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Home
Spotlight On
Behind the Design
Beautiful Homes
Meet the Makers
Walcot Street
Visit Jim Lawrence Website
  • Home
  • Spotlight On
  • Behind the Design
  • Beautiful Homes
  • Meet the Makers
  • Walcot Street
  • Visit Jim Lawrence Website
Jim Lawrence Blog - Jim Lawrence Blog
Walcot Street

A Tour Of Historic Walcot Street

With our Bath showroom sadly having to close its doors again, we thought we could share with you a digital exploration of our second home: beautiful Walcot Street. Packed with period charm, the Georgian buildings sweep and stand tall with their limestone fronts, the grey flagstone pavements gently warped with footsteps of curious shoppers over the years.

The shop itself, 114-116 Walcot Street, is a grade II listed building built in the 1700’s.  Famous for its curved frontage, this was designed to allow horse drawn carriages to turn around in the street. Bath has long been a fashionable destination for city folk seeking a more relaxed pace of life, and it has built up a reputation as the second home of interior design outside London, so where better to locate our latest showroom?


A suburb of Bath, Walcot is located at the North-East of the city centre. Famous for its ‘Paragon’, a street of listed stoned buildings leading out of the city, this area grew around what is believed to be an original roman road.


The other main thoroughfare is of course Walcot Street. The area has always been a hub for creatives and trade, and today is full of independent shops, restaurants, galleries, artists and makers. The variety of expertise on the street mean you really can get everything you need for a period home from paints, carpets and antique mirrors, to upholsterers and interior designers.


Also a go-to for local and artisanal produce, the street is dotted with cafes like The Fine Cheese Co, offering the best of British and European cheeses. You will also find our new favourite coffee shop, Café Walcot, alongside the exquisite restaurants and bars such as historical co-operative free house the Bell Inn and the exclusive Walcot House.

We are fortunate to be surrounded by other hand crafted artisans such as Bath Aquaglass, an independent glass production company specialising in beautiful and lead-free handmade fused glassware. For us, one of the most exciting parts of this new shop is meeting like-minded people also passionate about preserving age-old crafts.

Bath is home to many traditional trades, a lot of them scattered alongside us on Walcot Street. You will also find classic picture framers, jewellers and artists, as well as your favourite contemporary brands such as Farrow & Ball who also cater to the modernised period home. Whatever you need for your interior…Walcot Street will deliver.


“I have always loved the Georgian architecture of Bath. When we were looking for a location to open our first showroom outside Suffolk, we were drawn to Bath as it is such a natural fit with our lighting designs. Walcot Street, in Bath’s artisan quarter, has a fantastic variety of independent shops with a passion for interiors and we are thrilled to be joining them.” – Jim Lawrence.

Perfectly picturesque and bursting with character, we are so looking forward to getting back into action in this lovely location and being a part of this wonderful community. We are looking forward to the day we can greet you in store once more and enjoy everything this lovey city has to offer.

Find us at 114 – 116 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. Access wise, there is a small lip to step over into the shop but the interior is all on one level. The nearest car park is the Cattle Market Car Park at the bottom of Walcot Street. Come and say hello, and be sure to pop into the other delightful businesses along the way when you can.

To stay up to date with all our Bath and Suffolk news, follow us Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to tag your Bath visits and purchases – we love seeing our products in their new homes!

 

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Walcot Street

Introducing 114-116 Walcot Street

We’ve shared some teasers with you in the past few weeks, but are thrilled to finally be able to reveal more about our stunning new shop location. We have officially completed, got the keys, and are beavering away to renovate this elegant building as we speak. There’s a fair bit to do (as you can see!) but we hope Jim Lawrence Lighting & Home in Bath will be up and running early autumn. The adventure starts here…

Opening our first regional shop right in the middle of Bath like this is only possible thanks to everyone’s amazing work and commitment, helping grow the company to where it is today. This includes you, our lovely customers. There’s nothing more rewarding than meeting you face to face at shows and in our Suffolk showroom and headquarters, so we’re very much looking forward to meeting our dedicated audience in the West!



We love getting stuck into a project, particularly when it involves decorating a unique period setting with all of our lights and home furnishings. We promise to keep you up to date with the progress, but first we want to walk you through the history of this beautiful space. A grade II listed building built in the 1700’s, the new shop is located in Walcot Street, the traditional artisan quarter of Bath.

