What was your childhood bed like?

Posted on June 14, 2013 by littlelucywillow

 

This might at first seem like a strange question to ask! But we are in the bed business after all, so please accept this as serious market research. Somewhat less seriously, the reason we ask is that no-one here can actually remember their bed, or much of their bedroom furniture as a young child. Which led us to question whether children ever appreciate what beautiful furniture they have these days?

 

Clearly our childhood bedroom furniture was so uninspiring it has been quickly erased from memory. But then everything was probably less inspiring all those (twenty-one!) years ago. In fact parenting was completely different then. This point was raised just the other day when we discussed how parenting today is actually an interchangeable role with ‘events co-ordinator’. Children now are accustomed to having full-time entertainment arranged for them every weekend: Parties, day trips, presents and special meals are all squeezed in – and that’s just Saturday. Having nothing arranged at the weekend now is not something any self-respecting parent would publicly admit to, without feeling the need to justify the admission of failure.

 

Have children lost the skills of entertaining themselves?

 

In amongst all this weekend stimulation, kids just don’t seem to get a moment to themselves anymore. They don’t sit in their room having to make up games, or read a book, or go out for little adventures which involve carrying a tree branch. They’re driven around in cars with TV screens, to avoid a moment where they may become bored.

 

And we spend an awful lot more money on their furniture (and everything else for them in actual fact). The choice of bed type today is endless, cabin beds, truckle beds, bunk beds – no doubt you’ll have read in the recent rise of childrens double beds! We even supply a childs four poster bed, should none of the above be special enough.

 

Clearly, at Little Lucy Willow we’re not altogether unhappy at this change. But we truly hope that in twenty years’ time, your (then grown up) children will sit around and reminisce about the beautiful furniture their parents spent time and money choosing, to make everything in their life at that young age perfect.

 

As for the childhood bed we slept in; most of us seem to recall a divan type featureless bed. Not only was it featureless, it was very difficult to hide things under as well.

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Messy Bedrooms and a Mothers’ Guilt

Posted on June 4, 2013 by littlelucywillow

 

Arriving at my local supermarket recently I was surrounded by signs of summer. There were barbeque kits stacked high in the foyer next to an eye-watering collection of garden toys, ranging from huge bubble wands and multi-coloured windmills, to the centrepiece, the mother-toy, a bouncy castle/water slide/tunnel combo complete with pump. Blimey what I would give to be a child today! All we had was a tennis ball in a sock. Anyway, this huge summer spectacle sparked panic within as my mind “helpfully” flashed up images of one corner of our cobweb infested shed and its sorry contents. A pre-historic swingball set bundled on top of a slightly deflated space hopper. Several beads of sweat were quickly followed by a massive urge to call a man with a van to shove the whole lot, mother-toy and all, in the back. But luckily, for my purse, and the shed, my senses got the better of me and I carried on with my shopping, occasionally finding my thoughts veering dangerously towards mega-bubbles and giant slides.
It’s hard not to feel certain pressures as a parent. Pre-motherhood I had all these ideas about how ‘organic’ my child’s upbringing would be (I know. Who WAS that person?). No television for the first three years, home-made nutritious meals every day, no toys made in China etc etc but of course as soon as they got wind of Igglepiggle and turned their nose up at everything that didn’t come out of a jar, my resolve went out of the window along with the line-caught fish pie (the fish that is, not the pie).

 

I suppose what I’m getting at is that whether we realise it or not, we are constantly being bamboozled into ‘keeping up’. It’s all or nothing. You can’t get the paddling pool without the giant water pistols and the pop up tent will be rubbish without the huge adjoining tunnel (why does all this stuff have to be so damn big??) After much, probably too much, deliberation I decided on the bubbles and to hell with the rest. Even as I was standing at the checkout I was considering swapping them for the bowling set, or even getting them both (last of the big spenders!). I was desperately urging someone to join the queue behind me to take the pressure off. Only then could I declare to myself that it was too late, it was over, the lines had now closed and the clock had stopped. Pathetic I know. I have several more of these self-imposed cut-off criteria depending on the circumstances. They all somehow relate to not standing on cracks in the pavement and red cars going past before I get to the next lamp post. Anyway, when I got home and presented the goods to the little ones they were ecstatic and any doubts I might have had instantly vanished. Just two small things had made a huge difference to their lives. I know it sounds dramatic but I’m filling up just thinking about it. Pass me a hankey.

