A Love Letter to the British High Street

Introducing our new House Matchboxes, designed by the one and only Printed Peanut.

We’ve been working with The Printed Peanut, or Louise Lockhart to those of us in the know, for years — falling in love with her playful style and her brightly coloured designs that look perfect on a matchbox. Our relationship was entirely virtual, built on phone calls and Zoom chats, until recently, when we decided to hop in the car and make the trip to rural Wales and the creative community Louise is building with her friends on her farm.

Our little two-person journey to Monmouthshire took us down winding roads and up hills, each twist and turn taking us further from any phone signal, until we arrived at Louise’s farm. What greeted us wasn’t just a farm, but a hive of creativity — friends and families working side by side to build homes and studios, crafting a place where art and everyday life weave together. Louise led us around, talking through her grand plans to create a space where The Printed Peanut can continue to flourish. It was easy to picture her vision as we took in the lush green grass and imagined the floor-to-ceiling windows of her future studio overlooking the view.

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After chatting about new designs in person, it was time to settle down in the sunshine to enjoy a lunch of quiche and freshly picked vegetables from her garden. Eating food that you know has been grown with love feeds the soul in a new way, and it only adds to the allure of Louise’s farm and the self-sufficient community they were building. What better place for an artist to spend their time than an environment that fosters freedom and creativity?

Once our tummies were full, it was time to head off treasure hunting!

Into the car we went- and to Abergavenny we drove - back along those winding roads until we reached the bustling market town. The first stop was a gorgeous indoor market, brimming with stalls selling everything from vintage books to unique trinkets. As we wandered along the cobblestone streets, we watched as Louise lit up with each shop we passed, her enthusiasm for the wonky signs and charming buildings making it obvious why her work feels like a love letter to the British high street. A particularly charming hat shop had her dreaming aloud about sketching it one day, and we could already imagine the ribbons, straws, and bows brought to life in her signature style.

The next stop on our Abergavenny adventure was one of Louise’s favourites – an art shop on one floor and a gallery on the other. We browsed shelves of vivid chalks and paints before climbing the wooden staircase to a gallery brimming with character — beams, low ceilings, and walls lined with local creativity.

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As the sun shone down, we couldn’t quite get back in the car without first sampling the ice cream this town had to offer – one pistachio, one honeycomb, and one mango sorbet, please! The gorgeous green shopfront with its black and white chequered floor sat nestled down a little side street, with the perfect bench right outside to sit and enjoy our sweet treat. It was just what we needed before heading back to Archivist HQ.

Spending the day with Louise, getting to see her community, and exploring some of the streets that inspire her made it clearer than ever that we partnered with the best artist to bring these house matchboxes to life. We’ve started with A Bakery, A Florist, and A Bookshop — reminiscent of the old nursery rhyme about the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker. No butcher just yet (though who knows what the future holds), but for now these little matchbox houses are ready to brighten shelves, and we hope they bring you as much joy as they brought us.