3 Legged Duck, Ashley Grove, North Street, Rhayader, Powys, LD5 6BT
Read on to find out more about designing with and selling with museum style
NB: 3 Legged Duck is now online only
Go to the contact page for opening times.
About Interiors Shop / Design Practice
The story so far
3 Legged Duck interior design shop is all about design, interpretation, antiques, vintage and handmade. The shop is located in a Rhayader Mid-Wales. ‘A quirky name for a quirky shop’ Tim Wonnacott, Antiques Road Trip.
My name is Clare Flynn. I have nearly two decades of working in the museum design sector with art and archaeology collections.
The name 3 Legged Duck originates from a piece of artwork I did for an exhibition at Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. This artwork was inspired by a taxidermy 3 legged duck from the museum collection.
Originating from Lincolnshire where the term of endearment is to call people ‘duck’ and living most of my adult life ‘down South’ I am known for my connection to the duck. It therefore seemed natural for the design business to be named 3 Legged Duck.
Interiors Shop / Design Practice
The story so far
I am selling hand-picked second-hand/antiques and handmade art and crafts and presenting them in the only way I know how because of my experience- see my blog page for more about my museum inspired interior design style. A green approach is an important aspect to the way I run my business. I believe passionately in selling new items which have a quality to be the antiques of the future. Promoting artists, designers and makers is of particular interest to me, and, as a result, I am always on the lookout for interesting new work.
My museum career began volunteering at Hove Museum and Art Gallery whilst studying an MA in Sequential Graphics and Illustration. This is where I discovered exhibition design. Since then I have honed my craft with experience as Exhibitions Officer and Designer for Southampton Museums Service and 11 years as Senior Exhibitions Designer at the internationally renowned Ashmolean Museum. I hugely valued my time working in museums but desired pastures new, so, in August 2019, I embarked on a freelance design career.
I have been lead designer on numerous critically acclaimed projects. Namely, the Ashmolean’s multi-million Egypt galleries redevelopment in 2011, and more recently, the 2019 summer blockbuster, Last Supper in Pompeii which was described by The Daily Telegraph’s Alistair Sooke as ‘deftly designed’.
Interiors Shop / Design Practice
The story so far
In my museum design work, I aspire to push boundaries in how we interpret and present the narratives and objects and how we create an experience within a space through creative expression.
Parallels can be drawn through the pre-loved and created nature of 3LD Interior design shop collection. I endeavour to curate and present the 3LD collection in a playful, bold and elegant way. So, I choose antiques and vintage which I think I can sell- it’s a business after all. First and foremost, however, I choose things I love because I am creating my museum inspired interior design style. Unsurprisingly, the things I like the most tend to have visible signs of history and/or a story of their own to tell.
I have an eclectic taste- trends are important as they are inspiring, but they come and go- I think we should surround ourselves with the things we love. It is through my passion for collecting weird and wonderful things that 3 Legged Duck Interiors was born.
Interiors Shop / Design Practice
About the place
3 Legged Duck is an online shop based in Rhayader, Mid Wales. This bustling market town has plenty of eateries, gift shops, antique shops and of course us, 3 Legged Duck interior design shop! Rhayader is popular with tourists because of its locality to the spectacular Elan Valley and the Cambrian Mountains. Referred to as ‘The Last Wilderness of Wales’ in a BBC documentary, this really is a special place. You don’t have to be a keen hiker, mountain biker or climber to enjoy this marvellous area- from Elan Valley Visitor Centre or Gilfach Nature Reserve, you can appreciate this diverse landscape with so many natural treasures to behold.
Learn more about Rhayader and the surrounding area.
© Ben Flynn
About Interiors Shop / Design Practice
About my green policy
The 3LD ethos is to run the business in as green a way as possible because, it feels like the right way:
- Stock secondhand goods and I try not to travel too far to get them.
- Source quality new handmade items often made from sustainably sourced and/or reclaimed materials.
- Minimise the impact on the environment by reusing wherever possible
- Buy sustainably sourced materials which are recyclable
- Communication is done digitally, and I rarely print out design project documents
- Continue to be open to learning more green practices
© Ben Flynn