That’s Not My Age

‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or…beautiful.’ This William Morris quote is one Pascale Smets has always lived by. A former fashion designer with her own label in the 1980s, and interior stylist for Living Etc, Pascale has now turned her unerring eye to retail, bringing the useful and beautiful to a special emporium in the heart of Norwich. It’s not her first retail adventure. She previously had a concession at New Street Market in Woodbridge and, before that, a pop-up shop at Heal’s, London. And, it’s testament to her flair for merchandising, that some loyal customers from her first store travel all the way from Suffolk to Norfolk for their retail fix.

Her exquisite, two-floor store in Norwich’s historical quarter, simply called Pascale, is a shop of discovery and joy. In some ways, it’s like a store from another century, like the Olsen’s store in Little House on the Prairie, meets Merci in Paris. Somewhere you could always find the things you need, like balls of string and candles alongside objects to covet and save up for. From ‘the world’s best laundry pegs by Pincinox’ to commissioned platters from a potter in Cape Town, padlocks shaped like fish and fantastic pairs of Indian dressmaking scissors that go by the brand name of Rolex; considered elegance and functionality underpin all the stock.

The gilded lettering painted onto the shop windows proclaims, ‘established 1964.’ This is not the age of the store, opened in autumn 2024, but Pascale’s birth year. It’s a statement of how personal this all is. Once, her approach to elegant living was confined to the parameters of her own home shared with her husband, Matt (The Daily Telegraph cartoonist) and four offspring, now all grown up and flown the nest. Now it’s available to any customer who walks through the door. ‘I’m constantly on the lookout, and enjoy sourcing beautiful, unusual things. I aim to buy the ultimate version of every item, be it a butter dish, greetings card or lambswool throw  – and by ‘the best’, I don’t  mean the fanciest or most expensive.’

‘I love well-designed, everyday practical items that last. A good example are our clothes pegs. I like to hang washing on a line.  I hate the way plastic clothes pegs only last a year, if that, before they shatter. I found French ones made from a single piece of forged steel (that never rust) with a lifetime guarantee. They look great too!  Everybody needs a loo brush. I found stylish German ones in a black tin jug with a dark wooden handle that are practical and appealing to the eye. Who knew this was possible?!’ Pascale searches high and low for her stock which comes from Portugal, France, Ukraine, Colombia, Denmark, USA, Sweden, India, Italy and Tuscany, alongside a few English heritage brands. She works with individual makers and producers, small or specialist brands, and this attention to every object shows.

The ‘beautiful but run down’ listed building took 18-months to negotiate and renovate. She has not only returned it to its former glory but modernised and upgraded, by adding a staircase and whole new pine floor upstairs. Constructed from two 17th and 18th century buildings joined together, this one-time purveyor of ballet shoes, and jewellery, is now a fusion of homeware, hardware, gifts, and essentials.

‘Having a shop and being my own boss is scary and energising in equal measure. It’s probably the most creative thing I’ve ever done. From choosing the stock, style, and space, doing the photography for the website, to curating a playlist, every day is different and enjoyable.’

At a time when a growing amount of shopping happens online and many stores feel increasingly depersonalised, it’s a thing of wonder to enter a space created to welcome, inspire and serve. Cheerful  greetings, helpful advice, fresh smells and good music create a great atmosphere.  The curated playlist is as cool as the surroundings with a fondness for vintage sounds from Brigitte Bardot, Francois Hardy, Charles Aznavour and Nico.

While Pascale looks expensive from the outside, inside there’s something to suit all price points. She describes her ethos as ‘all style, no labels’, a combination of handmade, artisanal, vintage and mass-produced. ‘We sell everything from cleaning products, crockery, cushions, tea towels  and ceramics. Affordability alongside quality is a big thing for me. There’s a tapered candle for 80p, metal straws for £1.50, a 12-hour burn candle for £3.25. At the other end are splurge items, giant plates for £340 and artwork from £660’.  In the future, she hopes to hold artist exhibitions.

At 60, Pascale is relishing the new lease of life being a shopkeeper has brought her. ‘One of things I like best about being my age is the possibilities that have opened up. My children have left home, and I am freed from many constraints. I am very lucky, as I have (touch wood) good health, loads of energy and ideas. While some friends are choosing to wind down, I’m of the Dolly Parton school of thought that says, “I’ll die working”‘. Pascale’s growing number of customers will be pleased she’s in it for the long run.

Find Pascale at 27 London Street in Norwich or shop online HERE. 

Nilgin Yusuf is a writer and regular TNMA contributor. Photography by Sam Harrons.

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