A beautiful Belvoir rattan armchair by Lloyd Loom took pride of place as 1^st prize in the fundraising raffle at the James Brindley Spring Preview evening.

Held in aid of the cancer research charity Ribble Valley & White Rose Ladies, the lucky winner was Harrogate lady, Mrs Ogden, shown here with Retail Brand Manager, Michelle Frost in third floor bedding department.

Former Likely Lad James Bolam found plenty to talk about with Richard Grafton, the charismatic interior designer of James Brindley of Harrogate at the Harrogate International Festival last week.

James Bolam and his wife Susan Jameson played the famous composer, Edward Elgar and his wife, Alice, in a moving performance of Wood Magic at The Crown Hotel with the Medici Quartet.

Richard Grafton is the great great nephew of Edward Elgar, and as such has been at the forefront of the Harrogate International Festival's celebration of the composer's 150th anniversary, with Richard's company, James Brindley of Harrogate, sponsoring the series of Elgar concerts which have been a major theme of the Festival.

On display at the company's James Street interiors showroom is a collection of the family's own artefacts belonging to Edward Elgar, including some original HMV proofs, among them the Violin Concerto played by Yehudi Menuhin in 1932 at Abbey Road, conducted and signed by Elgar.  This collection has also been signed by the late Lord Menuhin for Richard's father, Mark Grafton.

The family's Elgar memorabilia will remain on display in the showroom until Saturday 11th August.

Shoppers in Harrogate might be a little stunned on Friday as they walk past the James Street shop window of interiors specialists James Brindley of Harrogate.  Internationally famous cellist Julian Lloyd-Webber will be sat in the window display of the shop playing his cello on Friday afternoon at 4.15pm as part of the Harrogate International Festival celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Edward Elgar's birth.

Key to the Festival events this year has been a series of concerts celebrating the life of the famous composer, who is the great uncle of Mark Grafton, founder of James Brindley of Harrogate. 

"We've been delighted to sponsor the Elgar events at The Crown and the Harrogate International Centre and it's fantastic that Julian Lloyd-Webber will be joining us at the shop to mark our family connection to Elgar" explains Mark Grafton, who is also a Trustee and Board member of The Elgar Birthplace Museum at Broadheath near Worcester.

On display at the interiors showroom will also be a collection of the family's own artefacts belonging to Edward Elgar, including some original HMV proofs, among them the Violin Concerto conducted and signed by E.E played by Yehudi Menuhin in 1932 at Abbey Road.  This collection has also been signed by the late Lord Menuhin for Mark Grafton, March 1992.

Following his spell as a moving musical mannequin in the James Brindley showroom window, Julian Lloyd Webber will be performing Elgar's hauntingly sublime Concerto at the finale of the Harrogate Festival with the Royal Philarmonic Orchestra at the International Centre.

The family's Elgar memorabilia will remain on display in the showroom until Saturday 11th August.

The owners of James Brindley of Harrogate will be displaying their own memorabilia of their great uncle, the famous composer Edward Elgar, at their James Street showroom from Monday 30th July

2007 marks the 150th anniversary of Elgar's birthday and his work is being commemorated all over the country this year. Mark Grafton, the founder of James Brindley of Harrogate and great nephew of Elgar is also a Trustee and Board member of The Elgar Birthplace Museum at Broadheath Nr Worcester

It will be the first time that these personal treasures and memorabilia belonging to Elgar - a frequent visitor to Harrogate - have been exhibited here in the town.  The collection is to be unveiled at the Harrogate Festival's Elgar in Yorkshire event sponsored by James Brindley of Harrogate at The Crown Hotel on 29th July and afterwards will be on display in the James Street showroom from Monday 30th July to Sunday August 12th 2007

The fascinating artefacts include family photographs, original, signed music scores, a series of personal correspondence and HMV record proofs. Proof records are those submitted by HMV to the composer/conductor for approval before going on sale and this collection includes the Violin Concerto conducted and signed by E.E played by Yehudi Menuhin in 1932 at Abbey Road.  This collection has also been signed by the late Lord Menuhin for Mark Grafton, March 1992.

The funds had been raised at the lifestyle store’s Spring Preview evening which was supported by over a hundred visitors to the James Street showroom. The event provided an opportunity to view their latest Spring collections and included presentations from interiors experts on aspects of design including both ‘contemporary chic’ and ‘timeless elegance’. Champagne and canapés were served and there were goody bags to take home.
 
Karen Weaving and Dorothy Cosgrove from Ribble Valley & White Rose Ladies, who recently won an award for their outstanding fundraising achievement, collected the cheque from Brindley’s staff, Richard Grafton and Michelle Frost.
 
