Stalybridge firm helps people to Perfect their Room

A STALYBRIDGE business is helping put smiles on faces when people walk into their homes.

That is the whole ethos of Room Perfected – it is not what they think should be there, it is what you want to be there.

And the story behind the firm started with a 14-year-old Mike Seddon running a clothes stall in Hyde, with an extension and Covid-19 playing big parts.

Operating from Eagle Iron Works, on Tame Street, Room Perfected offers the chance to make part of your home exactly how you want it.

Mike Seddon started out on Hyde market as a 14-year-old entrepreneur

And local lad Mike’s philosophy is different to overbearing stores forcing their wares.

He said: “What we do is try to help people get that feeling of comfort when they walk into their home.

“When life’s busy, you need that little safe, quiet space – even if it’s just a corner of your house. You need to walk into home and think, ‘Yeah, I like it.’

“Everyone’s different. It doesn’t have to be matching colours, if it makes you smile when you see it in your house, it’s doing its job.

“If the environment makes you feel good, it comes across in everything else. It’s more to me about making people feel good.

“It’s called Room Perfected as you don’t need to do the whole house, just start with one bit.

“And our stock’s always been driven by what customers need, not what I want.

“I don’t like selling stuff, believe it or not. I like providing an environment where people can come and make their environment better.”

Mike showed his entrepreneurial side when he was a teenager, in a rather different industry.

Operating from Eagle Iron Works, on Tame Street, Room Perfected offers the chance to make part of your home exactly how you want it.

But his ambition was clear at Hyde’s indoor market and Clarendon Square Shopping Centre.

The now 42-year-old recalled: “I was working at the market on a Saturday, doing ladies’ clothes. Then I thought, ‘I’ll set my own stall up.’

“I had no car, no stock, not a clue but I’d saved my money up, so I bought some stock – a load of women’s clothes, like you do when you’re 14!

“Because it was only once a week and fashion moved quickly, I did size 16 plus but for younger people.

“At night, I’d do my homework then work. On a Sunday, we’d go to the wholesalers, price everything up and put it on rails. We’d load the car up on Friday night then set off for work at 6am Saturday.

“I’d always had my eye on a bigger kiosk in the mall. I got an indoor market stall, so my mum gave up her job and started working there but I got one while she was in hospital.

“Then Hyde and retail went, so we ended up closing. I thought, ‘I’ll just get a job now.’ That’s when I got into furniture.”

After initially working for a firm, setting up several of its stores and learning about furniture, then a bathroom company, Mike did a university course in sound design at the age of 32 and was in that line of work.

Then Covid-19 struck, after he had started an extension for his own home – and money running short meant selling items he had already bought for it.

Seeing that succeed gave him an idea – one he launched using only a phone, his mum writing labels and lists, an unreliable camper van doing deliveries and working until 2am.

His decision to take the plunge also saved others’ jobs as he told The Correspondent: “It was heart wrenching to see how seriously the boss took his responsibilities. He had to sell his house, we’d be crying over Zoom meetings, it was awful.

“That taught me everything – how to treat people who work for you. It was such a good example. I learned a lot.

“This wasn’t intentional. I didn’t think, ‘I’m going to set up a business that sells furniture.’ It was through necessity as I needed money to finish my extension.

“I needed to sell some of the stuff I’d bought. Then I thought, ‘It’s going quite well this,’ as everyone was in a similar situation – they wanted decent furniture but couldn’t go to the shops as they were closed.

“I had a few contacts still for where to get things a bit cheaper from, so I thought, ‘This might pay to get the extension done.’

“I started on Facebook Marketplace – and it started selling. That enabled me to keep paying my mortgage. If I hadn’t done that, I’d have had to sell my house.

“I thought, ‘This could be a little business.’ Over one Zoom meeting, we were told a couple of people would have to be laid off and I’d started doing this.

“I thought, ‘I’d feel really bad if they got laid off and I could support myself.’ So, I saw my boss and said, ‘This is what I’m thinking.’ He said, ‘I don’t want you to go.’ I said, ‘It’ll take the pressure off.’

“He pleaded, ‘Stay on, go and do what you’re doing. Stay on the books but see how it goes.’

“But it took off and started selling more. I thought. ‘It’d save their jobs.’ That’s all I was bothered about. It wouldn’t have felt right if I’d done it any other way.”

Mike may live outside Tameside, but the area is home and there is no chance of Room Perfected moving out.

Nor is there any likelihood of a change of approach – it is your home, you decide.

He said: “My mum and dad are involved. They like to come down, even if it’s just for a brew but they like to get out of the house.

“As they get older, it’ll be even more helpful for them. So, I thought, ‘We’ll stay in Tameside, there’s nothing around here that does what we do.’

“The transport’s good and it works well for us. I love Stalybridge anyway. I’m going to move back here one day, hopefully.

“Good stuff sells itself. It’s desirable brands and everything.

“The way we make that easier is by choosing nice things but keeping our operating costs down.

“That means people can get things at an affordable price. The cost of living’s gone up – you’re having to find corners you can cut everywhere.

“When you go home, you think ‘It’s got to be right.’ I always think, ‘It’s like your sanctuary. If you get it right, it can make you feel so much better.’”

*ROOM Perfected is based at Eagle Iron Works, Tame Street, Stalybridge and is open Monday-Friday from 10am until 7pm, on Saturday from 10am until 6pm and on Sunday from 11am until 5pm.

You can find them online at www.roomperfected.co.uk – where you can sign up to an email newsletter – on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RoomPerfected and Instagram at www.instagram.com/roomperfected/.