Flair for Design
At PAD Contemporary Living in Poulton, the aim isn’t just to sell furniture, it’s to help customers design their own unique living space, writes Kate Ford. Photography: Samuel Reynolds
Paula Baxter has just celebrated 10 years in the furniture and interior design business. Her two-storey showroom in Poulton-le-Fylde is bursting with ideas and inspiration for people hoping to transform their interior spaces.
Sofas, beds and dining sets are displayed with coffee tables, rugs, lighting and soft furnishings, offering choices of colour combinations and showing customers which pieces work well together. Console tables, sideboards and display cabinets sit alongside wall art and sculptural lighting, demonstrating how functional pieces can still contribute to the overall look and style of a room.
Paula sources her range from Europe, handpicking items on her travels to cities such as Milan and Cologne. “Everything here is beautifully designed and exceptionally high quality, but it’s also affordable,” she says, “I only buy from manufacturers who are committed to innovative design and supreme craftsmanship.”
Wandering through the well-stocked showroom, you’ll find exquisitely crafted Italian leather sofas from leading designers such as Natuzzi Editions and Italia Living, plus bespoke TV wall systems designed by Paula herself, using Italian manufacturers Rossetto and Jesse. There’s a superb range of contemporary dining sets by Calligaris and a variety of chairs and bar stools from Danish company, Dan-form.
What sets PAD apart from other furniture retailers, though, is that customers can benefit from Paula’s impressive interior design skills, as well as her excellent product range. She offers a very personal approach, even visiting customers’ homes and talking them through the various options available to them. There’s no extra charge for this, it’s just part of the service.
“I used to work in fashion retail and I learned very early on of the importance of excellent customer service,” she says. “People say I have a natural talent for colour matching and knowing what looks good together, and if I can use that to help my customers achieve the look they want, then I’m happy.”
Other elements which help create a truly individual look include made-to-measure fitted wardrobes, full bedroom design, elegant bespoke dining and console tables from Stone International, stunning lighting from leading British and Italian designers, fabulous wall-coverings and individually sourced artwork, tailored to individual needs or schemes. The showroom also features an in-home cinema room with cinema seating.
Paula is often asked to furnish show homes in the local area, “I finished one show home on a Friday afternoon and the following Monday I had a call to say the house and all the contents had been sold,” she laughs. “Whatever I do, I put my heart and soul into it.”
Judging by the consistently positive reviews that she receives from her customers and the huge amount of business that comes from recommendations, it seems that Paula’s heart and soul, combined with her flair for interior design, are a very good recipe for success.
PAD Contemporary Living
Unit 4, Millennium Court
Furness Drive
Poulton-le Fylde FY8 9JS
01253 893334
www.facebook.com/PadPoulton
