When I started Tidy Books 13 years ago, I remember a huge truck turned up outside my house in Walthamstow, East London, with a delivery of pallets. The truck was so big it blocked the whole street and it stayed there for hours while everything was unloaded. I was mortified, but thankfully my lovely neighbours were very understanding – and patient!
The incident made me realise how lucky I was to live and work in such a great area, and as Tidy Books has grown into an international business I still feel incredibly fortunate to be here.
I was reminded of this a while ago when I was launching a new colour range and needed somewhere local for a photo shoot. Through a friend of a friend I found just what I was looking for – a house that had an open-plan design with kitchen, living room and kids’ play area.
Open-plan living is an ongoing trend and I love the idea of families sharing their living space rather than children playing separately in their bedrooms. It feels like a nice way of being together yet still having a sense of autonomy and the space to do your own thing. It’s what Tidy Books is all about – encouraging children to become independent as they learn and grow.
The products aren’t designed just for open-plan living, though. I ensure all my children’s furniture is robust without being bulky so it can fit into small rooms and tiny spaces. As a mum of two, I know how important it is for kids’ furniture to work in the home. And now, with the new colour range, Tidy Book’s furniture can come out of the closet – or, rather, the kids’ bedrooms – and be a stylish addition to any room in your house.
*How do you organise the kid’s stuff?