Announcing the #25Project Winners!

From the day I announced the #25Project I have been overwhelmed with the response from Stockists and customers from across the globe, and now the time has finally come for me to reveal the winning 25 community spaces, nominated by you! It was one of the most difficult tasks to whittle down over 300 deserving nominations to just 25, however I am thrilled with the final selection. Each one is completely diverse in its use and size, however the one thread they all have in common, from the kids creche in South Africa to the specialised dementia centre in The Netherlands, is that they are an absolutely vital part of their communities. I feel honoured to be able to assist them in their transformations over the next year, and I cannot wait to share with you all the stories and photos of each deserving and special space.

And without further ado, here are my final 25!

1. ’Jugend und Familiezentrum’ GERMANY

A volunteer run family centre that offers counselling services to families, young and old.

2. ’Remember Us’ IRELAND

A social group offering activities and support for people with special needs.

3. ’Centrum Voor Wonen En Zorg Heerma’ - THE NETHERLANDS

Specialised care and housing for dementia patients.

4. ’Studio Artes’ AUSTRALIA

A unique organisation that provides tailor-made creative activities and life skills for adults living with a wide range of disabilities.

5. ’Lawrence House Hinckley’ ENGLAND

Provides a safe and secure environment for homeless young people.

6. ’Tea Room Chateau Rocher-Portail’ FRANCE

A listed building that is turning into a public access museum and community space.

7. ’Muscatine Centre for Social Action’ USA

Providing emergency and temporary shelter, basic health care, educational and support services for those in need.

8. ‘Centre for Mestring’ DENMARK

‘Centre for Coping’ offers rehabilitation, education, activity and support for adults with mental health issues.

9. ‘East End Studio Gallery’ USA

Community based non profit organisation whose mission is to provide a platform for artistic expression in the community.

10. ‘Public Library of Sindos’ GREECE

A public library that was a former private school donated to the people of Sindos for public use.

11. ’Raglan Village Hall Association’ WALES

An association that works to improve availability, quality and use of community spaces in Raglan.

12. ‘Ottawa Community Housing’ CANADA

Providing housing and shelter to people with special needs across many communities in the city of Ottawa.

13. Methilhill Community Children’s Initiative’ SCOTLAND

Community group dedicated to providing local children with clubs, activities, nursery and education.

14. ‘CANSA Care Home’ SOUTH AFRICA

A home from home to cancer patients receiving treatment and care.

15. ’19 Carter Community Centre’ USA

This old church space has been lovingly turned into a dedicated community space for the local neighbourhood.

16. ‘Culture House of Nagymaros’ HUNGARY

An historical community centre in the city of Nagymaros used by locals for decades.

17. ‘School for the Deaf’ TURKEY

Providing education and support for the hard of hearing.

18. ‘Beachlands Community Centre’ NEW ZEALAND

A thriving community hub in a friendly and welcoming setting providing art and craft classes for all tastes and skill levels.

19. ‘Public Psychological and Pedagogical Advisory’ POLAND

A public space offering support and healthcare in the city of Katowice.

20. ‘Inthandokazi Creche’ SOUTH AFRICA
Dedicated educational space for young children to learn and play.

21. ‘Specialised Day Centre’ GREECE

A space for people dealing with psychological issues in the community.

22. ‘Hindas Station’ SWEDEN

Culture centre for public use, which holds various activities such as art classes and theatre groups for children.

23. ‘Kubono Kids Agri-Garden’ JAPAN

A specialised learning centre for children, specifically focused on educational gardening and horticulture .

24. ‘Village Hall in Swiatniki Gore’ POLAND

After being left to ruin, this community space will now become a place for children and adults.

25. ‘Centro De dia San Fracisco’ SPAIN

A vital and thriving community space in the heart of Spain.


I think you’ll agree that each space is very deserving of a transformation, and along with the help of their local Annie Sloan Stockist, volunteers and my paint and products, these community buildings will remain a vastly important part of their neighbourhood.

Check back in with me to see the transformations unfold, I cannot wait to get started with each one of the 25 spaces, so make sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, using #25Project.


Yours, Annie

A whistle-stop Canadian tour

I’ve just got back from a whistle-stop ten days in Canada. Nowadays when I travel, I always try and combine three things: exhibit at a Home Show, meet journalists (and bloggers, of course!) and catch up with my stockists. It allows me to meet so many people, and make new connections.