Walcot Street has always been a hub for creatives, and today is full of independent shops, restaurants, galleries, artists and makers. The amazing selection of interior shops and expertise on the street mean you really can get everything you need for a period home here from paints, carpets and antique mirrors, to upholsterers and interior designers. There is also a fab flea market on Saturdays, so if you love vintage interiors style there’s plenty to explore after popping in and saying hello to us!


The unique curve of the shop front is what initially drew us to this spot. Reputedly it was built as such to make space for the coaches turning from the Bell Coaching Inn opposite. We were also excited to learn that we would be following in historic footsteps at 114 – 116 Walcot Street. Previously owned by much loved Richard Hathaway Lighting, we are pleased to be carrying on the tradition for showcasing beautiful lighting in this iconic location.


Looking back a little further, we couldn’t help but share these remarkable shots from the 1930s – its hardly changed a bit! We are honoured to be taking charge of this listed building to continue to celebrate and preserve its historical and cultural significance to the area. We just can’t wait to get all our classic lighting and home furnishing designs on display in this beautiful space soon.


We look forward to opening our doors this autumn, so please stay tuned for more exterior and interior updates as we restore this beautiful building into our first shop in the West. We will be sharing regular posts under the Walcot Street category, as well as on our social media platforms.

 


Would you like to be part of the adventure? We are on the lookout for a team with a passion for retail, period homes and high quality artisanal British design to help us launch our unique brand in the West country. Find out more online at jim-lawrence.co.uk/career-opportunities. Good luck!

If you live in the Bath area and can’t wait until later in the year, why not get a taste for our brand and browse our online shop? In the meantime, you can sign up to our newsletter here, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest

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Welcome to the Jim Lawrence Style Journal.

We are a British interiors company creating beautiful lighting, ironwork and home furnishings from our Suffolk workshop.

This is where we share ideas that we love, show sneak peeks behind the scenes of our brand and offer a unique insight into classic design.

jimlawrencemade

How do you light a kitchen? This might seem like a How do you light a kitchen? This might seem like a big question…because it is! There are so many things to consider when choosing kitchen lighting, so we’ve boiled it all down to a few key pointers.⁠
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A great kitchen lighting scheme has the power to transform an ordinary kitchen into a truly spectacular one. Now that we’re living in increasingly open plan spaces with kitchens at the heart of your home, they have to perform on a multifunctional level with lighting that needs to cater for tasking, dining, relaxing, office or homework and entertaining.⁠
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How much light you would like in a room is entirely up to you and your personal preference so there is no standard rule to follow. However, if you need a starting point then our guide below will give you some tips, things to consider and our general rules of thumb. Swipe up in our story to see more on the Style Journal.
As far as we're concerned, a bedroom should embody As far as we're concerned, a bedroom should embody beauty whilst maintaing a soothing and calming atmosphere. With the right balance of lighting, accessories and personal touches, you can transform any bedroom into somthing luxurious as well as comfortable. ⁠
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Whilst our Harleston Lamps add a soothing glow to snooze by, useful task lighting from carefully positioned Spotlights or Wall Lights offer stronger directional light when needed. Finding a balance with different layers of light is crucial when developing a relaxed space, so that you can alter the light outputs depending on your mood and the time of day. ⁠
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Though colour coordinating soft furnishings looks great, subtle accessorising can also apply to your hardware. Matching sockets and switches to lighting creates a cohesive and considered look. Details do matter, and often it's the smaller things in a room that ensure the overall space looks its best. All Jim Lawrence products are made using traditional metal working techniques and are hand finished to the very highest standards here at our Suffolk workshop, so every part of your room will exude quality no matter how big or small.
Transform your internal doors into a thing of beau Transform your internal doors into a thing of beauty with one of our carefully hand crafted brass and forged iron door knobs. Made in period and contemporary styles to suit all homes, we have a huge range of designs and finishes to choose from. Create a uniform look with our selection of latch sets, lock types and backplate designs to ensure you can make the perfect match throughout the home.⁠⁠
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A dreamy shot from @simplyscandinavian of this gently muted pastel bedroom. We love this look - an exceptionally good setting for our warm brass.⁠⁠
All our shades are made in our Suffolk workshop by All our shades are made in our Suffolk workshop by our talented team of shade makers from our range of beautiful fabrics that have all been handpicked as a perfect partner for our lighting range. A new lampshade will instantly refresh your room without the need to dig deep in your pockets. With over 1,000 lampshade designs on offer and more than 100 fabrics, in a multitude of colourways, to choose from, we are pretty confident we can find the right combination for you.⁠⁠
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Whether you need a candle shade, empire or a french drum, we have got your lighting needs covered. Swipe up in our story to find out a little more about the different styles we have to offer.
Tactile linen and naturally aged brass is a match Tactile linen and naturally aged brass is a match made in interior heaven. 

