The Beat That My Heart Skipped.

Nothing signals the beginning of Christmas in London more than a sparkly new store opening – last year excitement was at its peak with US Homeware brand West Elm which filled a lonely corner of Tottenham Court road with joy and American charm.

This year a new Anthropologie joins its Regent Street and Kings Road counterparts on charming Marylebone High Street. In my opinion there can’t be enough Anthropologies in London… as always an intoxicating and unique retail experience the new Marylebone offering didn’t disappoint. The store combines two beautiful historical spaces on the high street and maintains many of the original features which contributes to the store’s artisanal atmosphere.

Cosy yet expansive, the store is spread over two floors and comprises of the brand’s signature beautifully styled vignettes and treasure troves of glistening tableware, trinkets and unusual offerings – with this December being all the more resplendent like some Dickensian fantasy.

Last nights opening also featured a workshop by up-cycling ceramist Lou Rota – who guided participants to adorn vintage plates with her signature flora and fauna, jewellery making by luxury jeweller Catherine Zoraida and topped off with delicious festive cocktails by Sipsmith. Wheeee! Joyeux Noel!

Anthropologie
33-34 Marylebone High Street
London, W1U 4PT

Navigating London Design Festival with a four month old baby on the blistering September city streets was no mean feat, but hell bent on getting my design fix during the design worlds version of fashion week, I was determined to make it work! Here are my highlights from the week’s festivities.

Newbie Taiwanese Studio IF ‘s striking chandeliers immediately caught my eye at Tent London with its simple and intuitive beauty. Delicate copper and glass combined to create ethereal clouds of bubbles which when used with a pulley system lit up in a whimsical sequence.

British designer Sue Pryke launched a covetable collection of hand-carved Oak chopping boards with leather details in collaboration with outdoorsy brand Wild and Wood, I love their stylish simplicity.  Prices start from £30.

Cute contemporary hand mirrors by Czech brand Oaza.

I wrote about being taken by illustrator Louise Wilkinson’s work last year when she had just launched her first collection, so it was lovely to rediscover her again at Tent. She exhibited a beautiful range of patterned textiles with a fun folksy feel which on closer inspection contained witty narratives hidden within!

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I was delighted yesterday when I received an email from the press office of a shop close to my heart. On the corner of peaceful Portland Road in London sits this gem of a kitchen and dining store stocking French provincial goods. Summerill and Bishop was a place I was sent to a lot when I was assisting on interior magazines to source beautiful cutlery, or antique linens.

I used to relish the time spent in there, being as hushed and sleepy as the store was. Anyway, as is the case with treasures of shops like these, they tend not to need great websites, however as the email informed me, they now have a online shop! For those of you who can’t visit this glorious shop, the website allows you to purchase gorgeous French oven to tableware, a vast range of Spanish and Portuguese cookware, antique French bistro glasses and so much more. My favourites have to be the deep shiny copper pans which are bound to make my cooking taste better!

It’s so great to see one of our favourite interior shops hit London! Brighton based contemporary lifestyle retailer The Lollipop Shoppe launches a new branch this month in Old Spitalfields market in the East End of London.

Designed by leading architects Found Associates, the store is spread over two stories and has been stripped back to its former Victorian glory, gently marrying the old and the very new. I can’t wait to take a peek in person!

With Easter fast approaching, it seems like I’ve got chocolate on the brain more so than usual. I couldn’t resist drooling over the website of London chocolatiers Melt. Their shop has a kitchen on site so you can see and smell the chocolates being made!

Specialities include sea salted caramel bon-bons, slabs of chocolate popcorn and raspberry and chocolate lollipops adorned in rose petals. Watch a blissful video of the store creating their chocolates here.