An Incredibly Useful Shop To Buy Boring But Beautiful Stuff

Now it’s a moot point if you find this stuff boring or not but it occurred to me the other day that I recommend this online store to every single client I ever meet. And I have shopped for my own house from here on more than one occasion. And I assumed it was one of those open secrets that everyone knows about and no-one really mentions. And then I realised that I have never actually written about them – just linked to products in passing. So it’s not so much of an open secret as probably quite a well-kept one.

So today we are going to talk about Dowsing & Reynolds. Because if you have been paying attention over the last six years you will know that I am often banging on about the touch points – the handles and light switches. That I think it’s important to change white plastic electrical cable to coloured fabric to either contrast or tone with the room. That it’s the details that can make or break a room.

And Dowsing & Reynolds do all that. And they’ve just started doing paint as well. Which I have yet to try but which looks so pretty in the pictures. And so yes this is a post about all that boring stuff that makes all the difference when it’s beautiful. And they do it all – sockets and switches, cables and handles, shelf brackets and table legs. And the paint of course. Don’t forget the paint.

If you are doing a house, or a room in a house, then you need to bookmark this place or add it to your address book because it’s a good place to start. Or finish since it’s the details. When they started it was all quite industrial but that isn’t everyone’s style and the company has expanded its range to include light switches in black, white metal (actually great for a white wall and so much better than plastic) and the traditional metallics.

There are pendant lights that would work in sleek and contemporary homes as well as converted warehouses and, of course, the famous coloured cable in every colour from chalk white and ivory to earth and black via zinging orange, burgundy, navy and green. And it’s about £4 a metre so that’s an affordable change – plus the electrician of course.

They are basically doing many of the things that I wanted when I moved in here and couldn’t find – or did find after a lot of hard internet searching – leather handles, affordable light switches and bulkhead lights.

Or you might be looking for cool handles to add to your kitchen cupboards – leather, brass or traditional are all here.  So if you need hardware and you’re not sure where to start then start here. This isn’t a sponsored post by the way – more of a public service announcement.