Relics of Witney moves to The Old Works in Corn Street

It's time to announce our exciting news in full....

...we've moved from our old place in Bridge Street....

to our new address:

Relics of Witney Limited,

The Old Works,

Corn Street, 

Witney, 

OX28 6BZ

We shared last month how we've been extremely busy behind the scenes getting everything ready for you and, though the finishing touches are still being put in places, we are OPEN!!

If you've not yet been in and seen our new place then here are some pictures to give you just a taster of all that's in store....

And, don't forget, when you visit us here at our new Corn Street address in April, enter our prize draw to win a £50 Relics voucher to spend on all our lovely goodies...

We've now got plenty of parking in front for all our customers; so useful for all of you looking to pick up big hauls of paint for your projects!

The Old Works is the most fantastic space. Director Kate Pollard says, "It's so light and bright; and such a pleasure to see the sun streaming in through the huge windows."

We've had enormous bespoke oak doors (finished with Osmo Oil) made by the excellent Rialto Joinery, which allow yet more light to flood in.

Lots of our customers have been asking what we'll be doing with all the additional space. We've got lots of plans coming soon to expand on our existing stock. 

This means that we'll be able to hold many more tins of paint in store, particularly of Farrow and Ball and Little Greene colours.

Relics will also be starting to be an official Crown paint stockist, which we're very excited about.

As well as paint, we'll be looking to build on our existing range of home-wares. For example we'll be stocking a new range of fantastic oak flooring.

Relics director, Steve Hall, says, "We've moved to give us the ability and flexibility to do more of the things that we already do really well...

Moving to The Old Works in Corn Street is such an amazing opportunity to grow and develop all that we've worked so hard at building at Bridge Street, finding the very best products for customers.

We're hugely looking forward to seeing many more of our plans come together and to flourish."

We've brought all our lovely fixtures and fittings, so the new Relics feels very familiar...

...but we hope you'll be as thrilled as we are with all the changes afoot. Come in and let us know what you think.

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Relics of Witney are moving in April

Have you heard our exciting news? Yes, it's all change round here at Relics of Witney.... 

We're moving!!

Here's what our new building looked like when we first saw it:

There has been lots to do to make it ship-shape but we love the feeling of airiness and light, and the cavernous space is amazing!

Our new address will be at The Old Works in Corn Street, Witney, where we're currently scurrying about making everything perfect for you. 

Whilst we're getting on with that, we thought we'd take this opportunity to share with you some behind the scenes shots of what's been going on over the last couple of months.

We're so excited to see this project come to life. 

Since these original photos were taken, we've completely stripped the space back and have begun to make it our very own. 

Once everything was removed (including an old spray booth!), we've been able to get on with the painting. Decorating a space of this size is not at all straight-forward so we bought in a Wagner spray painter. This YouTube video gives just a hint of what a mammoth process it is. 

 The vastness of this light and bright space means that all colours read much lighter than they would in a standard room.

For example, we've chosen Dulux Trade Egyptian Cotton in Supermatt for the side walls and ceiling, one of our best-sellers. This colour would normally appear as a beautiful soft beige-grey with the tiniest hint of green but here acts almost as an off-white, making the very most of the sunshine pouring in from those huge windows.

We love to show off our favourite paint shades in store; one of Farrow and Ball's new paint colours for 2016 particularly caught our eye. Inchyra Blue is lighter and more coloured than Down Pipe but still carrying the same lovely dark and moody feel.

We love the way Farrow and Ball Inchyra Blue has high-lighted the industrial feel of these huge cross beams, with its rich, dark shade of teal, turning them into a real feature if the room.

Finally, for the two end walls, we've chosen Farrow and Ball Mouse's Back, described by Farrow and Ball as a green-based grey/brown.

We love how these three colours work together, bringing a heartbeat back to our new home.

Follow our progress by following us on:

 Twitter, Instagram & Facebook.

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Full reveal: Farrow & Ball NEW paint colours for 2016

If you've had your ear to the ground when it comes to paints, you'll have been waiting for this post with bated breath! If you've not heard the news that Farrow and Ball are releasing nine exquisite new colours for 2016 then where have you been? 

Farrow and Ball have, at last, released their long-awaited new paints for 2016. Yes, nine new paint colours are now lining our beautifully bespoke shelves (nothing but the best for the paints we stock!). Just click on the links to order...

May we introduce you to Vardo, a saturated, bright teal..

