‘Grand changement’ at Country Modern

A new online e-commerce business selling “French-inspired vintage style” has been launched by the owners of Country Modern, which is closing.
 

Clive and Fran Osborne with some examples of the items that will be sold on the new website for At The French Barn

 
The home and garden website called At The French Barn offers genuine vintage and antique pieces alongside new items and includes furniture, mirrors, lighting, seating, garden items, brocante and more, much of which is sourced personally by Fran and Clive Osborne on their regular visits to France.
 
The range of Grand Illusions vintage chalk paints and other products are still available to buy online through the new website.
 
Mr Osborne explained: “Over the past few years, our life-long interest in genuine French furniture and style has grown and developed. With the purchase and renovation of a house and barns in France, our love of France and ‘all things French’ has continued to grow.
 
“We regularly visit France for both business and pleasure so it seemed only right that we source and sell the fabulous furniture and other items that we find in French properties, local French antique fairs, brocantes and vide-greniers and ‘voila’, At The French Barn was born.
 
“This has now become the main focus of our business and takes up much of our time. It is for this reason that we have, reluctantly, decided to close Country Modern.”
 
The development of At The French Barn means that their shop in Nowhere Lane, Great Witchingham, and their commission painting service will close on 17 December to allow the Osbornes to concentrate on this new venture.
 
They will, however, continue to run their painting workshops from their premises in Nowhere Lane under their new name, where together with the owners of the old wildlife park they hope to expand and develop the range of courses and workshops on offer, making the location a real activity hub.
 
The Osbornes added: “The setting and location of the shop make it an ideal place for relaxed, fun and informative courses and workshops to take place in beautiful natural surroundings. It is hoped that, together with the park owners, we can eventually offer a whole variety of arts, crafts, lifestyle and hobby activities and hands-on workshops.”
 
To mark the closing of the shop, Country Modern holding a closing down sale on hand-painted furniture and unpainted furniture pieces, mirrors, home and garden items, Christmas decorations and more. The sale will run from Saturday 3 December until Saturday 17 December.
 
The Osbornes thanked all their customers over the past four years. “We look forward to seeing you at our sale and to serving you via our new website,” said Mrs Osborne. “We also look forward to continue to welcome customers, new and old, to our painting workshops. A very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year to all.”
 

The Osbornes’ barn and house in France that inspired the new business name

Related stories: