In conversation with... Frenchic
We talk to Pam Gruhn, founder and director of Frenchic paint, about her passion for upcycling and her much-loved brand
Meet the inspiring founder of Frenchic Paint, Pam Gruhn
How did it all begin?
I’ve always had a passion for giving old furniture a new lease of life rather than see it relegated to landfill. I started the company in 2014 during the upcycling revolution that was happening in the UK. I wanted to create an eco-friendly paint that was easy to use for beginners, as well as being the choice of professionals. A successful product has to have authenticity and be born of a personal passion – Frenchic has both! I have to pinch myself that we’re now an international brand, with stockists across Europe, USA, Canada, Singapore and Australia – it’s brilliant to see a British homegrown brand have a big impact.
What’s your design background?
While I hadn’t worked in the interior design industry before I began Frenchic, upcycling was a huge passion of mine and a hobby I loved.
Describe a typical day
Well, there’s no such thing as a typical day but there’s always a mix of innovation – coming up with new shades and product lines, meetings with my factory and production team and keeping in touch with my stockists. Covid has made everything harder but we’ve adapted for sure. The Frenchic Fan Forum on Facebook has over 456k followers and we have a combined social media following of over 1 million, so a huge part of my day is keeping on top of our amazing online community.
Describe your style
I am actually just about to move into my dream home in Hampshire, which is the merging of two cottages – one medieval, one Victorian. I’d describe my style as ‘rustic luxe’ . Not only will my home be designed with vintage, upcycled furniture in mind, but of course it will be painted top to bottom, inside and out, with Frenchic paint!
What inspires you?
Our amazing online community and customer base is at the heart of everything we do. Frenchic really is one big family, connected through a mutual love of upcycling and creativity. Our online hubs allow people to share their work and take inspiration from others – that inspires me! I’m also inspired by our loyal stockists – such local heroes of the British high street. We have over 700 stockists and it was my mission to support them as much as possible to ensure their businesses survived the pandemic.
What’s your proudest career moment?
Last year we were awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the innovation category for the Lazy Range. This was a huge honour and achievement for us. Having the royal seal of approval is a dream come true for the team!
What does the rest of the year hold for you?
The main focus for 2021 is product innovation – we’ve just launched five new wall paints – and supporting our stockists, through this current lockdown. This year is going to be full of surprises so watch this space!
Who would you like to collaborate with?
I’d love to collaborate with Sophie Allport, I love their products and think both brands would complement each other really well.
Visit frenchicpaint.co.uk, join the forum on Facebook and follow on Insta @frenchicpaint.