By Meg Jorsh

Last updated at 14:01, Thursday, 29 January 2009

A Carlisle interior design expert is giving up her shop and hitting the road as a party planner with a difference.

Eileen Mitchell

Eileen Mitchell, 54, has built up an army of loyal customers in her nine years as owner of The Living Room, on Lowther Street. When she hands over to new managers on Saturday, she hopes her reputation will help launch her latest venture.

Called Interiors At Home, the company will arrange interior design parties for houseproud customers all over Cumbria.

The mum-of-three, of Brampton Road, said: “An interior house party is very much like a make-up party but I take cushions, throws, candle-holders – up-to-the-minute small pieces like I did in my shop.

“We sell them in the home of ladies who like to have unique objects and they don’t have to go out to find them.”

After a series of successful trial parties before Christmas, she decided to set up as a full-time party organiser. She said it would give her more free time to spend with her family and work on her own house.

She added: “I ask customers to move all their own ornaments and then people can just have a glass of wine and wander round. It’s a night out for them – and seeing things in someone’s home makes it easier to visualise them in your own.”

But for some people, the idea might not go down so well. So far, the parties have mostly been a testosterone-free zone!

“Men do tend to disappear,” she said. “Either off to the bedroom to watch a DVD with the children, or out to the pub.”

She is willing to travel up to 40 miles outside of Carlisle and the party’s hosts will receive 20 per cent of profits from the night.

For more information or to arrange a party, call Eileen on 07909 606024 or 01228 521867.

First published at 11:27, Thursday, 29 January 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk