Twenty-five years ago, Tim and Kathy Ritchie were living in an unfinished house in Portland, Oregon, where they made their first piece of furniture—"a simple little side table"—which inspired them to launch their business when they moved to England.
On offer at the couple's Cambridge, UK, shop: their own line of chalky emulsion and eggshell Providence Paints (in shades like Black Sheep, Moonshine, and Dirty Dog) as well as Farrow & Ball and Earthborn Clay Paints, classic cabinet hardware, both wood (oak, walnut, cherry, maple, and beech) and metal, plus household essentials like cleaning and paint brushes. Furniture prices are reasonable, considering the high-quality materials used and the labor involved; prices start at £16 for a 45cm-long Shaker peg rail and go up to £3,200 for a large breakfront cabinet. For more, go to Providence.
Above: A custom Providence armoire painted bright yellow, in the window of the Cambridge shop. "We use traditional methods of joinery; though the tools we use are modern, which makes our craftsmanship more efficient," Tim says.
Above: Samples of shades available in the Providence paint line.
Above: A sampling of paint from the Providence line.
Above: Classic cabinet knobs in oak, walnut, cherry, maple, and beech.
Above: Tim and Kathy give their solid oak pieces a modern twist by painting them in unexpected modern colors.