House and garden show goes greener

THE fourth Henley House and Garden Show will take a more sustainable approach to design, says its founder.

Interior designer Niki Schäfer is reviving the show this year after taking a break due to the covid pandemic.

The two-day event, which was first held in 2015, features talks and exhibitions from a range of furniture, wallpaper and other design companies.

Mrs Schäfer, of Walton Avenue, Henley, says she is taking a different approach this year.

Instead of the show being held in February, which she chose to harness Henley’s “downtime”, it will be held on June 17 to 18 as part of Great Big Green Week, a nationwide initiative that encourages local communities to promote sustainable living.

Henley will be holding a range of events during the week, as it has done for the past two years.

Mrs Schäfer said the show would have a green theme and only feature suppliers and companies who work in the sustainable housing market.

She said: “We will have stands, speakers and events. We are looking for green companies such as solar panel businesses.

“At the show we will be looking at things like insulating your loft, putting insulation in the walls and energy efficient things like equiwatt, an energy saving company.

“I have many contacts and suppliers but I’m telling them I just want eco-friendly products. I am not going to promote their brand new things.

“I look through the company policies and assess them. We can then interview them to see what they do with things like packaging and whether it’s recycled or not.”

Mrs Schäfer said she wanted to promote environmental ways of decorating, such as using upcycled, recycled and other sustainable materials.

She said: “We want to promote our eco-credentials as opposed to buying for buying’s sake. I am keen to hear from people in that field.

“People who are in the process of refurbishing their houses can choose what materials they want to use, whether it be second-hand, antiques, fabrics and materials that are more ecological or things that were used before and turned into something new.”

Instead of having the usual heated outdoor marquee, she is changing the venue to Henley Rugby Club.

She will also be promoting greener methods of heating your home.

Mrs Schäfer said: “These things should help reduce the cost of energy use. The oil market is out of our control but what is in our control is how we can insulate our house and not waste things.”

As part of the show there will also be garden tours and wild meadow walks. Mrs Schäfer said: “We are also trying to look at the impact of trees in urban areas and the effects of things like living walls.”

There will also be talks for business owners on how to be more sustainable.

Mrs Schäfer said: “I’m interested to see the greener thinking and what I need to do with my business. I’m learning a lot and it’s really fascinating. I am really enthusiastic but I don’t want people to feel guilty and I don’t want to be hypocritical. I want people to be entertained at the show.

“It is important that people understand that I don’t have green credentials. I am not standing here and saying I am an eco-warrior. I am an interior designer — my role is to put new stuff in people’s homes.”

Mrs Schäfer, who chairs the Henley Business Partnership, is working with Greener Henley, an organisation which aims to make the town more environmentally friendly.

She said: “I’d like people to pledge to do something as their little bit. I want them to consider the planet.”