A RYEDALE man has turned his talents in to his trade and opened up an interiors shop with a difference.

Twenty-two-year-old Oliver Arnold specialises in chalk painted furniture and after some encouragement from his mother he decided to open a shop in Pickering to showcase his talent and ultimately make a living from it.

“I like being different in the way that I am and how I dress and I didn’t want the shop to be the same as everyone else’s,” he said.

“I am finding items that are off the radar and I try to find different items that people seem to like.”

Having that unique edge is key for Oliver, who opened The Living Quarter one month ago, and he says he looks for pieces he can transform in to his own.

He said: “If I don’t like it I will change it to make it my own and I tend to buy things that will look good in people’s homes.

“It has been absolutely brilliant so far. To say I have only been open for four weeks I already have regulars because I try to bring something new into the shop every morning and a new piece of furniture at least once a week.”

Oliver first became interested in painting while working alongside his late father, who was a painter and decorator.

Gradually, he began sourcing and painting his own pieces after helping his brother with his antiques business.

He said: “My brother works out of our warehouse and mainly sells his pieces online.

“We are quite different in what we do, but it certainly helps having someone in the family who deals in antiques.”

The shop not only stocks Oliver’s painted furniture, but also a range of soft furnishings sourced from various countries across Europe.

The Living Quarter is based in Burgate, Pickering. Phone 01751 470158.