 

I’ve often wondered whether people feel such bamboozlement about Little Lucy Willow. Without patting my own back too hard, we do make sure our showroom and website are beautifully presented and impeccably designed to make you want to buy our childrens furniture (I know I know, you can stop clapping now). We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t make such an effort. But is what we present realistic? Is every child’s bedroom so white, bright, tidy and clean with co-ordinated bunting hanging from a flawlessly painted (and hand-print free) wall? Probably not if I’m honest. Ok, ok, definitely not! Then again, I think I did come close to this impossible dream during my precious last few days of pregnancy once. I recall taking much pleasure in folding blankets and re-positioning teddy bears and tiny socks then staring dreamily at my creation. It was such a vision of loveliness – then a baby came along and spoiled it all! Fellow neat freaks will sympathise. These days such perfect bedrooms in my house could only be achieved by making the children sleep in the shed or somewhere. Now there’s an idea…

 

Anyway, as I was saying, some might find our images a little overwhelming and turn away for a good old sob in the crook of their elbow. These people – you know who you are – believe they must buy everything in the photograph or nothing at all. But the reality is that our furniture doesn’t need fancy surroundings to look great – we just do that for extra impact, you know, crank up the pressure a few notches to make you all feel a little more inadequate (kidding of course!). The fact is, in the real world it takes but ONE piece of furniture and a little imagination to transform a room and kickstart a domestic revolution. Obviously for those who would rather take a whole collection, well that’s ok too!

 

Perhaps we should inject a little reality into a photoshoot sometime by letting the little ones loose. Two excitable children, a couple of yoghurts and a biro? The results could be interesting but then again, you probably wouldn’t even notice seeing as our furniture is so staggeringly beautiful – just in case you hadn’t already gathered…

 

 

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My Night in a Haunted Hotel

Posted on May 24, 2013 by littlelucywillow

 

Weddings are a joy, especially when held on a Sunday and are so far away that it is inconceivable for the whole family to attend. Children miss school? Husband miss work? No we can’t have that. Despite almost no protests, I still found myself in front of the aforesaid bunch, eyes closed with hands apart, gently patting the air, adopting the universal ‘calm down’ pose saying “Ok ok I’ll go and save all our skins, then at least one of us has shown our face.” It worked and within two hours I was all but packed and on my way.

 

It also helped that I could tie it in with a visit to our factory and check out progress on our Charles Oakley Collection which will be launched very soon.

 

My big sister and I were to share a room after she also took the fake moral high ground. I was so (very secretly) excited as it was all taking place in the New Forest, a beautiful part of the world. To be quite honest though, were it to be held on a sewage farm in the back end of nowhere I would still be in attendance, fascinator and all. NOTHING and NO ONE was going to stop me having a relaxing night in a nice hotel getting some much-needed sleep.

 

Yeah, right. Firstly, upon arrival at the -very old and spooky looking- hotel, my super-paranoid sister had not even put her bag down when she commenced her ‘fire inspection’. It’s strange what you discover about your siblings when you least expect it don’t you think? Mmm. Leaning out of the window shaking the nearest drainpipe to see if it would take our weight, she informed me that knotted sheets would be our best option. Glad to have cleared that up then…

 

The wedding was a good laugh and I almost managed to put all thoughts of leaping out of burning hotel rooms with bedsheet parachutes behind me, when they were replaced with something else entirely. Upon returning to the pitch black hotel car park, my sister peered up towards our room and gasped “someone has just looked round our curtain, it’s moving”. Glancing up I could almost see the fabric swaying. A trick of the dark, I thought, ignoring my steadily increasing heart-rate and flashing images of an old woman with a tight grey bun. Which begs the question, why do old women ghosts always have hair on the “grey bun” spectrum?

 

What followed was without doubt the spookiest, most terrifying, madness-inducing night I have ever spent. Maybe it was the curtain twitching, grey-bunned old woman who gave me the willies the most, or it might have been the persistent tapping on the dressing table which big sis refused to acknowledge.