Joint-Chair Carol Maher said “We’re grateful for James Brindley’s support of the Ribble Valley & White Rose Ladies. Their Spring Preview event was a really enjoyable evening, raising £1500 from tickets sales and a raffle which will be used by Cancer Research UK specifically to raise money for research into children’s cancer.”

James Brindley of Harrogate will be helping the Yorkshire’s leading arts showcase, the Harrogate International Festival, to take the lead in nationwide celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Edward Elgar this summer.

 Mark Grafton – the founder of James Brindley of Harrogate – is the famous composer’s great nephew and the company are delighted to be sponsoring two of the Festival’s themed events in a programme dedicated to 'Elgar in Yorkshire'. Both the Wood Magic event – which involves the breathtaking Medici String Quartet and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra finale concert will both be supported by the company.

 Mr Grafton has also revealed that the first ever showing of personal treasures and memorabilia belonging to Elgar – a frequent visitor to Harrogate – will be exhibited throughout the Festival. Artefacts including family photographs, original, signed music scores, HMV record proofs and a series of personal correspondence will be unveiled on the 29th July Elgar events at The Crown Hotel and thereafter on display at the James Street showroom of James Brindley of Harrogate until they are moved to the Conference centre on 3rd August for the Elgar finale concert.

Mark Grafton said: "As the founder and Chairman of James Brindley of Harrogate, and the great nephew of Edward Elgar I am delighted that our company is sponsoring two Elgar events at the Harrogate International Festival 2007.  The 150th anniversary of Uncle Edward’s birth and his close association with Harrogate are just cause for celebration. The Festival programme is interspersed with an Elgarian them, and we at James Brindley’s of Harrogate are delighted to be assisting towards its success."

Festival Director, William Culver-Dodds added “As we seek to celebrate Elgar’s anniversary in a town he loved, it is a great coup to announce such strong ties and the James Brindley association with the Festival. The exhibition of private memorabilia puts Harrogate on the map as the definitive place to celebrate Elgar’s work.”

The Festival, also boasts a unique line-up of international world and jazz musicians from both sides of the Atlantic, including American sax legend, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra and Portugal’s Queen of Fado, Mariza.

For more information  visit: www.harrogate-festival.org.uk.

Hot on the heels of an award for Best Home Furnishings, interiors specialists, James Brindley of Harrogate has won first prize in the Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District festive shop window competition.

 The trophy for the award was presented by the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Councillor Geoff Webber, to Michelle Frost, the firm’s Visual Merchandiser.  Michelle and her team dressed the James Street shop window with a winter white and silver theme to complement many of the season’s gifts and decorations on sale within.

The deceptively large shop, set over four floors of the period building, houses everything under one roof for a perfectly dressed home for Christmas with everything from that extra large new sofa for extra guests to the most chic of Christmas tree fairies for the top of the tree. 

On the top floor the annual charity card shop features Christmas card designs from fourteen different national and local charities, all of which receive 100% of the value of cards sold.

Richard Grafton, who runs the retail arm of the family interiors business explains “The award is a tribute to Michelle and her team who are often complimented on our window displays which rival many of the high street chain stores.  It’s part of the beauty of being independent that we can really go to town on making it look really special, as befits the beauty of Harrogate.”

Interiors showroom, James Brindley of Harrogate has won an award for the excellent customer service of their staff.  The Plush award category Best Home Furnishings was scooped by the James Street firm who received the most nominations from customers putting them forward for the honour.

Richard Grafton, who runs the retail arm of the family interiors business explains “It was a lovely surprise to learn we’d been nominated and receive so many votes.  It’s a great tribute to the staff here who all work very hard to go the extra mile for customers.”

The four storey interiors haven carries a range of both contemporary and traditional styles and is a complete one-stop shop for the home, with everything from a sofa to a sauce boat under one roof along with a team of experienced interior designers on hand to help customers refurbish their homes or businesses. 

Richard Grafton explains “There are lots of myths about interior designers being an expensive commodity for the wacky or wealthy, but we are just ordinary people with a flair for design working with discerning customers who want to make their home their castle; this award goes along way towards proving that”.

Interiors and lifestyle specialists James Brindley of Harrogate are featuring in the six part TV series Hot Hotels, presented by former Harrogate Ladies College girl, Josephine Kime.

The series, running on ITV Tyne Tees from 28^th June tells the stories behind some of the country’s leading hospitality hotspots which happen to be in the North East of England, dispelling the myth that you have to go to London or the south to find the ultimate in good quality.  Hot Hotels features James Brindley of Harrogate in the final episode to be shown on 2^nd August, when owner Richard Grafton talks about his work as interior design consultant to the acclaimed Yorke Arms hotel and restaurant in Ramsgill.

