Arundel, West Sussex is a market town rich in history and culture, straddling the river Arun, between the South Downs and the English Channel waiting to be discovered.

Dominated by the Norman Castle and Gothic Cathedral and surrounded by ancient woodland, Arundel’s skyline is impressive from whatever direction you approach the town.
There is a rich variety of thriving, independent retailers, all giving a highly individual welcome. The town has become famous not only for its antique shops but also for its wide range of other contemporary shops and galleries.

Arundel has many options for the overnight visitor including , Boutique Hotels, Pubs with rooms, Period Hotels and Larger Hotels.

Arundel Castle, West Sussex is not far from our Showroom

Amberley, West Sussex is one of the most attractive of all downland villages. It has practically everything. Firstly the setting is magnificent. On the east side there is the scarp slope of the Downs, rising up to Amberley Mount with a steep climb up to the South Downs Way . On the south and west sides of Amberley there’s the atmospheric River Arun and the wild brooks, which are usually flooded for part of the winter.

The village has its own Castle, and although it’s in use as a hotel and wedding venue rather than a good old-fashioned historic monument the castle is extremely atmospheric. Non-guests of the hotel can walk around the back of the Amberley Castle on their way into Amberley Swamp for a spooky medieval feel in wintertime, especially when there’s mist hanging over the River Arun at the time.

Amberley is also well known for its Amberley Working Museum. This is an interesting use of an old chalk pit above the railway station – it’s now home to a treasure horde of old agricultural and industrial machinery, nearly all of it still functioning. There’s also a great beer festival in the museum each year.

The Black Horse is a good pub with lavish and interesting decor. Many of the houses round here are gorgeous, with several thatched houses, plenty of lovely old brick and tilework and flowers all over the place.

Amberley Village, West Sussex

One of the great sights of this part of the world in the winter is the Arun Valley filled with mist as seen from the surrounding Downs. A good way to enjoy the valley is to take a train from Arundel to Pulborough and back, passing through countryside that is hard to get close to by car and which is often muddy or underwater in winter – Amberley Swamp deserves its name.

The South Downs rise so steeply here that you can often see the gliders from the nearby Southdowns Gliding Club actually flying below you while you are up there. The gliders use the upcurrents caused by the steep slopes of the Downs and it’s not unusual to suddenly find that a glider has reared up in front of you while you are walking along the Downs here.

There are some lovely walks along the South Downs

Here at New England Lifestyle we are lucky enough to be situated nearby to not only some very pretty locations and views but some historic areas of the South Coast are also very local to where our showroom is based, as the photographs taken by my father on our Sunday morning walks show. While you are here you could take advantage of some of the natural beauty available in Sussex and take your own photos. In frames or transferred to canvas, views like these would be enhancing your home even more with the blank canvas background provided by the stylish white furniture from New England.  At the moment at amazing value for money the Living Room Furniture, Dining Room Furniture, Bedroom Furniture, Home Office and Accessories have not been affected by the recent VAT increase so its even more of a reason to pop in and see us!

Arundel Castle Gardens, West Sussex

Photograph by tednsteph on flickr

Here at New England Lifestyle we are very fortunate to be situated in the heart of West Sussex, a county renowned for its country homes and castles, picturesque coastline and lush green countryside. As summer approaches why not plan a trip to our showroom and make a day of it? There are numerous things to see and do just on our doorstep!

Our showroom and warehousing can be found at Ford, very close to the site of the former RAF Ford Battle of Britain airfield and Royal Naval Air Station (HMS Peregrine). Our first floor showroom allows us glorious views stretching over fields towards the picturesque South Downs.

Our location is less than 10 minutes south of  Arundel, a historic market town rich in in culture, dominated by the Norman Castle and Gothic Cathedral and surrounded by ancient woodland. The town is home to a collection of thriving independent stores, galleries and antique shops. Enjoy a boat trip along the river Arun, stopping for lunch or a refreshing drink at the Black Rabbit. A visit to Arundel Castle set in its 40 acres of sweeping grounds and gardens is highly recommended, where you will find the new Collector Earl’s Garden which was opened in 2008 by HRH the Prince of Wales. Alternatively, take a stroll around Swanbourne Lake, or pay a visit to the 26 hectares of naturalised landscape and wetland habitats of the Arundel Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

Drive just 10 minutes south of our showroom, and you will come to the beautiful beach at Climping. At low tide a huge expanse of sand is exposed making a great family destination, perfect for paddling!

Our New England Furniture Showroom is easily found from the A27 or A259. We have ample free parking and are open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and from 10am until 4pm on Saturdays. We very much look forward to welcoming you to West Sussex!!!!