 

Whatever it was sent my fear-ometer into overdrive resulting in me sitting bolt upright and pulling the cord on my bedside light so hard it came off in my sweaty hand. Big sis was revelling in my terror. In fact, I haven’t seen her laugh so hard since she greeted me from school one day holding out my dead zebra finch in her hand, trying hard to supress the hearty laugh which followed about five seconds later. I found it strange that for someone who is an avid believer in ghosts and is a Most Haunted superfan, she wasn’t too freaked out. Little did she know but her cheery disposition settled my nerves somewhat and after much baffling reassurance, along the lines of “the spirit is just making her presence known and will not bother you if you don’t bother her”, we switched the lights off once more and attempted to sleep. I decided to convince myself that sis was actually making all the noises herself to scare me, just as she did 100 years ago when we shared a bedroom. Aaah, I thought, she misses ‘us’, as I drifted off.

 

The next thing I remember was an almighty ringing in my ears and the light going on. The bloomin fire alarm. Big sis lurched out of bed and had her boots and coat on before I could even get my head off the pillow. After a quick glance outside, she told me to stay calm and get up. Now this was either a really really REALLY elaborate hoax to further wreck my head or I was about to discover how difficult it is to abseil down a burning building using knotted sheets. Her grey pallor said it all. I was so glad I wasn’t alone for the second time that night as we rushed out of the room (thankfully not out of the window!). Sis braved it first, touching the door with the back of her hand as she went. The fire turned out to be a miniscule flame in a waste paper basket which didn’t half chuck out some smoke. Thank the Lord because my oldest pyjamas, which were more suited to the grey-bunned ghost, were not what I envisaged wearing during my first tv appearance whilst being saved by a burly fireman.

 

It was another hour before we got to sleep by which time I was so shattered, I would have happily shared my bed with the ghouliest of ghouls should any care to join me.

 

Consequently, we missed breakfast and were dithering wrecks by the time it came to the four hour journey home (complete with motorway closures and mind-boggling detours).

 

I was half expecting Jeremy Beadle to be on the doorstep when we finally arrived, furry microphone in hand. But alas, it was just the smiling faces of the children and husband who I shall think twice about abandoning should the opportunity arise again.

 

It probably wasn’t the most relaxing weekend I’ve ever had to be fair (massive understatement) and required several early nights to feel anything like human again. But at least I learned one thing – that sharing a room with a safety-obsessed fan of the paranormal can come in handy sometimes…

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Impossible Diets and Long Lost Friends

Posted on May 16, 2013 by littlelucywillow

 

 

Well it’s now May and once again, as is becoming my spring ritual, I am guilty of all charges laid before me.

 

-Failure to adhere to a straightforward (impossible) diet.

 

-Failure to assist slimming leaders with their enquiries (not turning up for weigh-ins).

 

-Failure to comply with ANY rules concerning diets (out and out scoffing).

 

-Wrongly believing that just saying the words “I’m on a diet” will make me slim.

 

-Failure to remove any labels from my new gym kit (let alone wear it).

 

Despite this, I have been known to go to the gym. In fact I have been twice. Once to join and again to look around. I ended up having an asthma attack the second time which was funny really as firstly I don’t actually have asthma and secondly, I had not done any exercise. It turned out to be hayfever related but it was too late. My somewhat feeble relationship with the gym was finished.

 

So four months in, half a stone heavier and approximately £300 out of pocket I have come to the conclusion that not only is life too short for such turmoil but more importantly, nobody actually cares whether my bottom should be a couple of inches smaller than it is now. Well actually, that’s not strictly true as I do, or did, care. I have been telling myself that this silly diet was all about developing self-esteem, greater confidence, inner happiness and damn it, was for the good of the country! However, I now realise that occasionally shoving an Easter egg down my throat at breakneck speed is much more effective – as is a simple act of kindness.

 

Such was my delight at recently receiving a small gift from a friend through the post, my bottom obsession temporarily diminished. “There are much more important things in life than small bottoms”, I suddenly realised.

 

My parcel contained a book that my friend thought I might enjoy. Not only, I suspect, did this gesture make her feel very good indeed, but more importantly, it made my heart soar! What a treat it was when I discovered that the name on the packaging was mine for a change. I’m not ashamed to say I had a little tear when I opened it and realised that my friend, who I seldom get to see these days as she lives so far away, was thinking of me. Ahhhh. In these grown up times of our lives, when family and work…and well, family and work eat up the days then weeks then months, I find it harder than ever to spend quality time with friends. This all got me thinking about a very good friend of mine who emigrated a decade ago.

