This North Berwick shop is the retail equivalent of a breath of ozone-filled sea air, a place where quirky accessories made from shells and driftwood brings the beach experience into the home and where rustic oak furniture mingles with classic retro and contemporary styles to provide a new slant on home furnishings far removed from the mediocrity of high street chain stores.

Time & Tide, which opened in May 2009 and now has two outlets in North Berwick and one in Peebles, is the brainchild of Ewan and Emma Douglas. It’s the culmination of Ewan’s career experience as a retail buyer for well-known names such as Liberty, Conran Shop, Muji and Au Naturale. When the couple decided to branch out on their own, the name Emma chose, appropriately, was inspired by living by the sea and taking the leap of faith to start a business. The name is also reflected in the 14^th Century proverb ‘time and tide wait for no man’

The pair have created a niche market for unusual as well as beautiful products that Ewan personally sources products from all over the world, both from specialist wholesalers and direct from manufacturers. The larger of the two North Berwick shops, which opened at the end of last year, sells mainly furniture – Simple Solid Oak and patina styles included - although there’s also a bathroom section where the focus is on storage and accessories.  The smaller shop has a real seaside vibe and stocks a amazing range of beach-inspired storage, home accessories, lighting and gifts – including classic retro products such as Bakelite telephones – which makes it the perfect place for anyone looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.

Time & Tide is not only an inspirational source for one-off items and gifts, it also caters for those who want a more co-ordinated look in linking, for instance, dining furniture through to placemats, centre pieces and cushions.

Just browsing in any of the three stores is a real pleasure in itself, thanks to the clean and contemporary Scandinavian-style interiors. But it’s the products on display that makes Time & Tide such an inspiration – unusual, quirky and beautiful, there’s something to suit all ages and tastes with the emphasis on natural materials such as wood and driftwood and candles made from natural wax. The choice extends across all price ranges from pocket money toys and make-you-feel-good impulse buys to larger items like furniture that tend to be planned investments .
The emphasis nowadays is very much towards outdoor living and using natural materials, which is why Time & Tide is such a pleasurable, touchy-feely retail environment. Not everyone is fortunate enough to live in a coastal location like North Berwick, but they can still benefit from having the natural look and feel of, say, a beautiful handcrafted driftwood sculpture in their home.

The couple live in North Berwick with their three children and in their spare time they like nothing better than a walk on the beach that inspired their business theme. Emma runs the North Berwick shops, leaving Ewan free to concentrate on buying. Having grown from one to three shops in their first year – at the height of a recession when many businesses ceased trading – is testament to the success of this niche furnishing venture. And the good news is it’s unlikely to stop there.