About Charlotte

Photo credit Justina Maiz Casas

I started my textile journey later in life, but all the jobs and careers I had before my textile life have stood me in good stead for running the business I have today.

I always say that I was unemployable! I have had my own businesses since my early twenties, so I have never had the perks of a ‘real job’, never had a paid holiday and have always worked from project to project. I never worried about money; it wasn’t, and still isn’t, the main driving force in my life. What I love is the sense of achievement and recognition that comes from creating something beautiful.

My previous occupations included being a chalet girl and a stewardess on a yacht in the South of France. I sold clothes out of a bag in London, which I am sure would be illegal now! I tried to be an estate agent, but the market crashed, so I went back to being a chalet girl. I never really drifted, but looking back, I was so young and didn’t have a clue what goals I wanted to achieve in life. I was really only interested in when the next party was.

What really gave me the fire in my belly was getting married at 26 and then divorced at 28. I had never had an enemy in my life until then. I was married to an abusive man who turned everything in his path toxic. I now had enemies looking down on me; there was gossip and there were rumours from people who knew nothing about me, even though I had done nothing wrong. I felt embarrassed about what had happened and became very self-conscious.

I was so relieved to find my freedom, but I now wanted to prove those people wrong and show that I could make something of myself. I wanted to show that one day they would be proud to know who I was. This episode in my life gave me the drive and determination to do the best I could and to be successful.

Four years after my divorce, I married the love of my life and I now have two precious boys and a beautiful place to live. I thank my lucky stars every day. I feel as though I was plucked out of the worst time in my life and placed somewhere bright and happy, and this is where I am now.

I went to Newcastle College at the age of 47 to do a textile degree. I loved every minute of it and spent three wonderful years just being creative. I hit the ground running with my first collection, which I created in my final year. I asked an experienced interiors photographer and stylist to photograph the collection. I had never done anything like this before, but I knew I needed good photographs to sell myself to the magazines. They knew exactly how to create the shots, the magazines loved them, and I was jettisoned into the industry almost overnight.

I took the risk of attending trade fairs in London and exhibited at Decorex. The first year I had the most awful position, so nobody could find us! I did it for a second year and met an ‘old-school’ US agent who became a bit of a father figure to me. He introduced my designs to the US market, told me some home truths about how the market worked, and I have now been selling consistently well there for ten years. I have chosen to stay in just a few showrooms, which is fine for me; otherwise, they can take over your life and you have no time for anything else.

People often think that being a designer and running a design business means painting and drawing all the time. Sadly for me, this is actually my time off! Most of my time is spent running the business and promoting my designs. I would love to spend all my days painting, and I often paint when I am on holiday because I can relax and have fewer interruptions.

I would say that running a business like mine is a bit like being in a dream. I am doing something that I adore, so I don’t mind doing all the other things involved in running it. I love all the photography and videos because this is another creative process for me. I don’t mind all the technical stuff either: websites, accounts and marketing. I love to learn, and I think you have to keep learning all the time to run a business well.

I have created a well-oiled machine, and it works well, avoiding mistakes wherever we can. More than anything, I just want to help people, and I get so much joy from helping customers choose ideas for their homes. I have such a lovely feeling of satisfaction whenever I make a sale. I am always so flattered that someone likes one of my designs enough to use it to make curtains or blinds for their home. I never take any of my success for granted; I am incredibly grateful.

I don’t want to build a massive business and rule the world. I am so happy with what I have and I don’t want it to change. We work out of a few farm buildings on a beautiful farm in Northumberland, near Hexham. I share an office with my husband, Tom, whose business is totally opposite to mine. He is an agricultural fencing contractor, so he is usually covered in oil or driving complicated-looking machines and tractors!

I would describe my business as a genuine boutique business. My designs have a distinctly British style: traditional with a modern twist and, hopefully, timeless. My goal is for my designs to become a secret ingredient in decorating a home — one of those things where, if you know, you know. I would love that knowledge to be passed from mother to daughter, down through the generations.

Long may it last.

Charlotte