 

She became a mum last year so was probably going through it a bit, prompting me to gift her something unexpected. So as well as sending her a pedicure kit (she always had terrible feet!) I also included some of our fabric wall letters spelling ‘Millie’, her daughter’s name  (Of course here at www.littlelucywillow.co.uk we have plenty of other beautiful gifts to browse through at your leisure!

 

Anyway, my friend was bouncing back and forth over the moon doing a merry jig when she received them from what I could gather, so all was good on both sides of the world for a spell. She was delighted that her old mucker still cared, and I almost forgot that my bum is probably a bit bigger than I would like it to be. Everyone’s a winner in the gifting game!

 

Anyway, the crux of it is that money can’t buy a pert bottom (unless you’re a gazillionaire) so surely it’s much better to treat your friends and get a hefty shot of the feelgood factor while you’re at it? We could even take it one step further by ditching the never-to-be-used gym membership in order to invest in future generations instead. You see, just as jewellery, art and that ghastly collection of Toby jugs your auntie Florrie has been threatening to bequeath you, can be passed through the ages, so can a timeless piece of furniture.

 

Enjoy the coming weekend

 

Mummy Willow x

 

 

Ps Don’t miss next week’s blog.….my stressful weekend at a haunted hotel.

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Not so boring Bunk Beds

Posted on May 10, 2013 by littlelucywillow

 

What’s not to like about bunk beds? They’re fun for climbing up and they’re fun for jumping off (although don’t tell the guys from Health & Safety that!). They’re practical, they’re space saving and are available in a range of shapes and sizes. The only downside is deciding who gets the top bunk! And, depending on which one you choose, they generally convert easily to two single beds for when the time is right and you have the space. So how can we here at Lucy Willow improve on a much loved and centuries old design bed that has been adored by kids throughout the world?

 

Umm? well “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” so we decided not to change it but enhance it considerably instead!  Producing, we think, a range of fun, designer children’s bunk beds that offer a lot more choice for both parents and kids with a more discerning taste.

 

It absolutely astounds us the standards in quality of bunk beds on the market and how on earth they are even considered safe let alone sturdy. If we may offer some reassurance, the bods who test for safety on behalf of British Standards commented that ours were the sturdiest bunk beds that they’d had the pleasure of testing. Of course, they are hand made by us which, we are proud to say, makes them British entirely from scratch. Our passion for producing only quality, well made furniture extends through to the durable painted finishes that we apply which enables us to offer a minimum 5 year quality guarantee as standard.

 

In the break neck pace of the modern world where it would seem speed is of the essence ie buy it online before 9.00pm and get it delivered the next day!! (how do they do that – are they watching over your shoulder as you order?) we believe in:

 

a) Highest quality furniture. Made to order.

 

and

 

b) Choice! Like choosing your own colour.

 

This means you will just have to be a little more patient (usually no more than 28 days) with us although it is certain to be worth the wait. Our new Brother and Sister Bunk Bed is testament as to why. You can choose the colour of each bed for example Ballerina Pink for the bottom bunk and Seaside Blue for the top bunk. On this version we have painted the ladder our Angel White colour although you can choose an alternative from the options we provide and the same goes for the under bed storage options. The foot boards can be personalised with your child’s names as well if you like.

 

We should have called it the ‘Joseph and his amazing technicolor dream bunk bed’ but we thought Andrew Lloyd Webber might take exception. Anyway you get the idea and it doesn’t just stop there with design options, take a look at our Daisy Bunk Bed. We will also soon be launching an upholstered Sammy bunk bed, which has just got me thinking, if you have a boy and a girl you could have one bunk painted white and upholstered in the blue gingham fabric and one bunk painted cream and upholstered in the pink gingham!? Oh the choices! Who else can offer that?

 

I think you’ll agree they are fabulous choices and not ones you will see anywhere else as they are completely exclusive to Little Lucy Willow. We are a company dedicated to choice as well as quality so if it isn’t shown here simply call us on 0845 8030988 and we will be happy to discuss this with you. You are also welcome to visit our showroom so why not pay us a visit at showroom.

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Shopping Madness

Posted on May 3, 2013 by littlelucywillow

 

So, there I was at the checkout, my shopping piled high after a fraught five minutes bundling it onto the conveyor, semi-satisfied with my sketchy sort of packing order – potatoes at the front, loaf at the back kind of thing, when lo and behold a weary, monotone voice half-shouts “this one’s goin’ off love”. I immediately glanced at my avocado, irked that I would now have to forego its glorious green flesh and do without. However, turns out it wasn’t just my favourite fruit that I would be sacrificing but the whole flaming caboodle as Jean was canteen-bound for a cuppa.

