Sarah Willcocks visits an interiors shop in Teesdale which is so tempting people even want to buy the display units – the perfect stop-off then for all those Christmas presents.

AFTER 20 years running a garden centre near Darlington, retailer Alyson Savage finally decided to come out of the cold to indulge her passion for interiors. She honed her design skills working for Fired Earth, but six years on, the desire to become self-employed was overwhelming and led to the opening of her own interiors boutique.

Beautifully presented, Niche Living, in Barnard Castle, offers a range of design-led home and giftware, curtain fabric and unique quirky furniture. Situated in the heart of the Teesdale market town, local residents couldn’t fail to notice or be impressed by the shiny new frontage to number 42 Galgate.

“It was unoccupied for some time and very ugly,” says Alyson. “I found a picture of the interior from the Thirties and it had hardly changed since then.”

A former car showroom, the space had windows to the floor and sliding doors at the rear so that the cars could be driven into the display space.

Barnard Castle Vision provided a grant to improve the exterior, but the wait for planning permission meant that the facade was the final improvement to be made.

“I got the lease for the premises in July,” recalls Alyson. “We had most of the work internally completed by our opening in September, but outside the building wasn’t finished or even started. Then the winds hit, which held things up. We had blinds over the windows so from the street you couldn’t see all the work that was going on for nine weeks. I think from the outside, it looked as if the shop appeared within a week.”

Alyson, who comes from Richmond, would often visit the Teesdale town to go shopping with her two daughters. “I’m so glad I chose Barnard Castle for the shop. The local people are fabulous and supportive,” she says. “I’ve made a conscious effort to offer something a little bit different, so the kitchen section is less practical than Maxwell’s hardware store up the road, and is more geared towards gifts.”

Alyson also set about sourcing products that weren’t easily available anywhere else. Proving especially popular are one-off pieces of vintage furniture.

“I’ve just sold my latest display within a week,” says Alyson. “We had two antique fluted chairs and a sofa dating from the turn of the century that I had reupholstered by a local firm. I like the idea of finding quirky statement pieces of furniture that can fill a little corner of the room.”

With an interior designer’s eye, Alyson has decorated the retail space with real flair. Even her shop fittings have customers reaching for their wallets. Of the turquoise painted display tables, Alyson says: “I could sell one a week.

And the fireplace, which my builder Steve French made, also gets a lot of interest. It’s very homely and comfortable as you enter the premises. I’ve used Farrow and Ball wallpaper and paint and although there are changes in the colour scheme throughout the shop, the mood is quite soft. People often comment that they would like to live here!”

Alyson’s granddaughters, who are both under two, occasionally “lend a hand” and a smile to greet customers. They have also put the floor layout to the test ensuring the shop is accessible for buggies and wheelchairs. And despite losing their best babysitter, Alyson’s daughters help whenever they can.

Alyson and her colleague Sharron Stevens also offer an interior design service. Sharron is qualified in paint and fabric application and has more than ten years experience in interiors.

“We both share a strong passion for colour,” says Alyson. “And we both really enjoy helping people.”

Alyson’s own experience in designing homes stretches from decorating a single room to a grand Victorian villa in North Yorkshire.