Luxury interiors business founder amazed to tick off goal of working with global yacht owner
The founder of a luxury interiors and soft furnishings business is amazed to have ticked off her goal of working with a global yacht owner.
Louise Miller-Chalk is the founder of Miller & Chalk and she designs, sources the fabrics and hand makes all the products on offer.
The soft furnishings span across feather cushions, made-to-measure curtains and blinds, table linen and blankets – and Louise is the mastermind behind the meticulous attention-to-detail that goes into creating the “country soft furnishings”.
The online store allows shoppers access to an evolving selection of home decor across a variety of interior design styles.
The journey began in 2016 when Louise launched the business under the name ‘Gracie Lu’, selling luxury pet products. Four years later, in 2020, she rebranded to Miller & Chalk.
The founder went through a lot of life changes – from leaving a relationship, moving back home and being made redundant from her job – and says this is what pushed her to take the business on full-time.
Since then, Louise has brought her vision to life by renovating her studio space, located just outside of Towcester in Astcote.
Louise told the Chronicle & Echo: “It’s been going really well, and I’m still in the process of growing the business and thinking of new ideas. I’m constantly on the go and heading in the right direction.”
One of Miller & Chalk’s latest successes was the launch of the ‘outlet collection’ after Christmas.
With lots of sample cushions, dog beds and offcuts from bespoke creations, Louise wanted to give everyone the opportunity to shop her products at reduced prices as she does not usually run sales.
This went down really well among customers, and enabled people to buy her items who may not have had the budget otherwise.
Another of Louise’s 2024 highlights was receiving an email from a yacht company in the Netherlands, who expressed interest in her cushions for a boat they were refurbishing.
Louise shared that getting her creations on yachts was a goal she was working towards, and it was “so exciting” for a company to reach out without even knowing this.
This has prompted the business owner to do a mini series on TikTok and Instagram documenting the locations where her items are featured across the globe.
With her cushions on a yacht in the Netherlands, as well as in The Store Hotel in Oxford, Louise looks forward to sharing her successes with her social media followers.
When asked what she believes prompts people to reach out and work with her, Louise said: “They’re British-made modern country products and they fit the aesthetic that some people want to achieve. Social media is a huge part of that.”
Louise shared that her feedback is “always really positive” and customers like to send photos showcasing how they have styled the items in their homes.
They often praise the quality, and enjoy the personal touch of dealing with Louise from start to finish as the creator of their products.
The founder will soon start working on her spring summer collection, and looks forward to collaborating with a number of big businesses throughout 2025.