Allison’s bedroom
furniture (above) has
its own story. The
shop she runs with her
husband (right) is
a reflection of their
style and filled with
things they like“I probably change things every two or three
years. Styling wise, though, it could be more often,
because that’s what I do for a living. I can’t help
myself. I use washi tape to put up pictures because
it doesn’t leave marks and the patterns add to the
look while being easy to change with my mood.”
To furnish her house, Allison heads to antique
and charity shops. “The cupboard in the corner of
our bedroom may have only been £15, but it came
with such a story,” she explains. “The woman who
owned it before us was a seamstress who had
survived the holocaust. When we opened the
cupboard, it had all her patterns, pins and fabric
still in it. The colour isn’t one I’d choose, but
because of the story, I just couldn’t change it.”
Down the hall is Allison’s workspace where she
dreams up new projects. “I’m in here most days
planning, making and designing,” she says.
Alongside running People with Christian, Allison
has created numerous online communities from
the Make It Sewcial crafting community to The
Rebel Woman’s Club.
However, Allison’s work had to be put on hold
last year, while she recovered from surgery. “I
wasn’t well over the summer and I had majorsurgery and some life-changing stuff going on,” she
says. “When I came home from hospital, the house
was a sanctuary. It’s such a safe, comfortable place
to be. I couldn’t have had a better place to heal.”
Allison also admits that her time recovering
changed not just her outlook on life, but the feel of
her home. “I’ve had a bit of a spiritual awakening,
and I think that’s quite obvious in our home and
our shop. Things have changed. I have changed.
And it’s ref lected in how we’re living. Everything
is very bohemian, very holistic. I’ve always been
a rebel, but now it’s coming through softer.”
The comfy lounge filled with incredible-
smelling candles, squishy cushions and artwork –
including things they have made and framed pages
torn from magazines – is an inviting and calming
space, and Allison wants to start inviting people in
to share her sanctuary. “I’m a real nurturer and
I love the online community I’ve built. I want to
bring people together, whatever their background,
and this is a great space to do it. I want to share my
space and make people feel good.”
To find out more about People visit thepeopleshop.
co.uk or you can visit Allison’s website at
allisonsadler.co.ukKings Heath
in a snapshot
Kings Heath is a southern suburb of
Birmingham packed full of Victorian
terraced houses and just five miles
from the centre of the city. As well as
a flourishing independent business
scene, there are many schools and
parks. It has been a part of
Birmingham for over 100 years, but
it’s still warmly referred to as a village
by locals. “You get an interesting and
diverse mix of people, which is
important to us,” says Allison. “There
are lots of families and everything
you need is on the doorstep.”HOME TOURAllison’sbedroom
furniture(above)has
itsownstory.The
shopsherunswithher
husband(right)is
a reflectionof their
styleandfilledwith
thingstheylike
“Iprobablychange things every two or three
years.Stylingwise, though, it could be more often,
becausethat’swhat I do for a living. I can’t help
myself.I usewashi tape to put up pictures because
it doesn’tleavemarks and the patterns add to the
lookwhilebeingeasy to change with my mood.”
Tofurnishherhouse, Allison heads to antique
andcharityshops.“The cupboard in the corner of
ourbedroommayhave only been £15, but it came
withsucha story,”she explains. “The woman who
ownedit beforeuswas a seamstress who had
survivedtheholocaust. When we opened the
cupboard,it hadall her patterns, pins and fabric
stillinit.Thecolour isn’t one I’d choose, but
becauseofthestory, I just couldn’t change it.”
Downthehallis Allison’s workspace where she
dreamsupnewprojects. “I’m in here most days
planning,makingand designing,” she says.
Alongsiderunning People with Christian, Allison
hascreatednumerous online communities from
theMakeIt Sewcial crafting community to The
RebelWoman’sClub.
However,Allison’s work had to be put on hold
lastyear,whileshe recovered from surgery. “I
wasn’twelloverthe summer and I had majorsurgery and some life-changing stuff going on,” she
says. “When I came home from hospital, the house
was a sanctuary. It’s such a safe, comfortable place
to be. I couldn’t have had a better place to heal.”
Allison also admits that her time recovering
changed not just her outlook on life, but the feel of
her home. “I’ve had a bit of a spiritual awakening,
and I think that’s quite obvious in our home and
our shop. Things have changed. I have changed.
And it’s ref lected in how we’re living. Everything
is very bohemian, very holistic. I’ve always been
a rebel, but now it’s coming through softer.”
The comfy lounge filled with incredible-
smelling candles, squishy cushions and artwork –
including things they have made and framed pages
torn from magazines – is an inviting and calming
space, and Allison wants to start inviting people in
to share her sanctuary. “I’m a real nurturer and
I love the online community I’ve built. I want to
bring people together, whatever their background,
and this is a great space to do it. I want to share my
space and make people feel good.”
To find out more about People visit thepeopleshop.
co.uk or you can visit Allison’s website at
allisonsadler.co.ukKings Heath
in a snapshot
Kings Heath is a southern suburb of
Birmingham packed full of Victorian
terraced houses and just five miles
from the centre of the city. As well as
a flourishing independent business
scene, there are many schools and
parks. It has been a part of
Birmingham for over 100 years, but
it’s still warmly referred to as a village
by locals. “You get an interesting and
diverse mix of people, which is
important to us,” says Allison. “There
are lots of families and everything
you need is on the doorstep.”HOME TOUR