Did you know you can order any of our fabrics as swatches? We all know colour matching has to be just right, so you can add up to five fabric swatches on our website before choosing the material or shade you need. Be careful though, you might just fall for them all...

Lovely shot from @marthamiddleton of the Lymington Wall Light.
How long should your pendant lights be?⁠ ⁠ If How long should your pendant lights be?⁠
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If you are hanging your pendants from a central point in your room, you need to consider the height of your ceiling as a first step. Many old houses have low ceilings and may require flush or semi-flush lights so you are not constantly ducking or hitting your head. Always check the maximum height of the light that you can accommodate before choosing your lights and check our product information which gives the measurements of all our lights.⁠
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We recommend lights in sitting rooms, bedrooms and hallways should be hung at least 2m (7ft) above floor level to give adequate clearance, but it is your room so you can hang them at whatever height you feel comfortable with. We would recommend that a ceiling light over your dining table should be between 1/2 to 2/3 of the width of the table. Go bigger rather than smaller unless you are hanging two or three in a row.⁠
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All our pendant lights come with either 50cm, or 1m of cable and chain that can be shortened at home or lengthened on request.⁠
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Our Ava Seven Pendant adding a gorgeous glow to the home of @revamping_the_edwardian.
Pendant lights are sometimes described as the 'jew Pendant lights are sometimes described as the 'jewellery' of a room, which is true in that they can be a beautiful way to tie together your look. Whether for a lofty barn roof, a dark hallway, your kitchen island or a bedroom you want to make a little cosier, there are many ways you can bring your room together with style and substance using pendants. ⁠⁠
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We've put together an easy to follow intro on how to install a pendant light on our Style Journal. Swipe up in our story to see more.
Perfectly picturesque and bursting with character, Perfectly picturesque and bursting with character, we are so looking forward to getting back into action in Bath and resuming our place in the wonderful community of #WalcotStreet. We are counting down the days until we can greet you in store once more and enjoy everything this lovey city has to offer. In the spirit of community, we’d love you to comment your favourite Bath businesses below. Let’s have some support for shopping locally where possible, and championing smaller and independent businesses, creatives and makers. We couldn’t do this without each other💡
A little while ago (when staycations were allowed) A little while ago (when staycations were allowed) we spoke with the team behind @thatchedcottagecotswolds about the quirks of period homes and how to stay in tune with a cottage feel without becoming twee.⁠⁠
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Read our interview with owner Vicky, and step through the virtual doors (for now, at least) to enjoy her quintessentially British holiday cottage, complete with thatching, classic period features and located in the picturesque Cotswolds. The perfect home away from home.⁠⁠..
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Swipe up in our story to see more on the Style Journal.
Country homes by their nature are often rather uni Country homes by their nature are often rather unique and need a thoughtful approach to lighting in order to match their individual character. That’s just how we like them.⁠⁠
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But what do you do when there’s no space for that statement pendant, or when you can’t find space to wire in that awkward alcove? We've created a detailed FAQ page within our Knowledge Base to answer your most pressing questions...can our cables be lengethened? And how bright do I need my bulb?⁠⁠
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Swipe up in our story for our frequently asked lighting questions: answered.
How do you choose the right lampshade? Before we How do you choose the right lampshade?