Fishers Farm Park

If you are trying to find ways to entertain the children we highly recommend a visit to Fishers Farm Park in Wisborough Green, West Sussex. Designed for families with children aged 2-11 years, Fishers Farm offers a unique mixture of farm animals and adventure play.

On offer for the children are pony rides and tractor rides, and if you are lucky enough to arrive at feeding time you can help to feed the animals! There is a climbing wall and crazy golf to name but a few activities and if the weather turns there is an indoor play area. There is also a restaurant on-site, and plenty of space in which to enjoy your own picnic.  Nick, the Managing Director of New England Lifestyle, visits regularly with his children and loves the variety of activities at Fishers Farm Park.

Whilst you are in the area, why not come and visit us at New England Lifestyle? Complimentary coffee and cakes are avaliable on Saturdays while you browse our ranges of white furniture, and be sure to have a look in our sale area where you can pick up ex-display bargains!  We also have our brand new french inspired range of Louis Bedroom Furniture on display, which is currently only avaliable to view in our Sussex Showroom.

White Augusta Mirror

I have recently purchased a new three bedroom apartment from Berkeley Homes, overlooking the sea in West Sussex. I have to say that in my search for a new build apartment, I was struck by the quality and attention to detail of Berkeley Homes. For example the apartment benefits from high quality sound insulation (very important when there are two children running around!), superior double glazing, and an extremely efficient boiler with under floor heating. I have an en-suite shower room with a very well designed walk in shower, plus a separate bathroom, where again the quality of the bath, basin, toilet and taps are second to none. There is a beautifully fitted kitchen with a white stone work top and high quality stainless steel electrical appliances.

Before moving in I painted the apartment white throughout and installed wooden flooring in the living room and kitchen which I painted brilliant white. The rest of the apartment is fitted with off white pure wool carpet. Then I was ready to go, and really enjoyed picking pieces of our furniture to complement the interior.

Furnishing the Apartment

In the living room I have two Chelsea 2.5 Seater Sofas, covered in white fabric and two Newport Coffee Tables. I have chosen the beautifully hand carved Augusta Mirror to bounce the light around the room, and whilst the interior of the flat is very contemporary in design the exterior of the building is very Art Deco, and the elaborate design of the Augusta Mirror really echoes this contrast. In the dining area I have a New England Oak Dining Table with white legs, and Newport White Dining Chairs with white seat pads. I have to say that it has created a brilliant space for living and working in as I quite often do a lot of my creative processes at home.
As there are three bedrooms, my son who is only six came up with a brilliant idea. He said to me “Dad… if we both sleep in the single bedroom, and you design a set of bunk beds, then we can use the other spare room as our playroom!” “Brilliant!” I said to him, and so I designed a New England Bunk Bed for them, which they have in their bedroom along with a Manhattan Chest of Drawers and a Manhattan Bedside Table. In their playroom we have a 2.5 seater Chelsea Sofa and Armchair, and New England Coffee Table and Side Table, and their television and DVD player sits on a New England Television Cabinet.

We are all now very settled in our new home, very much enjoying apartment living by the sea.

Elmer Beach - Photograph by Simon Carey

As a family we spent every weekend and every school holiday there from Easter through until the end of September, and my father would take two weeks off in the summer and come and join us. As a child I always remember the times spent in Elmer much more than the times spent at home in Weybridge, Surrey. My parents sold the house when I was 14, but then retired down to Aldwick when I was 21. I have had contact with West Sussex for the whole of my life. When I decided to move out of London I ended up buying the house right on the beach in Elmer in front of the house my parents built.

West Sussex is a great county. It has some of the best beaches in the country – such as East Head at West Wittering. The historic city of Chichester with its beautiful cathedral and great shops and restaurants, and of course Chichester Harbour for boating and picnicking.  We have the best of both worlds; the pleasure of living by the sea with beautiful countryside just a few minutes away in the form of the South Downs. My children in particular love going to the Trundle and being able to run wild across the open countryside. We have the famous sporting events at Goodwood including the horse racing of Glorious Goodwood, the Festival of Speed and the Goodwood Revival Meeting at the motor circuit.

It is also great to enjoy the benefits of the beaches and countryside, but still be only 60 miles from London.

My interest in design and beach style furniture was borne through my life long enjoyment of the beach and surrounding area, inspired by beach huts and traditional Sussex barns.

Photograph © Copyright Simon Carey licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence

Coast Magazine is full of fantastic ideas not only for the beach, but to bring the seaside feel into your own back garden. They feature a selection of affordable brightly coloured deckchairs from Habitat and Southsea Deckchairs, eye-catching zesty coloured hammocks from John Lewis, and stylish windbreaks  from The Seaside Company. Inspiration indeed for those crucial accessories to make the most of the summer months in comfort!