 

With about three seconds to go until the school bell I opted to do a runner. Not being the confrontational type this was me being brave. “Oh well I’ll just have to forget it then. In a bit of a rush.” I mumbled, in a kind of mock laid-back tone, as if I couldn’t give a hoot that I would have to do my big shop all over again WITH THE KIDS. I’m amazed I made it back to the car with all the hazy squiggles of rage dancing in my eyes. All my glum face was crying out for now was the obligatory “cheer up it might never happen”. Luckily it seems my fellow shoppers had made the collective decision to keep their mouths shut, most probably because as I hot-footed it to the car, having imaginary ‘words’ with Jean in my head, I must have resembled a crazy woman. I certainly felt like one.

 

The reason I was on the minutes by the way, was a clandestine meeting with some wardrobes no less. I had been to inspect our new arrivals and was so enamoured with our new children’s wardrobes that I spent probably far too long positioning, then admiring them in our showroom. I could have gazed at them for hours but several hundred “oooohs” and “aaaahs” later I decided to shape up and ship out before I was carted off for questionable behaviour around bedroom furniture.

 

 

Despite having to give the children cereal for their tea, I suppose I could just about -if I craned my neck enough- look on the bright side. Our beautiful new wardrobes had arrived and I had let off (a bit of) steam at the checkout. It’s nice to be all bolshie and brave sometimes, exhilarating even, but then the guilt will come back to haunt you, usually in the middle of the night. I awoke at around 3am worrying that my hasty dash from the shop, leaving my huuuuge pile of food on the conveyor had wreaked anger in the town and my face had now been added to the international supermarket most-wanted database (assuming there is one of course).

 

At some point however my inner demons must have buried the hatchet as the following morning I awoke with a flickering image of myself and supermarket Jean racing through the desert ‘Thelma and Louise’ style. Mmm maybe I should have kept that one to myself.

 

Until next time…

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It’s Official: Little Lucy Willow – An Authority on Children’s Beds

Posted on April 24, 2013 by littlelucywillow

You may have seen us featured in The Times and The Mail recently? (view the articles  (note – subscription access required )

 

It was all about a shift, albeit small, towards children increasingly sleeping in double sized beds rather than single sized beds.  The standard single size bed that accommodates a 90 x 190cm mattress still accounts for about 90% of the market however, as we indicated in The Times article, it is noticeable how more and more 4ft 6 (double) or even 4ft (small double) sized beds we are selling these days. Interestingly, the single bed market has fallen by 9% in the last four years according to market researchers.

 

“So, what are the reasons?” we were asked by The Times.

 

Well, being a producer of high quality British made furniture, our children’s beds  are a little more expensive than the average High Street options. Consequently our customers on average tend to be more affluent. It is therefore fair to assume that these customers have larger homes and larger rooms to fill. However, even in large homes, most children’s rooms are usually the smallest bedroom in the home and so it is not always practical or even feasible to fit a double bed.  A bit of further investigation has revealed that the reasons are wide reaching.  When making your decision consider the following. They may help you to decide and we have added some of our own advice underneath as well.

 

“We wanted longevity”

A bed that will see them from early years right through to being a teenager

 

Our Advice: We believe quality is important however even more so in this instance. Quite simply, when you are spending a lot of time, money and effort on designing your children’s bedroom and chosen furniture be sure you are buying something that is going to last. Not 2-3 years (or far less!) as is generally the quality of the furniture we see on the High Street but a minimum of 10 years if not more – remember the adage ‘Pay Less Pay Twice’! Buying good quality furniture means that you can always sell it at a later date if you want to change not throw it away as is usually the case.

 

“We wanted a double bed for safety reasons”

No child is the same and nearly every child has a different sleep pattern. That transition from cost to first bed can be a little daunting for some and the first few weeks and months can sometimes mean regular visits to their bedroom to comfort, re assure or simply lift them back into bed where they have fallen out. A double bed means plenty of room to move and squirm about but also means there is some room for Mum or Dad should he/she want another cuddle or story. The days of falling asleep on their bedroom floor whilst stroking their brow will be a thing of the past!