On this visit I met some very interesting people! In Montreal and Toronto I visited two shops, both of which were in the ‘hipster’ areas of town – just like my own shop in Oxford’s Cowley Road. Saint Laurent in Montreal and Leslieville in Toronto share that exciting vibe found in London’s Shoreditch, New York’s Williamsburg and – arguably the original ‘hipsterville’ – La Rive Gauche in Paris. They are both areas crammed with independent shops, each offering something unique and exciting. I’ve travelled a lot recently, and have noticed that these seem to be the areas where my paint and products are particularly popular.


Often ‘upcycling’ is seen as something that lends itself particularly well to Vintage Floral, Boho, Country Cottage or Traditional Swedish-inspired looks but what I love about my paint palette, and also what I love about meeting the people who use it, is to see how it works in such diverse ways to create very different styles. I meet people of all ages – in fact it underlines the point that it really isn’t age which defines us, it’s all about our attitudes and tastes.


Montreal was just delightful as the snow was falling. Sadly, I didn’t have the chance to meet many customers, but I did spend some time at Piorra Maison – a fantastic shop, crammed with an eclectic mix of treasures. Whilst I was there we popped over the road to Salon de thé Cardinal, a fabulous tea room which was just humming! People chatting, someone playing the piano, drinking tea from vintage cups and eating scones – all gorgeous, all so French!

Between Montreal and Toronto I went to my Stockists shop ArtHaus150 in Kitchener, Ontario, to hold a Workshop with about 35 other stockists who travelled from all over Canada to join in. There was a great sense of camaraderie, which I always revel in.

At Rusty Hinges in Toronto and White Pears Studio in Oakville, Ontario I was able to do one of my very favourite things – a book signing! I met such a variety of people who told me all about where they live, how they live and what they do – sometimes even showing me pictures on their phones. It’s like having a snapshot of their lives, each with a different story.

Whilst I was in Toronto, I took part in The National Home Show. It was a real team effort, with many stockists pitching in to help out on the stand. One of the things I did there was to give a talk on their ‘Celebrity Stage’. I decided to give my Colour Talk, which is something I go through with my stockists at our workshops. I was a little worried, as I’d never given this talk to the general public before, but it seemed to go down well - despite being a little nerve-wracking!

Finally, I managed to squeeze in some television interviews, including a piece on The Morning Show where I used my English Yellow to transform a Mid Century Modern chest of drawers. I really wanted to show how quick and easy the paint is to use, so not only did I paint the chest, but also managed to show a quick ‘wash’ technique and add a stencilled pattern – all in just over five minutes! It was a little hectic, but I loved it – in fact, the same could be said of the whole trip!

The Annie Sloan Family

For me, and for many of us, the holidays are all about family: spending time together, squabbles and all! So I wanted to talk a little about my ‘other’ families. My company, Annie Sloan Interiors, is a family business in every sense of the word. I’m thrilled each day to be working with my lovely son, Felix and his wonderful partner, Lizzy. And, of course, my husband David is the lynchpin holding us all together. But, it’s not just my actual family members that make HQ a family – it is all the fabulous people that work here.

And I’m lucky – I have more ‘families’ – nearly 1,500 Annie Sloan Stockists and, of course, you! Over the years, since I first started with my own small shop here in Oxford I’ve made some tremendous friends – people who’ve popped in for a browse, or with a question, and who are still popping in all these years later. In fact, some of them even work with me now, either here at HQ or as shop-owners themselves!

Every few weeks I run training sessions here for my Stockists, which gives me the chance to spend time with each of them in person – the world over. They come here to brush up on their techniques – and for lots of chatting, questions and laughter! I always start by stressing that I’m in exactly the same business as them – I run a small shop and it was my whole world. I want to get to know each and every Annie Sloan Stockist, to help and support them, and to encourage them to help and support each other – it’s so important, and we all need help at different times – I’m no exception!!

Each of my Stockists is fully trained in my techniques – I strip it right back to the basics: from how to hold a brush (near the head, with a firm grip) and apply paint (wide, irregular strokes of the brush using your whole arm, not just the wrist!) to some easy but impressive tricks (try applying heat from a hairdryer to make cracks on the surface of your – liberally applied – paint to add interest and age to a new piece). This means all Annie Sloan customers are getting the exact same level of expert advice from their local shops – despite our different design styles, we’re all the same. That’s what makes it all so fun, and always so exciting.

