You might have noticed me talk about Great Aunt Maud, well just in case you’ve missed my explanations on instagram I thought I would put an explanation here in Musings. Great Aunt Maud is, in short, is my alter ego. I am generally quite an introverted person, I’m confident but not flamboyant. This is where Maud comes in. She is the more eccentric side of me, she’ll push me to go the extra mile when i’m out sourcing. Choosing more colourful and sometimes down right gordy pieces, which always without fail look great in the shop.

She’s partial to a needlepoint cushion, a floral tray and a bit of pink lustreware. She’s shabby, and definitely not chic. Chintz is her absolute favourite pattern. Sometimes, the shop has been compared to ‘my grandmother’s house’, which couldn’t be more of a compliment to me. She loves colours, the noisier the better and reminds me not to try and ‘fit in’ with the muted palettes. Absolutely NO grey.

After all, the shop is not about following fashion. It’s about being different. The pieces Maud chooses aren’t always the most tasteful but they always work. She is keen on dried flowers and a few cobwebs too.

Here are a few women who embody what I think Maud is… she’s definitely not from any time before the 50s. Slight Miss Haversham, but super stylish like Iris Apfel. But a bit of a rebel deliberately going against the grain, and running full pelt away from the ‘in’ crew.