A SHOP created by a woman who was driven to become an interior designer after spending her youth in and out of care homes has been shortlisted for an international prize.

Penny Fielding, 56, of Church Lane, Walthamstow, is the owner of Beautiful Interiors in Orford Road, Walthamstow, which has been nominated for a Daily Telegraph Best of British award by customers.

The awards recognises businesses at the heart of communities around the globe.

Beautiful Interiors has been nominated in the 'Best Interiors' category.

The shop sells a mix of modern and vintage home wares, including rugs, furniture, jewellery, clothes and children’s toys, stocking arts and crafts which have been created by local artists, painters, designers and ceramists.

Mother-of-two Ms Fielding said: "I feel completely thrilled because it is not just a London award but it is for the whole country.

"To be voted for by my customers is amazing.

"It shows that small businesses are fighting back as people are fed up with high streets where the big shops are dominating the market.

"I am not a high street shop and I don't have a million people walking past my shop every day.

"I am humbled by all the people who went to all that trouble just to vote for us and for me - shows that it is a way for them to express their love for the shop."

As a child, Ms Fielding was raised by her father, in between moving in and out of what she called "depressing" children's homes.

Following the birth of her first child when she was just 15 years old, she went on to get a first class honours degree in fine arts at Oxford University, with the help of a financial grant.

She said: "I got into interior designing because for me it is important for people to feel safe and happy in their home, so that no matter what is happening in the outside world, when the person comes home that is their sanctuary.

"In the children's homes people were nice to me, but you didn't feel like you belonged to anyone and everything was generic and institutionalised with big wards and cots.

"I love the fact that people can express themselves through their individuality."

She started the shop six and a half years ago, following her move to Walthamstow a year and a half before.

She said she was also looking for a community where she could leave her keys safely with a neighbour. At a time when Walthamstow Village was not yet fully developed, she said she would visit and look for the kind of shop she would want to buy things from, and from there was inspired to start her own.