It’s So Good To Meet You.
Hi!
I’m Kirsty - wife to Martin, mum of three gorgeous kids (ranging from mid teens to toddler!) - lover of all things antique and vintage, anything creative, music (especially live), a good spreadsheet, and brightly coloured hair - and now a small business owner… welcome to ReNewed!
Our Story.
A Lifelong Love Of Antiques.
Beginning with being the odd child that loved being dragged by their parents to antique fairs in leisure centres or the shops and galleries of Barnard Castle on weekends – seeing if there were any small item that I might be able to buy with my limited pocket money (often a teaspoon!).
To frequent visits with my (now) husband Martin over the last decade or so, to our favourite antique stores in Alnwick or Corbridge, picking up little items like our retro bankers lamp with the classic shape and bottle green shade that has pride of place on our desk or the Victorian, beautifully decorated, seal stamp press (that weighs a ton!) and longing to go back for that beautiful singer sewing machine (that I’m sure I could find a place for somewhere!)
We have pieces dotted around our home that we’ve found or inherited over the years (yes, we’re also the ones that everything that nobody else wants gets passed to, we just can’t say no!)
Numerous sets of china that once belonged to our grandparents (or our parents grandparents) my Gran’s sideboard and Martin’s Grandad’s bureau that we couldn’t let go and so lovingly upcycled (along with much of our other furniture, purchased second hand) old teapots, beautiful sewing boxes, vintage pastry cutters and framed maps and marquetry… our home is a wonderful mix of the old and new.
We just love the intriguing history or the fond memories these pieces evoke and vintage and antique items are often made to a higher standard, oozing more character and charm than high street purchases. ReNewing and ReUsing not only helps our planet by not having to dispose in landfill (which we love!) but it means owning an individually designed piece that is not only unavailable to buy anywhere but completely unique!
How We Got To Here.
A series of events that just made things click. A chance meeting with the most interesting and inspirational lady, while on my maternity leave with our third (and final!) little one, who passed on so much knowledge and excitement for antiques and the possibility of making a business out of this love. My battle with Fibromyalgia, meaning I felt unable to return to my previous job after my maternity leave, as I knew I wouldn’t manage the demands of the role any longer. My husband having set up his business, ReNew Professional Decorating Services, after re-training in 2020, and his love for learning more about new applications and techniques, meaning he was the perfect person (along with his amazing little team) to bring to life my furniture designs.
And so, I started learning, collecting, researching, photographing, designing and gradually (albeit very slowly) building my website. And so here we are!
Giving Back.
You are amazing! Seriously, you really are… in buying something pre-owned from us, you’re not only supporting a small business, shopping sustainably and so helping to protect the environment, and getting something interesting, unique and with a story to tell, but you’re also helping us to support local charities. (get you!)
Each quarter, we’ll be donating a percentage of any profit we make to a charity. The charity will change periodically, so any suggestions of local good causes are more than welcome - you can send us your nomination using the form below - and we’ll keep you updated with where each donation goes.
Thank you!
Charity Nominations.
If you would like to nominate a local charity or cause for us to consider making a donation to please complete the form below.