A Fresh Start This Spring

A Fresh Start This Spring

A Fresh Start This Spring

Spring has officially sprung and the sun is already blessing us with those warmer spells as the world around us begins to grow greener each day.

Along with this new season, comes a time for change whether it’s through spring cleaning or pottering about in the garden…springtime sets the perfect tone for new beginnings.

As the natural world awakens yet again, so do our social calendars… with Easter just around the corner, bank holidays to indulge in and the delightful weather, there’s lots to anticipate.

We have pieced together the ultimate list of your spring essentials along with a bunch of must-haves you just have to get your hands on this season.

For all the plant parents out there, this one’s for you! Bring the calmness of the coast to your ever-growing, indoor garden with this ibiza-inspired planter.

Spring is the perfect time for repotting your plants or allowing additions to the family in time for the sun.

So, pop in a succulent or plant a new seed to add some nature to your home and reap the benefits of living around plants.

Whether it’s reducing your stress levels, helping with your breathing or improving the air quality – there’s plenty to gain!

When clearing out those pesky junk jaws in the name of ‘spring cleaning’, you may find yourself with some forgotten trinkets with nowhere to put them.

In order to give those bits and bobs a place of honour in your home, our trinket dishes are a must have this season.

Combining practicality with style, these dishes will help to keep you on track for a tidy space and therefore, a tidy mind.

Nothing says ‘new beginnings’ like making impactful changes to create an overall positive effect on your well being. This practical and non-patronising book offers advice for allowing calm amongst the chaos of everyday life.

Find some time this spring to truly take care of yourself by introducing these simple rituals to your routine, learning and growing as the year goes by. Make each day of this new season count.

Bring the smell of nature from the outdoors and into your home this season with the ‘Flora Lab Wax Melt Bars’.

It’s essential to have your home smelling fresh as a daisy and with their combination of natural plant based wax and the finest perfume oils, they couldn’t make it easier for you.

The Floral Lab is your new best friend just waiting to be added to your spring cleaning kit.

As this season brings a sense of new beginnings, what better way to say ‘spring’ than with a bunch of beautiful flowers… in print form at least!

Saving you the hassle of redesigning your rooms or piecing together a bouquet for your vase, this vibrant print creates a minimalist approach to floral decor.

Not to mention, it is the easiest way to introduce some colour back into your home in time for spring!

Now that we’re well into the new year and our diaries are overflowing with arrangements, this wild and wonderful planner is essential for keeping on top of things.

Amidst the chaos it’s important to stay organised and while it’s now springtime, it’s never too late to start.

Your notes and ‘to do lists’ do not have to be boring when you have vibrant pages like these, so keep on scribbling and ticking those things off of your list with a sense of sophistication.

Are you looking to make your debut in the world of gardening this spring? Then look no further… Our foolproof ‘Grow Me’ kits allow for the easiest  way to grow your own little rays of sunshine.

Whether it’s sunflowers, chamomile, daisies or forget-me-nots, we’ve got you covered for your first time planting.

New Designers Derby

New Designers Derby

New Designers Derby: We welcome over 15 new designers to our Derby Store

Supporting small businesses is what we’re all about and we recently introduced over 15 new designers and makers into our flagship Derby store. We’ve selected a few to showcase below.

The Completely Honest Candle Company

The Completely Honest Candle Co. are a no-nonsense candle brand infusing some much needed satire to the industry and telling it like it is. Each of their candles are hand-poured with eco-friendly soy wax and come in four simple, yet elegant scents:

The Woody One, The Flowery One, The Musky One & The Zesty One.

We also stock their diffusers too!

Studio 23 Ceramics

Studio 23 Ceramics create beautiful, delicate ceramic jewellery which work for everyday or evening wear. All handmade in their studio in Manchester.

Love In A Mist

Love in a Mist create handmade hair accessories for young girls and beyond including headbands, hair clips and bow hair bobbles. All lovingly made in Sarah’s studio in Nottinghamshire.

Discover more of our amazing designers and makers who stock in our Derby and Trentham stores!

Shopping Small

Shopping Small

Why Shopping Small Is So Important, Now More Than Ever.

I don’t need to tell you that the last two years have been challenging, we all lived through it and hopefully now we’re coming out the other side. However, with the rising costs of fuel, gas and electric, food and just about everything else it appears we have a new challenge on our hands. We’re all in this together right?

Did you know that at the start of 2021 99.2% of the total business population was made up of small businesses. That’s pretty amazing! We’re contributing so much to not only the economy but also our local communities. That’s one of the reasons why supporting small is now more important than ever! Small businesses aren’t like the big boys, they provide a personal customer service experience as usually its a very small team or just an individual behind the scenes. So sometimes you’re providing an income for small business owner and sometimes you’re allowing that small business to provide jobs for people in the local community so its a win win.

