Today I want to tell you about a fabulous lady who contacted me a few weeks ago.

Laura Thomas is one of my loyal readers (yes, there is one!) and a kindred spirit with an affinity for Scandinavian design and shabby chic who appreciates simple pleasures like a morning run on a deserted beach, up-cycling old furniture or riding ponies across the fields. However, most importantly she’s in love with crisp white bed linen which led her to launch her business Laura Thomas Linens back in 2012.

I got chatting to Laura and found her creative spirit and enthusiasm for her product infectious. Having lived in New Zealand for the past 10 years it turns out she’s a fellow admirer of Auckland based general store Father Rabbit – much swooned about one here – and I reckon between us we could easily buy up their whole stock.

I love how Laura involved her two adorable daughters in the shoot who clearly had a riot in all that freshly laundered linen beautifully captured by Jess Burges from New Zealand.

So, over to Laura and make sure you catch her tip on how to keep your whites white. Genius!

 

Could you tell us a bit about your family and your background?

I grew up on a farm in Scotland, in a large farm house that was constantly being renovated by my mother. Her creative side has influenced my ‘can do’ attitude. When it comes to learning new skills, I’m very happy to get my hands dirty. Growing up on a farm gave me a very free and simple childhood of building dams in the streams and riding ponies over the farmland.

I left home at 13 and went to the iconic Scottish boarding school, Gordonstoun. Prince Charles was once a pupil there and was known for his dislike of the gritty all-round outdoor education involved. The school furthered my zest for life and I’m continually grateful for the experience I had there.

I have just spent the last 10 years living between my native Scotland and New Zealand. Kiwis are famous for their ingenuity and self-sufficiency and I learned so much while living and doing business there.

Having my own family now has been the biggest pleasure in my life. At present, a day on our local beach in Scotland, swimming, picnicking and roasting marshmallows on a camp fire is pure bliss!

What is your professional background?

I started my earning life as a banker in London. After a few years of the corporate experience, I knew it wasn’t for me. I have always wanted to own my own business.

So when I met my New Zealander husband we set up a company which bought and sold cafes. We would find a hospitality business that had gone into liquidation, refurbish it, get known for the supply of great coffee and delicious eats and trade it until the business reached good profit levels, then sell it on. We have turned around 3 existing cafes and set 1 up from scratch in both New Zealand and Scotland. Once our two children came along it was time for a change. We could no longer put the long hours in that are involved. So I decided to set up Laura Thomas Linens and we started to renovate residential properties instead. So far we have renovated 2 properties and I can say my DIY skills have increased ten-fold!

 

What led you to launch Laura Thomas Linens?

I have always had a love of white, luxurious cotton bedding. There is nothing better than getting into a freshly laundered bed after a long day and curling up under some crisp sheets.

While living in Edinburgh, my bedroom window overlooked the Castle. While supping on a cup of tea one Sunday morning in bed and looking up at the Castle, a thought popped into my head: What did the Kings and Queens of yesteryear’s bedding look like? It was from this point that Laura Thomas Linens was born!

How do you differentiate your brand from others?

Quite simply none of my products are mass produced. They are unique one-off designs. I always work directly with my suppliers. This ensures a one-on-one relationship and connection. I cut out the middleman and even though trading this way is more time consuming I know at the end of the day my products are exactly as I say they are. Good value for a good price and I can pass on a good price as their are no intermediaries taking their cut. While much of the goods circulating the globe at this time are ‘Made in China’ I can 100% guarantee mine are not!

How do you ensure that your sources are Fair Trade?

Before dealing with a supplier I have a list of criteria that they have to fit. One of those is to be Fair Trade. To ensure this is the case they supply me with images of their employees making goods and of their office or factory space. I currently deal with a Vietnamese Commune that supply beautiful hand embroidered bed linen and have actually seen images of the lovely ladies who stitch on my detailing! My organic range is from India and when initially dealing with the owner, the first thing I did was to get them to send me their internationally recognised GOTS (Global Organic Trading Standards) certification.

 

I often have trouble keeping my white bedlinen white. Do you have any top tips?

To keep your bed linen white put 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar in with your washing powder. Chemical free and descaling your washing machine, I can say from experience this is a wonderfully inexpensive way to keep your linen white. Also, let me just reassure you that the small amount of vinegar will not make your sheets smell!

I’m sure your little girls keep you pretty busy. How does work fit in and how are your days structured? Do you have any help?

My two girls are 4 and 7 and as any parent knows, they keep you very busy. I tend to work around my children and have become very accustomed to working into the night after they have gone to bed. That way I can be ‘Super Mum’ as well as work. In terms of help, I tend to work around Nursery, School times or Play Dates. However come the end of August I will have both girls in school and it will be the first time having them in the same place at the same time. It’s going to be life changing!

How would you describe your style in the home?

Scandinavian Design cross Shabby Chic cross Modern French Country. I love minimalism and white. I do a lot of up-cycling for my home and my current project is an old wooden chest to store children’s bed linen which I am painting with Annie Sloan’s Pure White Chalk Paint and Clear Wax.
 

What are your other passions/interests?

My blog Laura Thomas Interior Design. I love to note trends and gain ideas for my business and home and promote new products and ideas that fit my all white and fresh style.

I’m very interested in scents and smells and make my own luxury candles. Last year I thoroughly enjoyed the learning process involved in creating them. I currently make lavender candles and will be expanding my range soon in floral and spicy scents too.

On a personal level, I’m very passionate about self development and am studying the benefits of mindfulness and meditation.

And finally… where do you feel happiest?

My happy place has to be the beach we live on in Scotland. Gullane Beach, east of Edinburgh is a stunning golden sandy stretch with beautiful dunes and coastal vegetation. It is simply perfect on an early morning run when there is a high tide, no wind and not a person in sight!

 

ABOVE: Laura making sure every last detail is perfect for the shoot.
 

Thank you so much Laura for your time and honesty. It’s been a pleasure chatting to you and hope we’ll see you back on Stylejuicer with some exciting new additions to your range.

 
MORE INFORMATION | Laura Thomas Linens
BLOG | Laura Thomas Interior Design Blog
PHOTOGRAPHY | Jess Burges
 
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