My own taste may lean towards a fusion of neo-classical (architectural, masculine forms and lots of symmetry) mixed up with Boho (seven years at Art School make this arty, slightly surreal clash of colours, patterns and cultures endlessly appealing to me) and a dash of Folk (Eastern European use of pattern and colour), but my paints can just as easily create light, classical Swedish interiors, distress haughtily glamourous Rococo boudoirs or to produce Modern Retro-style bold, flat blocks of colour.

So, embrace the differences, and whatever you’re doing over the Christmas break, and whether it’s with your ‘real’ family, or your chosen family, have a wonderful one!

Lots of love,
Annie

A flying visit to New York

Me next to a Damien Hirst painting in my hotel!

My Stockists are the most important people to me and to my business. It’s all about them. I am their ambassador – and they are certainly mine! Recently I spent five days in New York and was thrilled to meet up with so many great Stockists, many of whom have become firm friends over the years. And, staying in downtown Manhattan, I was able to slip away and do another thing I really love, taking pictures of New York’s fantastic buildings to play around with on Instagram. From graphite grey modern towers to these ornate and intricate brownstones near Gramercy Park. I was also extremely taken by this fire truck with its explosive and vibrant colours.

I loved the colours of this fire truck!

I arrived on Sunday, and Monday morning was spent filming a pilot for The Design Network (an online community and video network) - I’m dying to share some of the footage, but I’m not allowed to yet! There was me and three of my Stockists: Liz Western Brantley (Liz Douglas Designs) who set the whole thing up; Justin Power (Pioneer Goods) and Suite Pieces’ Amanda Peppard. 

From R-L Amanda Peppard, Me, Justin Power, and Lizzy (my daughter-in-law)

After a fabulous, creative morning I was lucky enough to have a very sociable afternoon! We took over well known French Style, New York cafe, Pigalle, just off Broadway, for a giant tea party. I was absolutely delighted, and honoured, to meet over 40 stockists from the New York area – well, broadly speaking. In fact, they came from Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine, Virginia and even Minnesota. I got the chance to chat with everyone – old friends, stockists of many years standing, and it was a chance to meet some of my newer stockists, which is always exciting. 

Verdigreen Home, in the East Village

Me, Azie & Chettie from Verdigreen Home

On Tuesday morning I went to meet with various magazines, and in the afternoon I visited another Stockist, Verdigreen Home in the East Village. The owner, Azie Shelhorse, came to Oxford for training over the summer, so it was wonderful to have the chance to go to her adorable shop and meet her assistants and, of course, her very lovely customers. One of my very favourite things, which I really, really love, is visiting their shops, and seeing how they present my products, it’s a constant source of inspiration.

Mary Anne and I back in the 70s (and that's Rod in the background)!

In the evening it felt like I’d travelled back in time – one of my oldest friends, Mary Anne, was with me in my band, The Moodies. She lives in NY and is helping a friend who is writing his thesis on the correlation between art schools and the music of the 70s/80s. He seemed to know more about that time than I did! And even mentioned that a Moodies film was shown as part of an exhibition at Tate Liverpool a couple of years ago – I’d love to have seen that.

I was flying out on Thursday, but before I left, I had time to pop over to Greenpoint (it’s the new Williamsburg – where all the hipsters hang out!) in Brooklyn and catch up with Amanda Peppard and her girls at Suite Pieces – what a cool place. We chatted over pizza, which rather completed my New York experience for 2015.

Me, Amanda Peppard & her team from the 3 Suite Pieces shops

Yours, Annie

#AnnieSloanLate 2

On Friday 19th June, Annie Sloan Stockists across the world opened their shops after hours and hosted special events to raise money for charity, as part of the global event #AnnieSloanLate! 

#AnnieSloanLate was a night (and in some cases a day) to celebrate and support local businesses. Communities worked together and got together to run demos, hold markets, auction off furniture, host tea parties, serve food, drink Pimms, eat cake and raise money for charity.

In the UK many Stockists raised money for the NSPCC – a brilliant charity who are working to stop cruelty to children. The Ministry of Upholstery, one of my Stockists in Manchester, UK, raised over £1200 for the NSPCC which will go a very long way! My Stockists across other parts of the world supported their own chosen charities, that sat close to their hearts. 

I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in the second #AnnieSloanLate event, especially the Stockists who worked so hard to host such fantastic events. Last year we raised a whopping £10,000 for the NSPCC, let's hope we've reached that target again!

