do, so many ideas - our days zoom by way too fast !

What makes Cornwall special to you?

Cornwall is all about the Sea and the many many amazing beaches. Whether its walking the dogs on a winters day or paddling in canoes around the coast, its so inspiring …

Can you give us your top three tips for people coming to visit Truro or Fowey

Best Restaurant in Fowey - its an old favourite but its still the best - Sams.

 When in Fowey get out onto the water however you can - there are boat trips as well as ones you can hire - but if time is limited just jump on the Polruan Ferry and if you’re lucky on the way over you’ll see the dolphin who lives in the harbour following you.

In Truro mooch around the cobble streets and come and see us at St Marys Sunday School next to the cathedral!

What do you do to relax after a a hard days work?

I’d love to say I’m on the beach watching the sun go down, but reality wherever you live is very different when you have a family! Its cook dinner, help with homework, catch up with chores time!