 

Our Advice: Note that our children’s beds including double beds have a low height setting. The height from floor to the top of the slats on the low setting is 23cm – this makes them perfect for 2-3 year olds. Obviously though if your child is a problem sleeper there is no easy answer  however there are many things you can do to try to improve the situation. I won’t delve into the complex world of Child Psychology however to sum up routine is the key. Other things to consider are room decor i.e. soft colours, soft lighting and perhaps most importantly is sound proofing – try lying in their bed for 30 minutes and see what you hear!

 

“My child has behavioural problems and requires me to sleep with them regularly”

 

This is more common than you might think. We have had customers asking how comfortable our truckle beds are as they are having to sleep in the same room as their child on a regular basis. Or others who say they have spent a small fortune on their childs room only to find they keep wanting to sleep in Mum and Dad’s room. Having a double bed means there is room to nurture when necessary whilst at the same maintain a sense of security and re assurance for them.

 

 

Our advice: If you don’t have enough space for a double bed remember our standard single size truckle beds accommodate a standard single size mattress. 99% of all truckle beds usually only fit a 2ft 6 wide mattress where as ours fit a 3ft wide mattress. Giving you more room to sleep even when getting a good night’s sleep can be a little tortuous.   

 

“He spends so much time in his room”

It seems the hectic pace of modern day life doesn’t even escape your child these days. The technology revolution that includes iPads, iPods, Lap Tops, Mobile Phones, Inter Active Gaming, Facebook, Tweeting etc means more and more children/teenagers are creating their own living space and apart from food and water and occasional washing and ironing they no longer need the interaction of mum and dad! A little over the top I grant you however there is no getting away from the fact that children spend longer periods in their room so why not improve their comfort and living space.

 

Our Advice: Now that they are showing signs of growing up and you miss the days of spontaneous cuddles and kisses our advice is simple – just have another baby!!  (Please Note: The views expressed here reflect the views of the author alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone else. Little Lucy Willow cannot be held responsible for any sudden ‘additions’ to the family!)

 

Obviously there is no right or wrong however whatever your reason and whatever size bed for your child you choose, make sure that it is well made and, above all, that it is comfortable. If you need any help in deciding why not give us a call on 0845 8030988 or pay us a visit at our showroom

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Not everything is equal, despite appearances.

Posted on April 11, 2013 by littlelucywillow

One of the challenges of internet retailing is getting across to website visitors the difference in quality between various suppliers of seemingly similar products. Normally the difference is only appreciated at the point when a customer receives their furniture – from that point it becomes clear that you DO get what you pay for. Unfortunately that helps neither the rather disappointed customer, nor retailers like ourselves who charge more, for a higher quality piece of furniture. We missed the sale, the customer receives delivery of a rather underwhelming product often only bearing only a passing resemblance to the picture on the website – a bit like those juicy burger pictures you see when you visit McDonalds or Burger King. Have you ever actually had a burger that firm and juicy?

 

We made the decision to manufacture the majority of our children’s furniture in our own factory here in England rather than, as it would seem, what most other retailers seems to do and import cheap, inferior quality furniture from overseas. We don’t admit to being the cheapest but we would like to shout from the rooftops that our furniture is extremely well made and, for the price, is far better than any equivalent children’s furniture on the market that we are aware of – we can guarantee it.

 

 

Why we are a little bit different.

 

1) Being made to order means that we can give you almost unlimited choice, be it size, colour or design. We offer countless options on our site, but if you still can’t find your dream combination, then call us and we’ll make it!

 

2) We GUARANTEE our products for quality – not only in the materials that we use and how we construct them but the durable painted finish that we apply as well.

 

3) Because we make it – it’s never out of stock and our lead times from order to delivery are consistent and relatively short.

 

Of course, when it comes to making your decision to purchase your son or daughter’s furniture there are a number of factors to consider and price will obviously be one that is high on the list. Here’s our advice:

 

Our Advice – learnt the (very) hard way.

 

The old adage “pay less and pay twice” is advice worth heeding particularly in the world of children’s furniture where being scuffed, pulled and jumped on is an everyday occurrence. Ok, we’ll let you into a little secret here, but a long time ago before we decided to follow our heart and make our furniture in the UK we also made the mistake of trying to get it made overseas.

 

Tears, tantrums & laughter – the birth of our beliefs.

 

The following is a cautionary tale of that experience that produced tears (plenty) and tantrums (ongoing), laughs (most usually turn into tears!) and divorces (okay not quite but nearly!) however at the time all we could think of was what could possibly go wrong?

