Archive for March, 2010

Shabby Chic for the Home

Shabby chic furniture and accessories provides individuality, a statement and endless style.

Shabby chic home furniture and accessories can give your house the WOW factor! The style of shabby chic is steeped in history yet with the modern day paint effects and colours, these items of furniture are brought right up to the present day. Shabby chic offers the traditional look without being heavy and stuffy. It adds character to a room and pieces can be used as little or as much as one wishes.

The influences for shabby chic furniture are taken mainly from French furniture of around the 1800’s period. The paint effects on these traditional reproduction designs of furniture recreate the shabby look but keeping it chic. The pieces are far from just shabby.

Shabby chic home furniture is extremely easy to look after and clean which makes it an excellent choice for those who have families or other busy lifestyles. Just one piece of shabby chic style furniture can give a focal point to a room.

With the rise of popularity of shabby chic furniture, complementing accessories and decorating items such as wallpaper are now readily available. Accessories for every room in the house including glassware, candle sticks and mirrors can now be found along with bathroom accessories such as soap holders, mirrors and towel rails.

Things to do when staying in Penrith hotels

Penrith is a welcoming market town and a great base from which to explore Eden.

The town of Penrith, with its beautiful red sandstone buildings has fascinating yards and alleyways to discover, pleasant open spaces and a selection of places to stay from fine hotels in Penrith to cosy guest houses and self catering cottages.

A lovely walk up through the wooded slopes of Beacon Hill to the Beacon “Pike” Monument, built in 1719 of local red sandstone, rewards you with great views over the town and lake district fells beyond. The Rotary Club of Penrith have produced a leaflet with details of an “Access for all Walk” - a self guided tour of Penrith. The route has been chosen to make the walk accessible to all, including those with disabilities. To download a copy, please visit the Rotary Club website.

Back down in the town, explore the ruins of Penrith Castle, dating back to the 14th century, set in an attractive public park where you can play tennis, bowls, crazy golf, pitch and putt or simply watch the world go by! There’s a children’s playground and paddling pool too.

Many visitors come to Penrith for its unique specialist shops offering local produce - fine foods like Penrith Toffee Fudge, loved by the Royal Family and traditional Cumberland Sausage together with all sorts of local crafts. A Specialist Shops leaflet for Penrith is available.

Eating out in Penrith is a pleasure, there’s a good choice too, ranging from inns with home cooking, Penrith restaurants with international cuisine, cafes and tea shops.

Don’t miss Penrith Farmers’ Market, held every 3rd Tuesday in the Market Square, where you can cut down the food miles and enjoy locally produced and sourced goods. The newly named Charter Market, a traditional street market is also held every Tuesday in Great Dockray.

Penrith Museum, housed in the former 17th century Robinsons school building gives a fascinating insight into the history of Penrith, local geology and archaeology and houses an exciting programme of temporary exhibitions.

Dating back to Norman times, St, Andrew’s Church in the centre of Penrith is surrounded by historic buildings with a peaceful outdoor seating area. Look out for the “Giants Grave” in St. Andrew’s Churchyard!

If you are feeling active, the recently extended Penrith Leisure Centre has swimming pools, gym, indoor climbing wall, large sports hall and indoor bowls hall.
 
The town has an award-winning station on the main west coast London to Glasgow railway line and is served by National Express buses. The C2C cycle route passes through Penrith and the town has been designated Cumbria’s first Cycling Hub, which means cyclists are made extra welcome and will find excellent facilities and specially designed routes starting from Penrith along with many of the Penrith hotels being cyclist friendly.