Before we explore the ‘rules’ it’s important to bear in mind there is no such thing as the wrong shade. If you love it – then it’s the right shade! Experimenting with lampshades in new fabrics, shapes and colours is a simple but effective way to instantly update your home style by adding texture and interest to your room. Our shades come in a huge variety of sizes from 9.5 cm to 50cm, so choosing the right look for you can sometimes feel overwhelming. We’ve collated a general guide to help make things easier…

Swipe up in our story to see more 💡
The Leiston Pendant looks right at home in this mo The Leiston Pendant looks right at home in this modern shaker kitchen from @tomhowleykitchens. Dark and matte surfaces really help our antiqued brass to sing, contrasted with light marble and added texture with a touch of wood grain. A beautiful blend for those who lean to a contemporary look.
A lot of brands (ourselves included) tend to put a A lot of brands (ourselves included) tend to put a lot of focus on the interior of a home. This is because it’s where we spend most of our time (inside, looking out) but what about when we’re on the outside looking in, realising the exterior is looking a little tired…? This is where a conduit comes in.⁠
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We have the perfect solution for transforming those drooping external wires from a nuisance into a stunning external feature. Our favourite way to light up the night is to group lights and create a glowing feature that wouldn’t look out of place indoors. Our Antiqued Brass Conduit is a smart way to hide ugly exterior wiring, particularly when combined with our slim Doncaster Wall Light or Bulkhead Light. There’s no reason to forsake style for function 💡

Swipe up in our story to read our 4 Step Conduit Guide.
Have you seen our customer Knowledge Base?⁠ ⁠ Have you seen our customer Knowledge Base?⁠
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We want to better serve you by providing concise information on product terminology, helpful guides and tips to inspire your home style. The easy-to-read pages have been divided into sections allowing you to better understand how to make the most of your Jim Lawrence products and services.⁠
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We have a series of FAQs, how-to guides and maintenance tips on our website that should answer all your queries. ⁠If you still need a helping hand, don’t forget you can contact us via our live chat service too 💡
A white plastic switch is a sight I’m sure we ar A white plastic switch is a sight I’m sure we are all familiar with. But, switches and sockets don’t have to be boring or unoriginal... as proved by these kitchen details featured by @no.17house. ⁠⁠
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Handcrafted stylish switches and sockets are the perfect finishing touch to any period or contemporary home. Our range of colourways and designs allow you to think creatively so you can highlight your wiring accessories instead of hiding them. When decorating a room it is sometimes easy to miss the little extras that can add the design flare your room was missing.
These elegant Rococo style lights are available wi These elegant Rococo style lights are available with both left and right leaning arms, with the option to created a mirror image like this in mind. A beautifully ornate and unfurling backplate adds an ornamental appeal to your decor, perfect paired with a crisp white wall and our parchment shades.
At Jim Lawrence we believe that the exterior desig At Jim Lawrence we believe that the exterior design of your home is as important as the inside. What you choose to put outside serves as a taster of the beauty within. What better ⁠place to start than the one place your guests will reach for first?⁠
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It can be hard to get a real feel for door furniture from a photo on your screen, but you’ll have to trust us (and our other customers) that you will fall head over heels for the quality and finish.
In our Suffolk workshop we employ a skilled team o In our Suffolk workshop we employ a skilled team of 150 engineers, painters, seamstresses, designers, lampshade makers and technicians alongside a full cohort of support staff. 

Though we’re navigating social distancing in the workshop and remote working too, our team are working extremely hard to keep bringing you the lights you love. We wanted to repost a day in the life of our makers and in case you missed it, introduce you to a huge part of our heritage: the welders. 

This is really where it all began, using traditional metal working techniques here in Suffolk. We chat to our Technical Lead, Lee Saxby about this craft and how we create the products now in pride of place in your homes.

Swipe up in our story to see more on the Style Journal.
We have worked hard over the past 20 years to buil We have worked hard over the past 20 years to build up an international reputation for classic high quality lighting and we feel our Gosford really encapsulates our passion for elegant, period-inspired wall lighting. All our lights are made using traditional metal working techniques and are hand finished to the very highest standards here at our Suffolk workshop.⁠⁠
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The Double Gosford is not supplied with shades so we recommend you explore our extensive collection of handmade candle shades to find your perfect match...
Our heritage outdoor lighting designs work beautif Our heritage outdoor lighting designs work beautifully when paired with rustic exteriors. All of our lights are skilfully made in our Suffolk based workshop, using traditional metal working techniques to create the quality product you take home. As we edge into Spring we are fortunate to rely on beautiful sunlight to illuminate our outdoor spaces, but when we want to stay out later as the evenings grow warmer it’s time for a helping hand…⁠⁠
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Our outside lights will transform the look of your garden, entrance or outbuildings, making the most of architectural features and the natural beauty of your building materials. Choose from nautical inspired charm like this Wall Mounted Ship's Light, or look to our country cottage styles to find your perfect outdoor light.⁠⁠
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