Karen originally trained at drama school, but decided that acting was not her thing and worked in theatre productions before marrying and having a family. She did an interior design course in her spare time and it was her interest in design that took her in to a furniture and furnishings shop in Toronto while on a family holiday. There she saw and fell in love with a kitchen table and chairs in a classic American retro design. She was so taken that she asked the shop owner if he could deliver to the UK if she purchased the table and chairs. He said no, but gave her the address and web site of the manufacturers, who were also based in Canada. When she got home, Karen looked at the whole product range on the web site, still liked it and contacted the manufacturer to find out who marketed their product in the UK. The response was that nobody did. Karen saw this as a potential opportunity and after doing her market research and much agonising, contacted the manufacturer in 2007, made an appointment and flew to Canada with her husband to meet the President of the company.

She persuaded him to let them have the UK distribution rights for the product range and returned home to set up a display in her kitchen. The business flourished, outgrew the home base and Karen opened premises in Gerrards Cross, which included a showroom, warehouse and small office. In 2011 Karen was approached by John Lewis, who had seen the furniture and wanted to display part of the range in selected stores. hay about a chair schwarzFollowing this initial contact, John Lewis is now proposing to take the furniture into more of their stores. exercise ball chair staplesAs well as John Lewis, Karan also markets the product on line, at shows such as the Ideal Home Exhibition and through designers and architects.computer chairs for sale cebu

Karen says that the help which she received from Harrow in Business was invaluable in helping her to identify the way forward for the business. She also feels that she benefited greatly from the support, advice and encouragement which she received from her mentor Andrew Egan and from the other businesses who are part of the Group Mentoring programme. Maxine has always been attracted to books and the Arts and after obtaining her degree from Goldsmiths in Art, History & English, she worked for the English National Opera and the Round House. ikea jules chair for saleHowever her real passion was for books and on a holiday in New Zealand she discovered a network of very successful book exchanges where people could exchange or buy second hand books.rocking chair sale bangalore She felt that this was a concept that could work over here and after researching could find nothing quite the same. jazzy power chair uk

Initially she was thinking in terms of renting premises and having a physical presence on the high street where people could bring in their books and choose a replacement. She prepared a comprehensive business plan with a view to seeking finance in order to lease suitable premises, which would include a café. At this stage Maxine recognised that it would be helpful to have an independent and impartial review of her business proposition and she arranged to see Chris Marland, one of Harrow in Business’ advisers. buy nilkamal plastic chairsChris took a sympathetic but realistic view of Maxine’s proposal and felt that at this stage it would be difficult to obtain finance. cape cod chairs the warehouseHe added that she should stay with her part-time job at the Camden Arts Centre whilst testing the market and assessing the demand for her service.oak table and chairs plymouth

Maxine accepted this advice and decided to set up an on-line book exchange business. She developed a visually attractive web site which was launched in early March this year. The site has so far attracted over 2,000 visitors and a number either exchanged or purchased books. The books are available off the web site for £3.95 with a discount of £1 if the purchaser sends in a book to exchange. The business is growing helped by favourable publicity in the Guardian newspaper and the only hiccup is the swinging increase in the costs of sending out the books courtesy of the Post Office. Maxime says that she is very grateful to Harrow in Business for the initial reality check which steered her away from the idea of taking premises and for all their subsequent support and encouragement with the on-line business. To find out more about The Book Exchange, look at the web site www.thebookexchange.co.ukStolab has been in love with solid wood since the company was founded in 1907.

It maintains an uncompromising conviction that solid wood is synonymous with quality and sustainability. This year oak is making a grand entrance into our selection and is a welcome addition to the furniture we make from birch and ash. CARL TABLE IN OAK. The Carl table is designed to pay tribute to Carl Malmsten and his classic Windsor-style chair, Lilla Åland, the design of which is stable, natural, functional and tactile. The Carl table takes on the character of the chair with turned, flared legs and a chamfered edge around the top. The round, form-hugging edging has a soft profile to give a billowing, organic impression. All edges are also generously rounded to emphasize affinity with the chair. The Carl table naturally looks elegant with many other types of chairs, and not just Lilla Åland. Lilla Åland is a tried and true staple in Stolab’s selection and a favourite that on many occasions has represented excellent Swedish design from the 20th century. Carl Malmsten was inspired during a trip to Finnströms Church on the island of Åland, which had several Windsor-style chairs set out.

He sketched several of them and production began after he added some of his own adjustments and changes, which was typical for Carl Malmsten’s style. This year we are introducing Lilla Åland in solid oak. Accessories for the chair include sheepskin cushions in different styles and colours as well as a black leather cushion. The Miss Holly chair emerged out of a respect for the past and a feel for what is lacking today. Jonas was inspired by Windsor-style chairs from all over the world and has created here his very own version with a two-dimensional feel. Gracious and generous at the same time. A chair that is equally attractive as it is functional and whose many details testify to the professional craftsmanship and the love of wood as a material. Miss Holly is equally attractive alone or in a group. Its seating height is suitable for most dining tables. The Miss Holly table is based on a simple, clear construction in solid wood. Miss Holly has a robust top and carefully machined edges and legs that give the table a soft, inviting impression.