We
bought a house! That's right, me + Hollie finally did it. Over the next
few months expect to see a lot more home-related stuff
on Buckets & Spades! It's mad actually, everything happened so
quickly. I have loads to share about the whole buying-a-house process;
being accepted for a mortgage as a freelancer, all that legal business, obstacles we've came up against, and a bunch more positive stuff
too!
We'll be moving any day now and I plan to document the whole move, so make sure to follow along with my Stories on Instagram at @mat_buckets!
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In a happy coincidence, British furniture company DFS
invited me down to their Derbyshire factory + design studio to learn
more about their history, design processes and see first-hand how their
products are made.
Did
you know that DFS produce over 50% of their furniture products here in the
UK, made-to-order? My preconceptions of the brand definitely led me to
assume everything was made "on the cheap" in Asia, cutting corners on
quality to offer constant "sales" prices. Over the course of two days my
opinions of the brand were flipped on their head.
On day one we were treated to a guided tour of their main factory, just outside Nottingham (see our guide to independent Nottingham here).
Along with a small group of lifestyle blogger I was given a look into
the fast-paced DFS production line; taking in elements from pattern
cutting, upholstery, woodwork, metalwork, hand-stitching and even had a peak into where
the young apprentices practice honing their craft.
As we wandered around the factory floor I could see there was a genuine sense of pride and an all-in-it-together mentality. Day one done.
