PATO INTERIORS
Kat Westmaco started her business in the midst of lockdown
What is your background? Retail in a few di !erent forms. Until recently I was part of the discovery team at Trouva.com. While looking for independent shops across Europe to join the platform, I realised my main loves were the antiques and vintage shops and markets. I’d o"en have to work out how on earth to get the pieces I’d bought home on the plane – the most memorable was a marble horse sculpture that had been made into a lamp.
Why did you launch Pato? Having gone freelance in 2019, Covid impacted on my work. So I started in March 2020. In the summer, a friend told me about a barn full of furniture that needed shi "ing. I le" in a van piled with beautiful things and that was that.
What do you sell? All kinds of furniture and decorative pieces, from plate racks to daybeds, priced from £ 150 to £ 1,500. My real loves are the big statement items, like mirrors, wardrobes, benches and tables. I follow my instinct and buy pieces I’d like to have in my own home.
What are your
favourite pieces? I like things that can be adapted to modern life. I had a wonderful wooden plate rack engraved with lions’ heads that I think would have made a really cool towel rail. I like items that are a bit o!-beat and pieces that are steeped in history, such as an old livery wardrobe or a ship’s carpenter’s trunk complete with all the tiny drawers inside.
What do you love about your job? Finding one- of-a-kind pieces I know my customers will love. I always think it’s amazing that something cra "ed over a hundred years ago can still be used practically and as a thing of beauty in a modern home. Tackling waste by extending the lifecycle of a product is also important to me. The sense of community among sellers is extraordinary – everyone is ready to share their knowledge and advice. Finally, my customers are so lovely, it’s the best feeling when I get a message from someone saying they’re thrilled with a purchase and that it #ts perfectly into their space.
What next? My cousin is a very talented ceramicist, so I would love to collaborate with her at some point on some limitededition items. We’re also trying to move house, so a new studio or workshop is on the wishlist. patointeriorsshop. com; @pato_ interiors