OH SO KEL
Decor

Oh So Kel 2023 Pop Up Shop & Life Update

Oh So Kel John Lewis Pop Up

Oh So Kel 2023 Pop Up Shop & Life Update

Firstly, thank you for being here, Oh So Kel started as a blog and has grown into a business which now offers unique timeless homeware collections as well as brand and home styling services, so I sincerely thank you for your part in turning my passion into a career!
2023 has been a pretty significant for us in many ways both from a business and personal perspective, so I wanted to end the year with a little update on what’s been going on.

Our Forever Home Renovation Project

Just over a year ago we bought our 1930s house, a renovation project which will become our dream forever home. 2023 has been spent planning the spaces, gaining planning permission and obtaining necessary structural/building surveys so that work on the downstairs (phase 1) can begin in a few weeks time. Eeeek!
Soon I’ll share all plans and internal mood boards in a separate post but in the meantime here’s the external before and proposed after.
BEFORE:
PROPOSED AFTER:

Family Adventures

For a period of time we won’t be able to live in the house while it’s being renovated. Rental properties are expensive and prohibitive with timescales/minimum contracts, so we decided that the best solution for us was to buy a caravan and use it on the driveway! We bought ‘Dora the Explorer’ last summer and took her to Latitude Festival, St Ives and Dorset so she’s given us some adventures and low-cost breaks away as well as somewhere for my husband to use as an office throughout the build and a ‘home’ for us when the time comes. We’ll then sell her post-project to recoup a large proportion of the initial spend.

 

I couldn’t help myself and gave Dora a little caravan makeover using sofa covers and tile stickers from Shein! The covers will also help to protect the fabric underneath which will help for re-sale.

John Lewis Cribbs Causeway Pop Up Shop December 2023

It’s safe to say that OSK ended 2023 on a massive high with the absolute privilege of hosting my first ever pop up shop at John Lewis Cribbs in Bristol, in the week leading to Christmas no less! This incredible opportunity was provided by The Great Brand Exchange and it was a dream come true for my small business. Getting to showcase my products in person to existing and new customers was the best experience and I can’t thank the GB Exchange team and John Lewis Partners enough for their help, kindness and support.

I am lucky enough to be returning in March around Mother’s Day and Easter too so watch this space!

Oh So Kel Pop Up Shop & Life Update

Oh So Kel Pop Up Shop & Life Update

If you’d like to see behind the scenes of our set up and pre-opening I’ve shared some reels on my Instagram page @OSK_Living which can be found in ‘Pop Up’ Highlights.

Oh So Kel as a business and brand is growing and developing in ways we never expected, particularly as in the beginning it started as a hobby! OSK’s year ended by launching an own-brand collection of candles and cowbell vessel which was created exclusively for me. I took both to my John Lewis Pop Up and was blown away by the reaction to them, which has given me the confidence to believe in myself and keep going.

Plans for 2024

Self-Employed Business and Life are always inevitably intertwined but in 2024 they will be more linked than ever.

My hope is to expand the line of Oh So Kel branded products in 2024 so that my offering to customers is unique as well as being more attractive to retailers such as John Lewis. Wouldn’t it be incredible if a pop up led to a permanent collection there? It would also be a full circle moment as my first job while at school was actually in John Lewis!

As I’ve already mentioned we will be creating our forever home with work starting mid/end January 2024 (eek!). I will of course be sharing our renovation journey on ohsokel.com and on instagram.com/ohsokel … I have two Instagram accounts and it’s fair to say that this one has taken a back seat since moving. My aim is to be more active in 2024 to help others on their renovation and home styling journeys but the first challenge will be to somehow grovel to the Insta algorithm who’ll have punished me!

As well as the renovation providing a beautiful family home for us, it will also be the perfect setting for me to style and showcase my own collections. I can’t tell you how difficult it’s been to leave my studio behind and simply have one shelf to style on for the past year. Thank goodness I’ve had some amazing customers and collaborators who’ve provided their own inspirational images for me to share on the page for my homeware instagram.com/OSK_living !

My aim is to get back to Instagram Lives and ‘How To’ videos so that my brand ethos to provide interior styling inspiration as well as selling beautiful homeware can come together once again.

This might also include a furniture collection which I could use and shoot in our own home but it’s very early days so watch this space!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little update on OSK and our family. Thank you once again for your support and I hope you enjoy watching the journey ahead.

Until next time,

Kel x

OSK John Lewis Pop Up

Follow:
0

More inspiration:

Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

as seen

Where to next?