Olive Rose

When I was 7 my Grandad Bob built me a beautiful doll’s house for Christmas — so much love went into it. It took the best part of a year to make and even to this day it is one of my most precious possessions. My love of miniature has never disappeared, so when I came across gorgeous pictures of miniature doll’s furniture on Instagram by Olive Rose I was rather excited. For my second “Beckenham Insiders” piece I am pleased to showcase a lovely local lady who has an amazing creative talent for making all things small — I dare you not to fall in love with them too! Let’s meet the “Frazzled Mummy” behind Olive Rose….

Hello, I’m Charlotte! I’m 30 and I’ve been married for 8 years and have a daughter who is nearly three. I’m originally from Hayes/ West Wickham, but have been living in Beckenham for the last three years — having also lived in Bradford and Brooklyn NYC (two very different places!!).

I moved back into the area from NYC when I was 5 months pregnant and so I didn’t have a job to ‘go back to’ after maternity leave. Previously I worked for non-profit organisations organising events, but I’ve always been a crafter! I had no idea what I wanted to do!

After I had my daughter, I had Postnatal Depression (PND), which meant I wasn’t really well enough to find work. After all the difficulties I had, I wanted to give my daughter something special for her birthday — a doll’s house. I shopped around, however everything I saw was too pink or garish for my taste. They didn’t look realistic enough or they were just too old fashioned. I wanted a house she would love but that was modern and would compliment my home decor too. So I bought a second hand house and decided to “up-cycle” old furniture and make my own mini accessories! This took a few months and I decided to document it on social media. It was special to create something bespoke for my daughter, and crafting with a focus also helped with my PND. Once I completed the house I had some interest from other mums. So I made a few items for Etsy and did a couple of custom houses.

Fast forward and now Olive Rose is launched online! On the site I sell sourced modern doll’s house furniture and handmade mini accessories. I’m also offering custom fully furnished houses too. It’s still in the very early stages but it’s going well.

The name actually comes from my Grandma Olive and my Granny Rose. They are two strong woman who have come through many challenges in life and are an inspiration. My Grandma Olive and Grandad Frank actually had a large Victorian doll’s house and a general store that they built. I used to love looking at all the details — every time I would notice something I hadn’t seen before! Dolls’ houses are often heirloom pieces that are passed on through generations and using my family names reflects that!

Dolls’ houses are such wonderful toys that are timeless. It’s so special to know that I’m providing the opportunity for families to create something that’s going to bring joy and treasured memories to last a lifetime. It’s also fun to look at current nursery and home trends and try and replicate those in miniature.

It’s still in the early stages and everybody knows it’s hard to be a small business, but I’d like to think that there’s room for growth into selling other products too. However I know myself — sometimes I get complacent and want to try something new haha! So who knows, maybe Olive Rose will take on a different form in years to come.

I think you have to know what you are doing is unique. Even if you are doing similar to someone else, find that thing that makes you different. Be true to yourself and try not to compare yourself to others ….which is easier said than done!

We LOVE Greenwich! The river, the market, the park, the naval college. It’s just lovely. We also like to visit Alexandra Nurseries in Penge for some cake, plus there is a playground nearby.

I’m definitely a TV addict!!! But also I love to explore different London neighbourhoods — browsing shops and trying out their cafes.

Beckenham is great! It’s got a villagey feel but with a bit of a vibe. It’s got great parks, toddler groups and schools, meaning it’s great for families but then it has its share of nightlife (if that’s your thing!). I love how there are more cool independent shops (I like Bunka, Jumping Bean and Ollie & Dollie the best!) and nice restaurants (Chai Naasto!). With new regular markets such as the Beckenham Market at Beckenham Place Park small independent businesses are being showcased. It’s great to celebrate local artisans!

Instagram : @oliveroseuk

Facebook : OliveRoseUk

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