 

It all started with that simple idea (don’t they always) – a design for a range of children’s furniture – what could be simpler than that? Not just any design of course, a design that would sell in its thousands, a design that would be papped and gossiped amongst the veritable celebrity throng and tweeted and youtubed via the masses. Yummy mummy’s from around the world would flock to sign up to Lucy Willow and Beyonce’s little bundle of joy, Blue Ivy, would be top of the waiting list for her new and exclusive Little Lucy Willow bedroom set. Making us, of course, rich beyond our wildest dreams along the way…..”Simples”, this is too easy to be true.

 

First of all we needed to get it made. Where shall we get it made? who shall we get to make it? I know, let’s do what nearly everybody else does – find a cheap manufacturer overseas (I’m not as stupid as I might seem, more profit margin you see!). At this point I turned to my husband “Do you know anybody?” a pause “Umm, no”, “Do you know anybody who knows anybody who makes furniture overseas?” another pause “Ummm, no!”. Well it can’t be that hard can it? Armed with Internet and mobile my search began. Where does everybody else get theirs made I wondered?…cue Google search [furniture manufacturers in China]. Okay, this is the bit where you need to talk amongst yourselves for a while because after weeks of searches/emails and telephone calls the best of which was “we promise best quality Mrs Juicy Pillow”!! It was apparent that they were all as good as each other. Okay we need to make a decision, we needed to choose one and get some samples made. Twelve weeks later our first sample batch arrives – the excitement I can’t tell you. Needless to say that there was a little bit of wee when the delivery man knocked on our door! First box…a broken leg! Oh well, these things happen. Second box…. broken corner and leg. Third box…a piece of furniture that did not even resemble what we had asked them to produce. Cue the tears (many) and tantrums (ongoing), perhaps we need a different supplier I thought!

 

It’s amazing who knows somebody who knows somebody when you ask around. It should be two degrees of separation rather than six! Of course not only do they know someone but he is the best in his field, an expert who needs no introduction but someone who sits head and shoulders above his peers with a reverence only the Dalai Lama could aspire! So convinced were we by ‘the man who knew somebody’ we didn’t even bother with samples and delivery was promised in 20 weeks.

 

No news and 20 weeks later we were let’s just say anxious. Thankfully our customers who had placed deposits were patient. A few frantic phone calls and emails revealed that there was indeed a delay. Apparently the ship left China on time but had to go via Australia first and this will cause a slight delay! When it was finally due to dock in Dover (28 weeks later!!)  the weather was so bad the ship had to divert back to Belgium! When it did arrive back in the UK 10 days later and was unloaded, some nice young fellows with hoods decided to dig up part of the railway track for a laugh? This final leg of the journey caused a further weeks delay. One might feel that these are all genuine and acceptable reasons however you try explaining this to customers who, let’s just say, by this stage are now not quite being so patient. My reply was always a professional calm and reassuring “please don’t fret, it will all be worth the wait I promise”. Cue more tears.

 

Ahaaa, finally!…to see a 40ft container arrive for the first time produces a lot more than wee I can tell you. Firstly, its way bigger than you expect…. secondly, how to get into it?! “You need bolt cutters love” said the driver. “Oh really? nobody said”.  Eventually we found someone who knew someone who happened to know someone who had bolt cutters.  Finally, we were in. Drum roll please….first box….not too bad but the finishing was not very good. Now here goes my way of thinking ‘First off means that this was the last one to be loaded so they may have rushed the finishing to get it loaded in time’ (always half full you see!). Second box… finishing is slightly worse, third box… slightly worse again….fourth….fifth……48th box was but a mere crumpled heap of wood. Cue more tears (plenty) and tantrums (ongoing). Oh ‘Jucy Pillow’ will you never learn your lesson I blubbed….cue near first divorce!

 

Can we go through all that again? No!

 

 In a way, despite this experience being painful both mentally and financially, it was good thing to have happened as it focused the mind and ultimately led to our decision to invest in our own UK furniture manufacturing facility. We are immensely proud of what we make and delight in the knowledge that we not only producing quality children’s furniture but quality British Made furniture.

 

 

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Why are boys so difficult?