Frances Atkin, one of only four female Michelin star chefs in the country owns the hotel and was delighted to involve Richard in the filming of the program following James Brindley’s extensive refurbishment work in bringing the interior décor of the hotel into line with the excellence of the cuisine for which it is held in such high regard.  

Richard and Frances sparky relationship during the course of the complete redecoration features on the program, as both interior designer and hotelier speak of how their ideas bounced and developed between them, culminating in a stunning interior with each room of the nine rooms refurbished looking entirely individual and unique, yet with an overall synergy of style.

Richard Grafton explains “We hit it off well because we both seek to provide the ultimate in good taste – whether that be in food or furnishings, and we had a healthy mutual respect for each other.”

Aside from the interior design service offered from the James Street premises of James Brindley, Richard and his brother Simon are also developing quite a brand name for the company’s own fabric ranges from their wholesale business based at Hookstone Park, particularly specialising in silks distributed worldwide.

The committee of Harrogate's annual charity card shop wishes to thank lifestyle store James Brindley of Harrogate for accommodating their enterprise again this Christmas.

The card shop - which is thought to be unique in North Yorkshire - sold the Christmas cards of 14 national and local charities. Manned by a rota of volunteers from each of them, the charities received 100% of the value of cards sold.

Chairman of the organising committee, Tom Betteridge, reported that the card sale had raised an impressive £40, 000 for the participating charities. Mr Betteridge stepped into the breach this year to organise the Charity Card Shop which has been running in Harrogate for over thirty years because its future appeared to be in doubt when former Chairman, Harry Mitchell, was taken ill.

Gilly Mason whose charity Acorn, was represented at the card shop said “We were so relieved that this extremely worthwhile venture was saved - it would have been a great loss to the town had it folded.  Although it is hard work for everyone involved over the 10 weeks, it’s a tribute to Tom and the volunteers that so much has been raised this year”.

Richard Grafton of the James Street interiors specialists who have hosted the project for the past few years welcomed the opportunity to support the scheme again this year.  “We have a loyal customer base ourselves and it’s good to see that they like to come here for their Christmas cards and have helped raise so much for charity whilst doing their gift shopping here.”

An impressive £3000 was raised for Yorkshire Air Ambulance at the annual charity Christmas preview evening held by interior design specialists, James Brindley of Harrogate on 5^th October.

The company’s James Street showroom, set over four floors, was the venue for the event, which sold 135 tickets to raise funds for the charity. 

Peter Sunderland, Vice Chairman of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, was delighted with the evening, saying “We welcome the support of enterprising companies like James Brindley in hosting events of this nature to help support our work and to have raised so much in one evening is wonderful.  The champagne and canapés provided by the Yorke Arms and the unveiling of the sumptuous Christmas gifts and decorations at the shop made it a really enjoyable evening for everyone.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance depends upon the fundraising support of individuals, organizations, donations and the fundraising work of local companies like James Brindley of Harrogate.  Although it receives a small amount of government funding in the form of the paramedics seconded from the NHS, it relies entirely on the people of Yorkshire to get it in the air and keep it flying.

Richard Grafton, who runs the retail division of James Brindley of Harrogate and heads up their interior design team explains, “Every year we support a different charity at this event and we decided early in the year that as many of our customers live in the rural areas of the county where the Yorkshire Air Ambulance provides a vital lifeline in emergencies; it made sense to make this autumn’s Christmas Preview event in aid of their work.  In the meantime, of course, they made the dramatic and headline grabbing rescue of Richard Hammond after his high speed crash which has raised awareness of their work and will hopefully help to reinforce the efforts of events like ours”.

Harrogate’s leading interior design specialists have turned their design skills on themselves this summer and completely refurbished their four storey showroom on James Street.

More like the interior of a home than a shop re-fit, the £50 000 re-vamp has not only transformed the look and feel of the showroom, but also provided a showcase for the company’s interior design teams’ skills and those of other Yorkshire partners in the home furnishings trade.

With authentic period coving work by David Saxton of Harrogate, oak units by Peter Thompson of York and a fireplace by Robert Aagard of Knaresborough, the resulting eclectic style provides a natural backdrop for the new room-set layout of the shop, with a bedroom at the top. 

The new upholstery department, which carries a range of both contemporary and traditional styles, raises the profile of the company from its well established niche as a specialist in fabric, gifts and accessories to a complete one-stop shop for the home, with everything from a sofa to a sauce boat under one roof.

