Rith Day is moving her workshop and gallery to Marlborough

A BUSINESS that gives old and unwanted furniture a new lease on life is moving from the farmyard where it was set up into Marlborough.

Raspberry Furniture was the brainchild of mother of two Ruth Day from Easton Royal in the Pewsey Vale.

She takes old pieces of furniture that have long passed their best-by date and turns them into attractive and practical pieces.

Her workshop and gallery developed in a redundant farm building that her carpenter/joiner husband Mark converted into a huge display area.

Now she is moving her gallery into Marlborough to 30 The Parade into the former Tangles hair salon.

The new Raspberry showroom will have not only Mrs Day's own pieces but also paintings and ceramics by a group of women artists who have formed a collective.

The business grew out of Mrs Day's hobby, brought about by necessity, of making new from old.

"It started as a hobby because I have always painted stuff for my own home," she said. Her hobby has become a thriving business with its new showroom/gallery about to open in Marlborough.

"At Raspberry we believe that rescuing from the past is the way of the future," said Mrs Day.

She said that every piece of furniture saved and given a new use helped save the rainforests from further depletion and the world's supply of hardwood dwindles.

Many of the pieces she and her friends have rescued and made a new use for would probably have ended up being burnt or shredded at a recycling centre.

Susie Diamond who works with Mrs Day said: "The beauty of all this furniture is that it is all being brought back to life."

Raspberry opens in The Parade on May 1 and as well as Mrs Day's decorated furniture there will be a selection of pottery and ceramics and paintings by some of her artist friends.

10:02am Friday 11th April 2008

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