Posted on March 19, 2013 by littlelucywillow

Okay we admit it! We find it so much easier to design beds and furniture for girls than we do boys. Beds that offer comfort and durability are obviously prerequisites when we design ours however we like to think that here at Little Lucy Willow we offer a sense of style and timeless appeal which is why so many people choose to make their purchase with us. So here is our brief “To come up with a range of boys beds together with matching bedroom furniture. Something that is different, has lasting appeal and that is stylish and will be liked by children of all ages”. Easy eh? Well take a look at the following boys bedroom furniture ranges we have developed over the last few months and tell us what you think.

 

A particular collection that we think has universal appeal for both boys and girls is our Archie Collection it has been immensely popular. Obviously we like the design, it’s not too young looking (although colour choice e.g seaside blue or Angel White and selecting painted handle options rather than the metal handles that we offer can make this collection of furniture perfect for young boys). Change the colour and select the lovely gun metal handle option and you have a seriously cool bedroom furniture range for teenage boys, and beyond for that matter.

 

Archie Fairweather Collection

 

How about our Sammy Boys Bed with a lovely blue check upholstered headboard and footboard? Too young looking perhaps? Well simply change the fabric, why not choose one that fits in with your son’s bedroom decor.

 

Sammy Truckle Bed

 

If you are looking for a young boys range of furniture then look no further than our Little Buoy Blue Collection. We think the combination of blue boats and white furniture make this truly irresistible. The boats are hand casted and have a luxurious depth and definition – a real luxury range of furniture for the young man who might like to pretend he lives by the sea. The matching accessories we offer are a real treasure trove for the budding sailor.

 

Little Buoy Blue Collection

 

Still not satisfied? Why not look at our Barney & Boo collection which aims to try and offer something that is a little more sensitive to price. The quality is still better than anything for the equivalent price on the market we guarantee it. How? Because, like all the furniture above we make it ourselves here in our own factory in England. We have placed an emphasis on quality both in construction and finish to ensure that whatever you decide to purchase from us we guarantee it to last.

 

Barney and Boo Collection

 

If none of the above fit the bill then why not pay us a visit in another month because we are just about to launch a new collection featuring solid oak tops. We think this will be an incredibly popular range of furniture for boys however, as said above, simply change the colour and the handles and you have a beautiful range for girls as well.

 

At Little Lucy Willow we are all about choice as well as quality and style. We would love to hear from you so please do get in touch be it Email/Twitter/Facebook/Telephone. Or why not come and visit our showroom and enjoy a picturesque day out in Lancashire.

 

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Helping your children get that perfect night’s sleep – National Bed Month has started!

Posted on March 6, 2013 by littlelucywillow

Well you may or may not know but it is officially National Bed Month this March. The Sleep Council are keen to promote the importance of getting a good night’s sleep not just for Mums and Dads but equally your children too. Here at Little Lucy Willow we believe our children’s beds and matching furniture sets offer the perfect environment for your children to sleep soundly and wake fully refreshed ready for the day ahead. With an emphasis on quality as well as exclusive designs our kids beds and mattresses are guaranteed to last. The vast majority of our children’s furniture is hand made by us in our factory here in England and even our mattresses are hand made locally. It’s worth emphasising that as we spend on average 20,000 hours in our bed every 7 years we believe it’s worth paying that little bit more for your kids furniture. See here for some sound advice for ensuring a good nights sleep for your child.

 

One particular children’s bed that we have taken a long time to develop is our infamous Martha Butterfly Bed. It is lovingly and meticulously hand carved from mahogany. The below image shows the bed in its natural mahogany form prior to painting.

 

Martha Butterfly Bed Footboard

 

A truly stunning little girls bed for those who we believe appreciates the finer things in life. We will be adding a full range of matching furniture to this collection later this year so please do check back with us.

 

The vast majority of the children’s furniture we produce is made by us in our own factory here in the UK. We have placed an emphasis on quality both in construction and finish to ensure that whatever you decide to purchase from us we guarantee it to last. We will be expanding our choice of bedroom furniture for both boys and girls over the coming months. Be it design or colour you will find something to create a beautiful room setting that they will cherish for many years. All our kids furniture is very well made, heavy and features durable painted finishes as standard and our aim is to be the number one choice for parents with a more discerning taste who recognise the difference between quality and that which is massed produced cheaply from overseas.

 

As always we love to hear from you so please do get in touch be it Email/Twitter/Facebook/Telephone. Or why not come and visit our showroom at Heskin Farmers Market & Craft Centre and enjoy a picturesque day out in Lancashire.

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