Running a small business allows many people to work around their home life. It creates a more flexible environment for parents to spend more time with their children, or provide them with an extra income to spend on life experiences for their children. If 2020 taught us anything it’s that spending time with our loved ones is so important.

So in what is set to be another challenging year what can you do? Well you can of course make a purchase but it’s about more than that. Every like, comment, share and save on social media enables small businesses like us to reach more people. And good old fashioned word of mouth certainly helps too, tell your friends, family, colleagues, social groups and your communities all about your favourite small businesses.

Gift ideas for the little ones

Gift ideas for the little ones

Gift ideas for the little ones

Friday is here and we’ve got some great gifts in-store to help keep the kids happy and entertained this weekend!

We love supporting small brands who care about our precious planet, and here we’re showcasing just some of our favourite kids brands which you’ll find when popping into our bricks & mortar stores in Derby and Trentham.

First off, Danish brand Fabelab. We love stocking their eco friendly products which are made with a sustainable mindset and lots of love. Their ‘Fab Friends’ dolls have been such a hit in-store, and their stainless steel and silicon water bottles are our favourites for those weekend adventures.

We’re also in love with the gorgeous puzzles and games by Londji, which are lovingly designed and made in Barcelona. Their beautiful illustrations are inspired by nature, and their hand knitted finger puppets, craft kits and stickers are all great picks for imaginative and creative play.

Bloomingville is one of our top selling brands; we love their Nordic take on interiors for the little ones. Their gorgeous pocket sized dolls are great for role play and their nature inspired suitcase puzzles are perfect to take on weekend mini breaks.

Meri Meri is one of our ‘go-to’ brands for kids! Their products are inspired by childhood imagination and their colouring in posters are super sellers in both our stores. We love having gifts to help kids get creative.

We also stock a great selection of books that are perfect for young minds to discover more about the natural world and their place in it. We love selecting stories and crafts books to inspire the next generation, and we’re passionate about stocking a diverse range.

 

We hope you enjoyed having a little peek inside our Derby bricks & mortar store and finding out about some of our super kids brands.

 

Happy exploring with us!

 

We can’t wait to see you in store x

Perfecting Your Self Care

Perfecting Your Self Care

Perfecting Your Self Care

It’s so important that we put time aside for ourselves. Life can be pretty stressful, and having a self-care plan can help increase your mood and mental wellbeing significantly. Our mental health has taken a bit of a beating this past year, so why not look towards some eco-friendly self-care products to help your me-time feel more productive? From a pamper gift box to candles and bath bombs, you can create your own spa day directly from your own home.

 

Here at Design 44, we stock and sell gift sets, accessories and homewares online, all of which have been lovingly created by local designers. We love to promote local businesses and sustainability, ensuring that all our products are eco-friendly and completely unique. If you’re looking for a relaxation gift for yourself, we’ve got the perfect products for you…

 

Affirming Messages

 

Sometimes, we just need someone to tell us that we’re doing a good job, but more often than not, we need to give ourselves a break! By having a few life-affirming messages scattered around your home, you can make your daily life that much easier, and it can make a bad day so much better. You can create these cards yourself, but local designers have crafted their own positive messages to bring surprise and thoughtfulness to your self-care routine!

 

Our little box of pick-me-ups are incredibly popular, with cute little messages tucked neatly away in glass tubes and sealed with a cork. All ten messages are lovingly encased in a white box with copper print, and have been crafted by just one of many of our local designers. Looking to challenge yourself? Our 30-day self-confidence box is perfect for keeping self-sabotage at bay, and can help you lead a prosperous month!

 

Scents and Sprays

 

They always say that candles and comforting scents are great for relaxation and mindfulness, and they’re right! Whether your bed, bath or living room is your comfortable spot, candles make the perfect birthday gift if you know someone has been lacking in their me-time. Our candles can come complete in a pamper gift box or on their own, and they’re great for all kinds of self-care situations!

 

Our self-love candles are made form 100% soy wax and fine fragrance oils, making it a highly sustainable option compared to its usual paraffin wax counterpart. All candles are hand poured and are perfect for placing around the bath as you soak and relax. If you’re into your plants, this particular candle transforms into a planter once burned through, making it a great reusable, environmentally friendly option.

 

Pamper Gift Boxes

 

Whether you’re looking for a small gift box to take the edge off, or a large gift box to really engross yourself in your self-care ritual, there’s an option out there for you. A relaxing pamper box makes the perfect Mother’s Day gift too, and even makes a special birthday treat! Our array of pamper gift boxes come packed full of sustainable products to help you relax when things get to be a little too much.

 

Our self-love gift box comes with a candle, bath bomb, everyday self-care book plus many other products to help you relax and take care of yourself when things feel overwhelming. Alternatively, our relax gift box comes with a room spray and an eye pillow to help you have a restful night’s sleep, which we all desperately need! Self-care is so important, so let us help you make the process a little easier with our wide array of locally designed, sustainable accessories and homewares online and in store!