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The Scottish expression ‘tim’rous beasties’ or timid beasts was probably made most famous by Robert Burns in his celebrated poem written to a mouse whose nest was destroyed by a plough…. but what, you may ask, are we doing with timid beasts all over our showroom floors and why on earth would we be shouting about it? … but before you recommend that we call in pest control, let us explain. Although our beasties are absolutely of the warm and fluffy kind… they are not mice at all, but a collection of beautiful, deep pile, wool carpets by the British weavers Brintons.
The fantastic diversity of patterns in this outstanding Craigend collection were designed by the Glasgow based Timorous Beasties, a Scottish design duo who teamed with the experts at Brintons to create The Timorous Beasties range of luxurious, 80% wool, 20% nylon carpets. Together they came up with a collection of exotic designs that go against almost every conventional carpet rule. The outstanding diversity of the Timorous Beasties range features large in scale patterns, which are both beautifully drawn and exquisitely detailed. With a fascination with the natural world, they depict birds, flowers, climbing plants and even insects.
Other designs are inspired by textures observed from the earth such as sand dunes, stone, water, mosses, lichens and even aerial views of landscapes.
The wool nylon mix makes the carpets tough enough for heavy domestic use or even for commercial applications such as hotel rooms and lobbies.
We love this collection so much that we chose a design called ‘Yellow Ruskin Butterfly’, featuring a buttery yellow background with grey rambling creepers, red butterflies and green flying beetles, as the floor covering for our recently re-furbished ViSpring Luxury Bed Studio. Sounds crazy? Well not really, the pattern is both restful and majestic… come and see for yourself..
…and if you feel that is not enough of a celebration for our Peter Green Burns’ Week then you should check out our striking Tartan carpet collections, which spans a range of timeless Scottish Tartans that will look good anywhere. We have even chosen the Brintons ‘Cavan Plaid’ ourselves as a key floorcovering for our new commercial showrooms.
Oh, and while you are at it don’t forget to visit our delightful Coffee Shop within the Peter Green superstore and sample Izzy’s famous ‘neeps and tattie stack’, a seasonal favourite on our locally-sourced and ever-changing specials boards!
Here are few words from the man himself…
To a Mouse
BY ROBERT BURNS
Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi’ bickerin brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee
Wi’ murd’ring pattle!
I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion
Has broken Nature’s social union,
An’ justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle,
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An’ fellow-mortal!
I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen-icker in a thrave
’S a sma’ request:
I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,
An’ never miss ’t!
Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It’s silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!
An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,
O’ foggage green!
An’ bleak December’s winds ensuin,
Baith snell an’ keen!
Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,
An’ weary Winter comin fast,
An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro’ thy cell.
That wee-bit heap o’ leaves an’ stibble
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou’s turn’d out, for a’ thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,
An’ cranreuch cauld!
But Mousie, thou art no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!
Still, thou art blest, compar’d wi’ me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But Och! I backward cast my e’e,
On prospects drear!
An’ forward tho’ I canna see,
I guess an’ fear!
- 25th January 2022