THE BRAND EDIT: THIS OTHER EDEN, A HOMEWARE SHOP IN HELMSLEY

The third edition of The Brand Edit took me to Helmsley, and if I'm being honest, this one was a little tricky.

Much like Pickering before it, the response was much lower than I expected. Whilst Malton attracted a healthy number of applications, Helmsley seemed a little quieter. That's not a criticism, just an observation, and one of the reasons I want to document this journey honestly as it unfolds.

Recently, I was chatting to Marta from Aberdevine Lingerie, who I met at a smartphone masterclass back in March. We'd been talking about branding photography and the challenges of running a small business. Like me, Marta sees the value that good branding photography can bring, but she also feels that some of our smaller market towns are perhaps yet to fully embrace it.

The conversation stuck with me.

Because that's one of the reasons I created The Brand Edit in the first place.

Yes, it's an opportunity for me to meet and showcase local businesses, but it's also a chance to demonstrate what branding photography can actually do for small businesses across North Yorkshire. Not just provide a few nice photographs, but help business owners tell their story, build trust, and show people what makes them different.

In the end, I found myself spending the morning with Grania, at This Other Eden, a beautiful homeware and garden shop in Helmsley.

And what a beautiful space it is.

The shop is full of colour, character and carefully chosen pieces. Every corner seems to hold something interesting, whether that's Portuguese ceramics, French crockery, garden tools, home accessories or locally made products from Yorkshire makers. It's the kind of shop where you go in for a quick look and end up spending far longer than you intended.

In many ways, the shop reflects Grania perfectly.

Warm, welcoming, colourful and full of personality.

The story behind This Other Eden is surprisingly recent. Before opening the shop, Grania worked for the Alistair W Baldwin Garden Design team, helping run a small retail space within their Ripon studio. What started as a small addition to the business quickly grew into something much bigger.

The retail side proved so popular that it eventually expanded across the entire ground floor of the building. Then, when a vacant shop became available in Helmsley in March 2026, an opportunity presented itself and Arteva Interior Design did a great job making the shop structure fun and accessible. 

Just weeks later, This Other Eden opened its doors in Helmsley ahead of Easter.

Since then, the shop has quickly established itself as a destination for people looking for something a little different.

Inspired by the Yorkshire landscape and a slower way of living, This Other Eden brings together thoughtfully sourced pieces for the home and garden. The name itself reflects the idea of finding a little paradise close to home, whilst the curlew, woven into the brand identity, celebrates the wild beauty of the Yorkshire countryside.

But what stood out most during my visit wasn't necessarily the products.

It was the experience.

As Grania showed me around, she spoke about wanting customers to feel relaxed and happy from the moment they walk through the door. She wants people to feel almost as though they're on holiday.

The scent that greets you as you enter. The music playing softly in the background. The natural flow of the shop itself. Every detail has been considered. t's a reminder that successful businesses rarely sell products alone. They sell experiences.

This is exactly what I love about branding photography.

It's about helping people connect with the businesses behind the products. Rather than creating a catalogue of products, we focused on documenting Grania within the space she has helped create. We captured relaxed headshots, moments of her working behind the desk, and interacting naturally with her surroundings.

We also got a little creative, experimenting with a few long exposure images to bring movement and energy into the gallery, alongside photographs outside the shop and around the displays that make This Other Eden feel so distinctive.

One thing Grania told me before the session was that she doesn't particularly enjoy having her photograph taken.

A sentence I've heard hundreds of times.

Yet by the end of our time together, she admitted she'd actually enjoyed her time with me and found it fun. I believe branding photography shouldn't feel like a photoshoot.

It should feel like spending time talking about something you're passionate about whilst someone quietly documents it and interacts with you enthusiastically being excited and inspired by what you tell them. Because I am genuinely inspired by small business owners, finding out their story, and what makes them tick.

One of the most common mistakes I see with small businesses is hiding behind their products.

The products matter, of course they do.

But people also want to know who they're buying from. They want to know who selected the pieces on the shelves, who created the experience, and who they'll meet when they walk through the door.

Beautiful products might catch someone's attention.

The person behind the business is often what creates the connection.

As for This Other Eden, the future looks bright.

Grania is focused on growing the business whilst staying true to the aesthetic and values that inspired it in the first place. Website sales are next on the list, and who knows, perhaps one day there will even be a third This Other Eden in another Yorkshire market town.

For now though, Helmsley seems like exactly the right place to call home. You can also read about previous Brand Edit businesses including Hot Toddi and The Homestead Kitchen in Goathland.