With a home visit from an interior designer from James Brindley of Harrogate at only £150 (refundable against orders over £2000), customers fancying their own interior make-over can call on the company’s skills to help.  Richard Grafton explains “There are lots of myths about interior designers being an expensive commodity for the wacky or wealthy, but we are just ordinary people with a flair for design working with discerning customers who want to make their home their castle”.

• First sight - The immediate first impression people get on arrival at your front door remains with them, so it’s important to present a good external image of your home. Plant flowers – in tubs that you can take away with you if you wish - trim hedges, weed borders, sweep paths, if necessary repaint your front door, replace tarnished house numbers and get a brand-new neutral doormat.
• Neutralise – Like it or notneutral colours sell. It's a fact. You may love that sash red dining room, but the chances are it may not suit the trendy young couple coming to view. Re-paint your walls and try to convey an image of quality and neutrality. Potential buyers walking through your home want to imagine themselves as the owners. If you use styles or colours they would never select, you've just turned them off. Stay high-quality, but neutral is safest.   
• Lighting - Make sure you have adequate lighting in every room, use subtle mood lighting to create the right atmosphere in each room and check all your bulbs work.   Table and floor lamps are a good investment that you can take with you to your new home after they have fulfilled their purpose in selling the old one.
• Tidy - We all love our own clutter - it reflects our memories, hobbies, and values, however it doesn't sell homes! Books, magazines and too may ornaments makes homes seem smaller and disorganized. Remember the ancient practice of Feng Shui has, as a central focus, the elimination of clutter.  If you must keep it all, buy small items of furniture or bookcases that can be used to store it tidily, which can go with you to your new home. Put things you don't really use on a daily basis in the attic or storage. Focus on the hallway - clear away coats/clutter; the bathroom - hide all your products; and the kitchen - clear the bench surfaces of appliances, jars, tins, etc, and replace any ragged tea towels or smelly bins. Watch out for over-stuffed wardrobes, cupboards and cubby holes - remember, people do look in them to check the amount of storage space - so keep them organised and tidy.
• Clean – It’s a good idea to spring clean your house from top to bottom before putting it on the market and to make sure its spotless before any viewings – clean windows will let in more light, clean taps will sparkle, mirrors will bounce light. Smells of polish and cleaning materials will mask stale soft furnishings and pet odours.
• Underfoot – Several different floor coverings will make the total area of the house seem smaller. If you can't stretch to replacing all your carpets with something plain and neutral, close the doors on the other rooms and show each room in turn.
• Bedrooms - Never underestimate the importance of bedrooms; they are the reason 60% of people move home. Concentrate on the master bedroom - its adult buyers who pay for the property, so impress them with fresh bedding and curtains which ultimately you will take to your new home anyway. Make sure buyers are able to walk around the bed, or they will think the room is too small. Storage is important; improve the look of built-in wardrobes with classy handles to give a stylish finish.
• Bathrooms - If you can't stretch to re-tiling in the bathroom, then re-grouting should freshen it up. The same effect can be achieved by installing new fittings. The impression of the room needs to be inviting and hygienic; finish off with fresh new towels and candles which you can take to your new home.
• Fix – Sort out little jobs likedripping taps and cracked tiles so that potential owners who may noticing these things will not feel they will have to deal with problems you have left them if they decide to buy.
• De-personalize – It’s a good idea to remove objects that your potential buyers won't be able to identify with. For example, posters and religious items may turn off whole groups of buyers, because they cannot "imagine" your home as their home. Buying a home is an emotional decision, and you want potential buyers to make an emotional connection with your home by being able to "see" themselves in it.  Buy a few, simple, inoffensive prints that tone in with your furnishings without trying to make any statement.
• Accessorize - By using the right finishing touches, you can enhance your rooms cleverly. Use mirrors to reflect light and space, with plants and fresh flowers to bring life to rooms and add a natural fragrance. Period properties should show period features. Try replacing things that have been removed, you can use reproduction as long as it is good quality.
• Pets - Always keep your pets under control. If possible, keep them out of the way altogether as they can be off-putting to other people
• Garden –Remember the garden nowadays is seen as an additional room, so be sure to make your garden feel like a great space for entertaining and relaxing. Again any purchases you make will be able to benefit your new garden too. appeal of a tidy property
• Consider other uses – remember that the use you give to a room may not correspond with what your potential buyer would need to use it for. Your home office may need to become a bedroom, perhaps, or vice-versa, so make sure you minimise the amount of furniture crammed in, so they canimagine a double bed in the room, or point out the phone socket, for example. 

Grafting interior design

Thursday 10 May 2007