The “WHY” to Barnhouse Interiors

We are halfway through 2016, and my son clings to me as I carry him to school, kicking and scratching in his distress. In his first year, his anxiety is so high that he's constantly in fight-or-flight mode, and he's fighting—his teary eyes filled with dread. He can't express what's troubling him; his vocabulary is limited to just ten words.

Everyday tasks, from brushing his teeth to falling asleep, are battles. We've been told, "He's already been held back a year, and he's still falling behind. We can't hold him back again." That's because Lucas is diagnosed with autism. "You're problem-solving daily and thinking 15 years into the future." Despite being seen as a mentally tough and resolute man, I found myself sobbing into my wife's shoulder, overwhelmed by the challenges Lucas faces and the bleak prospects of full-time work and self-care as an adult.

As parents, we want our children to reach their full potential. Working full-time in management while trying to support my wife, Kelly, with our home life, we reached our breaking point. We needed to earn a living, but managing a career and caring for two children with special needs was too much. We desired a flexible lifestyle to accommodate endless meetings and support both Lucas and Ollie with daily challenges, but we needed to earn a living—one that could someday help Lucas not become one of the 86% of autistic adults unemployed and struggling to find work.

Starting a new business might seem unlikely, but entrepreneurship offers benefits for parents of special needs children: flexibility, the ability to set your schedule, and the potential to create future employment opportunities for your loved ones. Our humble business began with an idea and a handful of traditional hand tools. Dane has always worked with wood, learning techniques in his Granddad's workshop that are rarely passed on today. Kelly brought 15 years of experience and passion for art and design.

We founded Signature Home & Gift, a quaint gift shop offering unique, carefully sourced products and rustic handmade homewares made from restored pallet wood and scaffolding boards. Nestled in the tranquil Lake District, Cumbria, our shop in Barrow-in-Furness quickly gained a steady customer base.

Our first year was challenging—balancing business, our son's needs, and developing our trade. However, discovering the Etsy online marketplace for vintage and artisan products allowed us to flourish beyond our expectations. We began selling worldwide, with our handmade products finding homes in places like Dubai and Orange County, California.

This success led us to downsize our store to more humble beginnings, moving to the traditional location of Barrow Market Hall. Rekindling my love for woodworking, I grew disappointed with the retail market's mass-produced, flimsy, and expensive furniture. Our adventure is just beginning, but our new lifestyle has positively impacted Lucas and Ollie's development. Thanks to their supportive schools, Lucas is reaching milestones we never thought possible, and both boys are best friends, loving their part in the Barnhouse Journey.

Since then, we moved to a shop on Scott Street, where we enjoyed a great time and hired some fantastic people. Unfortunately, this success was short-lived as the town continued to decline in footfall. We decided to put all our focus into our online business, developing a range of bespoke handmade furniture.

A few months later, COVID-19 hit, we had baby Elias and for the business? well, wood prices soared, making it impossible to operate our business as we had. Dane spent a year training and gaining a qualification in plastering. Over the following years, he further developed his skills in lime plastering and Venetian plastering. We operated the two businesses simultaneously, and in 2023, we brought River on board as an apprentice plasterer. Our business evolved, and Barnhouse Interiors became Barnhouse Plastering Solutions.

Managing our time between the workshop and our plastering schedule proved too difficult. With River on board, we decided it was time to focus solely on plastering and see how Barnhouse develops. We'll keep woodworking as a passion and a hobby, making furniture for our own home and family, and maybe, occasionally, getting out there with it again.