Shabby chic is proving a sales hit for city homeless charity Emmaus Sheffield.
One of the organisation’s main fundraising schemes is its extremely popular second hand and vintage store at the organisation’s headquarters in the historic Sipelia Works, a former cutlery factory at Cadman Street, close to the city’s Canal Basin.
And one of the biggest successes in the store’s current range is specially crafted distressed shabby chic furniture.
Emmaus Sheffield is a working community with quality, self-contained accommodation, training facilities and a workspace for previously homeless men and women aged 18 years and over.
It aims through its Social Enterprise programme to provide meaningful work and enable the people it supports – known as companions – to eventually become self-supporting once more.
It is companion Ray Large who has received special training in furniture restoration and is now working on the special shabby chic range that includes everything from coffee tables and TV units to full Welsh dressers, all given the stylish vintage makeover.
“We have been overwhelmed by the success of this new range,” said Emmaus Sheffield Deputy Manager Charley Fedorenko.
“Ray has a real feel for what will work best with this style of restoration and every one of his completed pieces has sold very quickly.”