Search the hashtag #AnnieSloanLate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see photographs from the events. 

#AskAnnieSloan

Yesterday I hosted my first ever live Twitter Q&A using the hashtag #AskAnnieSloan – I had a lot of fun! I know that a few of you aren't on Twitter, so I've posted the questions and answers here for you all to see.

Thank you to everybody who took part, I'll be hosting another Q&A soon.

Yours, Annie

Across the great divide

2014 was another exhilarating year, rounded off by two fantastic trips to Ireland and South Africa.

Northern Ireland
In October, I headed across the Irish Sea firstly to Northern Ireland to see my Stockists (over 20 now!). While there, I was able to visit lots of my Stockists' shops and spend time meeting customers. I was very honoured to cut the red ribbon opening of the second Doris and Jeannie shop (below) on Belfast’s Ann Street.

While stopping by to visit Little French Barn in Lisburn (below), I couldn't believe my eyes when the mayor turned up to meet me in his full regalia!

Ireland
Then it was a train to Dublin and a packed reader event with the Irish Times who recently published a fantastic feature about me. Among the many Irish Stockists we visited, it was great to see visit two great shops in Dublin (Rua Dublin, below left and Find, below right).


I adore Ireland: it’s wonderful and it tugs at my roots – I’m part Scots Irish – my great great grandfather John Sloan came from County Down so it was lovely to go back there.

South Africa

What can I say about this absolutely extraordinary, wonderful and inspiring country? It is very different to the country that I knew when I grew up in Southern Africa as a teenager. There’s a very positive vibe which I readily embraced. 
What I enjoyed the most on this particular visit was the vibrant culture of the country – I found it so exciting with the Dutch Africaans, French, German, African tribal, and Cape Coloured influences all around.

I’d been to South Africa on a flying visit in 2013 to set up our paint factory there, but this was my first ‘official tour’. The SA media and magazine interest was phenomenal and I did loads of interviews all around the country.

In Cape Town, I stayed in a most amazing hotel called the Cellars-Hohenort (below) located in the Constantia vineyard Valley on the slopes of Table Mountain. It has to be one of the most beautiful hotels I’ve ever stayed in. I loved the Cape Dutch architecture and the landscaping was spectacular – it was like the Garden of Eden!

Among the very, very many highlights from this extended visit, I really enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people at the book signings we did. In Cape Town, we had a fabulous time at Stockists Froggatt and Frost (below).

I also visited JustDarling in Walkerville, Gauteng, which is very French, very pretty and light.


Here I am meeting with all the stockists in the Johannesburg area.

I was interviewed by South African legend Jenny Cryws Williams (below) on Radio 702 (Thanks, Jenny!)
.

Another Jo’burg stockist, I visited was Eau-la-la in Pretoria run by Ingrid and Lili (below). I loved their bohemian-warehouse style with reclaimed African-made stuff – it was really funky and eye-catching.

Here I am in Durban, again visiting stockists (gathered below).

Thank you to everyone who came to all the SA gatherings – it’s such a vast country, some travelled over a thousand miles to see me! I came away with a powerful feeling that my heart is in South Africa. It’s like a home from home. It is so stimulating and the colours and designs really touched me.
 
I even managed to bring back some more red earth too!
 


So as we enter a new year – and not only that but also the 25th Birthday of Chalk Paint® – I’d love to wish you all a bright and colourful 2015!


Yours, Annie

#AnnieSloanLate

On Friday 21st November, Annie Sloan Stockists around the world opened their doors after hours to host special late-night shopping events and promotions for one night only, as part of the global event, #AnnieSloanLate!

#AnnieSloanLate was a night to celebrate and support local businesses. Communities worked together and got together to run demos, hold brocantes and auctions, serve hot food, drink mulled wine and to raise money for charity.

In the UK we raised money for the NSPCC, in Ireland it was for The Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, in the Netherlands we supported Het Vergeten Kind, in South Africa our chosen charity was Hearts of Hope, in Australia it was TLC for Kids, and in Sweden we worked with En Annan Sida Av Sverige. And there were even more local charities that we worked with in different countries across the globe.

Search the hashtag #AnnieSloanLate on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see photographs from the events. If you couldn't make it to the event, but would like to make a donation then please visit the Just Giving page, set-up by Sofka who runs my shop in Oxford.

Thank you to everybody who took part and made this event such a success!

Yours, Annie