...and this is Salon Drab (the perfect modern chocolate colour)  paired with Yeabridge Green, originally found in an 18th century Georgian farmhouse....

...but we know that you, our discerning customers, aren't only interested in the publicity shots, stunning though they are, so we had the idea, as you may have guessed from the first picture in this post, of painting a dolls house using the new 2016 Farrow and Ball colours so you can get a better feel for how they'll work for you.

Peignoir is named after the chiffon gowns worn in the privacy of boudoirs. It is a very greyed pink, giving a romantic vintage feel, though it's cool undertones ensure it could be just as striking in a contemporary home.

You can see in the image below how it contrasts with the more sugary pink of the dolls house frontage, Peignoir definitely has a softer, ethereal feel.

Worsted sits between Purbeck Stone and Mole's Breath in the Easy Neutrals family of Farrow and Ball paints. It's a warm mid-grey with a hint of stone. 

Farrow and Ball describe Worsted as the perfect background to make clean accent colours, such as this electric blue carpet, pop. It works a treat!

We love Inchyra Blue's inky moodiness; it is reminiscent of Farrow and Ball's Down Pipe with the sun streaming onto it, as Inchyra Blue enhances the fullness of those darkest teal undertones.

Aaah, how we love Cromarty. Just like its darker sister, Mizzle, Cromarty is also inspired by the mist but this time from the sea, giving it a softer, more muted air.

We've painted the floor of this room in Shadow White, which most definitely falls into the category of a traditional off white, unlike some of Farrow and Ball's 'whites' we could name! Shadow White is intended to capture the softeness of white in the shade. It's also the paler relation of Shaded White...

...and Drop Cloth is the darker version. This is another sure winner, though not with the most glamorous of names, hailing, as it does, from the dust sheets used by decorators everywhere.  Drop Cloth is wonderfully typical of Farrow and Ball's expertise in producing the most fantastically subtle colours. Is this a stone, a grey, a gently muted green? The answer is, as always with these magical cusp colours, that it depends on the room you want to paint, so please know that we're always here at Relics of Witney to ask for advice before you commit to any purchase.  

If you'd like more information, or simply want to chat through trying them out for yourself (and how can you not be tempted with these beauties!), come and see us at Relics of Witney or contact us here....  

...if only to pick up an up-to-date Farrow and Ball colour card!

   

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How to create the perfect fireplace...

It's amazing what a mess Christmas can make of your fireplace!

Did your Christmas see a roaring fire blazing in your hearth? It's not just people that look a little worse for wear after the excesses of a wonderful Christmas have passed, your fireplace will have taken a battering too...and don't get us started on the mess Santa leaves sliding down the chimney!

But fear not! We are here with tidings of good news! Over the next couple of months, we'll be here sharing the best ways to get your fireplace and hearth looking its New Year best once again...

Let us start this month by making sure that your fire-making supplies are in place. These tools will be put through their paces over the year so please make sure you choose good quality tools fit for purpose.

We suggest you start off with a companion set; a cost-effective way of buying the bare essentials. Our Village Companion set comprises a brush, shovel, poker and tongs, complete with a matching stand, all robustly made from wrought iron in a satin black finish. 

We also have separates available, if you need replacements or additional tools, such as these log and coal tongs, made by fireside specialist Manor....

...or, if you are lacking in space for your accoutrements, may we suggest this baby fireside tidy set...

A fire-guard is an absolute must for containing any exuberant crackling or popping of fuel, as well as keeping out any curious little fingers. However, there's no need to sacrifice style for safety. Take a look at these two beauties to see what we mean.

One of the common complaints about fire-guards has been that they can be ugly so, we've tracked down a fire-guard specifically designed to enhance arched fireplaces. It nestles snugly against the opening, becoming a feature in its own right.

Our other recommendation is this fire-guard. With its stunning curves, and shapely handle, you may be tempted to think it is just a pretty face.... 

However, its fantastic quality means that its top and base is made from one smooth piece of metal which minimises scratching on softer hearth materials such as slate.

Finally, we come to the issue of fuel storage. For wood burners, we love the neutral tones of our rattan baskets for holding logs, alongside our Kindling Bucket for those smaller pieces.

And, for coal, we stock a range of coal hods.

Lastly, if you have not yet discovered the joys of your own fire, may we encourage you to try it out! A good way for a trial run, if you have a chimney breast, is our sturdy Manor cast iron fire basket.

Next month, we'll have a full tutorial on cleaning your fireplace, so that it can be the focal point it deserves.

Happy New Year!

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