Fires To Inspire

Whenever I see this shop I’m always reminded of the scene from Black Books were on discussion of the name of the shop, Bernard says: «I was going to call it ‘World of Tights’, but you know how stupid people are: you have to spell everything out!»
Well…he has a point. Driving down City Road, I always assumed that this shop had something to do with fires. That is what the shop is called, after all, so I hardly think that it’s a daft assumption to make. I thought Paint FX was something else that happened in the store. Perhaps they did all kinds of interior design stuff. I didn’t know; I was judging this purely on what the sign told me.
Then I walked past the store and glanced through the window to discover that actually, this shop just sells paint. And then confusion really sets in. Why call it Fires to Inspire if there is no fire in the shop? Surely they miss out on a lot of custom because people don’t realise that it sells paint and not fire? Surely I’m not the only stupid person in Cardiff?
Dubious naming aside, the range of paint is good for a local, independent shop and less expensive than I thought it would be. As someone with a new house and a mother who’s redecorating, I’ve pretty much had my fill of paint samples and colour charts and it was nice to look at paint in somewhere other than Focus.
Regardless of how good the contents of this store are, the name still bothers me. But maybe it will start a trend in quirky DIY stores with odd names and fancy displays of vintage hammers and paint that comes in pots shaped like cupcakes…

Fires To Inspire is an unusual choice of name for a paint shop, which is possibly why they have gone to such extreme lengths to make it more obvious what they do. The well decorated shop front is adorned with icons and imagery denoting everything from a huge paint brush through to larger than life cans of paint. They do not, as far as I know, stock a single fire, but I don’t know how well such a metaphorical name has served them… It’s the kind of poetic licence that high end boutiques can get away with, but I’m not so sure about paint shops??? I’m pretty sure that tradesmen and DIYers tend to look for something a bit more literal. But you can see where they are coming from… they are obviously passionate about their product, and are looking to invigorate the buying public… which, to my mind, is commendable. Having been to art college, I celebrate colour wholeheartedly. I’m aware of how important it is in affecting mood and the general ambiance of a place, and I also feel that we are often far too conservative in our tastes here in the UK. So a shop that tries to infuse us with a bit more enthusiasm for experimenting in colour can only be a good thing!
Fires To Inspire stock all manner of wall and floor coverings for interiors and exteriors. Their prices are competitive, and they often have some really good offers on. They can advise on all kinds of materials and applications, which is invaluable if you are unsure of the product you need.