Midlands Enterprise Awards 2023

Finding a showstopping piece of furniture can be a difficult task, especially if you’re looking to add an upcycled piece to your home. We’ve found Restoration Hut to tend to your needs. This eco-business was born out of a life-long passion for high-quality, handcrafted furniture which is kind to the planet. Best Sustainable Furniture Business 2023 - East Midlands Founder of Restoration Hut, Ally Booker transforms unwanted furniture into premium pieces to be treasured for years to come. She believes homes should be filled with furniture which have a unique history and story to tell. Ally’s company began its life back in 2020 when she discovered that, in 2019 alone, British people had thrown away a staggering 22 million pieces of unwanted furniture. From this shocking statistic, Ally adopted a key mission: to show people how they could work with what they already have instead of throwing it away. The way the company came to fruition was actually a moment of serendipity. After being made redundant during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ally was feeling a little lost. On a whim, she decided to re-finish a family heirloom she’d recently inherited. It was an old-fashioned sideboard, which held great sentimental value but really didn’t look right in her modern home. Ally decided she’d have a go at updating the piece. Underneath the many layers of murky brown varnish, she was overjoyed to discover that Nanna’s old sideboard was actually a beautiful piece of furniture, ripe for transformation. After completing the sideboard, she fell back in love with it, and it was such a hit with friends and family that she began doing a few pieces for them too. Restoration Hut was born. Ally is not only committed to building a business with sustainability at its heart, but also ensures every customer enjoys the process of working with her. Becoming known for her signature combination of paint tones with one-of-a-kind wood dyed patterns, Ally has been able to build up a loyal customer base in just three years. She gets to know her customers before working on pieces for their home, ensuring the furniture is unique to their personality and taste. Customers are delighted with their furniture transformations, and Ally is thrilled to see their reactions when the piece is revealed to them. A recent customer, Stella, commented “Your bureau makes me happy. When I walk into my living room and I see it in the morning light, I just think WOW!”. In essence, Restoration Hut is trusted to take care of clients’ furniture transformations, turning a tedious task into something ultimately joyful. In the world of interiors, there has certainly been a rise in popularity when it comes to upcycling furniture. Ally is keen to show, however, that up-dating furniture shouldn’t just be about slapping on a bit of paint. With care and the right tools, unloved and dated furniture can be revitalised into high-quality pieces which will stand the test of time. Ally has even started hosting workshops, showing people the eco-friendly ways to work with what they have and achieve just this. Last year, Ally was invited to promote this message further, showcasing her ‘Luxecyled’ furniture at Grand Designs Live. Being based in the Midlands is an advantage for Restoration Hut as it means she can help customers from all across the country. It is also jam-packed with eco-friendly businesses within the interior design sector, helping to push the circular economy into the forefront of customer’s minds – which is something Ally is thrilled about. Restoration Hut has now been announced winner of Best Sustainable Furniture Business 2023 - East Midlands, in the Midlands Enterprise Awards 2023. This is a terrific boost for talented Ally, and a clear indication of the company’s emerging strengths in the market. We are sure to see Ally continue to brighten people’s spaces, enriching their lives every day. Company: Restoration Hut Web Address: www.restorationhut.com Contact Name: Ally Booker

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