Member Article

Well-known local designer to join the team at the new £500,000 Richard Grafton Interiors showroom in Wetherby

Interiors, architecture and design business Richard Grafton Interiors, which has showrooms in Harrogate and Ilkley, has announced that it is making a £500,000 investment in a high-profile showroom in Wetherby which will create two new jobs initially.

Due to open in February, the new showroom will be managed by both Donna Schofield and Karen Draper. Donna has worked as an interior design specialist in the market town for over 25 years and will be joined by Karen Draper, another experienced interior designer, who is moving from the business’ Harrogate base.

Located in a prominent position on High Street, Wetherby, the 1,700 sq ft premises will feature fully furnished room sets including a sitting room, dining room, bathroom, bedroom and dressing room which will incorporate the latest examples of Richard Grafton Interiors’ hand-crafted cabinetry and designer furniture. It will also include a design studio equipped with hundreds of fabrics, wall coverings and flooring library as well as showcasing a wide range of design-led interiors products.

Donna spent 25 years working for James Brindley, and more recently for Furnish and Fettle, managing its Wetherby showroom. She has built a reputation as one of the region’s leading interior designers and built up a strong following locally. She will work alongside Karen Draper, who has over 30 years’ experience as an interior designer having been with Richard Grafton Interiors since the launch of the first showroom in Harrogate almost eight years ago and for 20 years previously working with Richard at James Brindley. Rebecca Thomas will also move from the Harrogate showroom to the new interior design showroom in Wetherby.

“We are really excited to be opening our third showroom in Yorkshire and for someone as experienced as Donna to be joining our team. The new Wetherby site enjoys a fantastic location in a Georgian building in the town centre which has undergone an extensive conversion to showcase our design flair and installation ability as well as offering a huge range of lifestyle objects for the home,” explains Richard Grafton.

“The Wetherby base, together with Donna and Karen’s reputation and extensive client contacts, will put us in a strong position to extend our geographic reach as well as providing a broader choice for interior design in the town, from conception through to project management. Our aim is to provide a complete interiors solutions under one roof, led by some of the most talented designers in the region, together with a wide choice of handmade kitchens and bathrooms as well as bespoke interior architecture projects.”

Richard Grafton Interiors has evolved from providing fabrics and soft furnishings to offering a complete service with its team of designers, spatial planners and installers providing full architectural design and project management. Since launching in March 2012, the business has grown from seven staff to a 21-strong team, including 12 designers working across its interior design and architectural divisions.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .