The excitement of opening our first high street shop was topped by Country Living magazine coming to visit us in Stamford. Their wonderful journalist and photographer whizzed up to Lincolnshire to have a tour of the shop and see Sophie in action at home painting.
Sophie Allport's homewares' business is celebrating its tenth year in 2017 and the journey began many years before that. Sophie was asked to be a demonstrator at one of the first Country Living Fairs and from there, her business grew year on year. With her brother Jem joining her in 2007 Sophie Allport Limited was born and Country Living had been there from the start.
"We had a special day reminiscing about those early days," explains Sophie. "The journalist and photographer were both great and really put me at ease as I'm not keen on being photographed!"
The morning was spent in the Sophie Allport shop on picturesque Stamford High Street. A browse around the ground floor gifts and children's area before heading upstairs to the tableware, kitchen essentials, bags, pets and accessories collections. Sophie was interviewed in the two storey Georgian building over a cuppa. "This building has such a quirky style," explained Sophie. "Jem and I loved it as soon as we saw it."
We then hot-footed it to take some photographs of Sophie painting at her favourite place - her kitchen table. With the cosy AGA and her dogs at her feet, this is where all her designs are born!
A few photographs were captured at the AGA before it was time for a cuppa all round!
At the end of a long day; a cuddle with new black lab puppy Mabel and gorgeous Florrie the fox red labrador was on the cards!
The October issue of Country Living is available in stores now and you can see Sophie Allport at the Country Living Christmas Fairs in London (8-12th Nov), Glasgow (23-26th Nov) and Harrogate (30th Nov - 3rd Dec).
