d*s reader carey is headed to london and needs our help with design shops to visit. any ideas? some of my favs are habitat and places and spaces. thanks for any tips!
hi there - aram on drury lane in covent garden is a great shop - www.aram.co.uk. also there is twentytwentyone on upper street in islington, along with a whole host of other gems - this is one of the best areas for great design shops - www.streetsensation.co.uk/islingtn/is_intro.htm . camden passage (just off upper street) has a host of antique shops/stalls as well. oh and liberty on regent street - www.liberty.co.uk - is a must. it is by far and away the best department store in london and has a fantastic selection of brilliantly unusual items from arts and crafts pieces to unique ceramics. enjoy your visit!
Agreed with anon -- MUJI is fabulous and the Conran shop is a must. The Kings Road in Knightsbridge is a good stroll. SoHo has its pockets and you MUST go to Liberty at Oxford Circus (tube stop). Oh and don't bother with Camden, so grimy these days but Portobello market (the Portobello Road) is fun on the weekends. If you've got time, hop on the train and go to Brighton. Loads'a fun.
Yup..I am going to join in and hammer home LIBERTY!!! heaven on earth...just the store-front sends shivers down my spine!
Also, Heals (original stockists of lucienne day etc), The Conran Shop (the best one IMO is just off Fulham Road)...worth walking through from there to Kings Road, and seeing Muji! And I love the V&A shop, and The British Museum shop for art and design books...
you HAVE to go to EAT MY HANDBAG BITCH (yes that's really the name, doesn't have anything to do with handbags). Great midcentury modern furniture and objects in pristine condition. 37 drury lane in covent garden area. http://www.eatmyhandbagbitch.co.uk/
i would have to recommend SELFRIDGES on oxford street as a one stop design shop - every dept is great, but especially the basement for interior accessories.
from selfridges you can walk up marylebone high street - its boutiques all the way if you go up through st christophers place. there you'll find marimekko, cath kidston, skandium, and another branch of the conran shop.
a bit of trek but quite nice is 'aria shop' in upper street islington.
i agree with everyone else that habitat & heals are great. if you go to tottenham court rd you have those two plus paperchase, purves & purves,cargo home, and the pier all in a row.
I haven't been in London for a couple of years but I think the Fulham Road is better than the Kings Road which has been completely taken over by cheesy fashion chain stores...
For inspiration and awe visit the John Soames House museum in Lincolns Inn fields. (free entry)
This 18thC architect created the most incredible house you'll ever see. Walls turn inside out to reveal galleries, tunnels contain ancient relics from Egypt and atriums flood the basement with natural light.
local artists and take up shop on sundays at spitalfields market on commerical road and the fashion up market right off of brick lane. both are on the east side, a short walk from the columbia flower market (also on sundays and totally worth checking out.) around the area as well are lots of great little shops worth checking out.
you can find some truly amazing pieces for some great deals. come with cash, however, since most are small vendors and don't take credit. and there's only one cashpoint in the area, with a 20-minute line you don't want to wait in.
23 Comments:
vessel in notting hill for great tabletop, glass and ceramics
hi there - aram on drury lane in covent garden is a great shop - www.aram.co.uk. also there is twentytwentyone on upper street in islington, along with a whole host of other gems - this is one of the best areas for great design shops - www.streetsensation.co.uk/islingtn/is_intro.htm . camden passage (just off upper street) has a host of antique shops/stalls as well. oh and liberty on regent street - www.liberty.co.uk - is a must. it is by far and away the best department store in london and has a fantastic selection of brilliantly unusual items from arts and crafts pieces to unique ceramics. enjoy your visit!
MUJI - several locations in central london including covent garden
LIBERTY of LONDON - just beautiful if pricey
CONRAN / Habitat stores
Purves & Purves 222 Tottenham Court Road
Agreed with anon -- MUJI is fabulous and the Conran shop is a must. The Kings Road in Knightsbridge is a good stroll.
SoHo has its pockets and you MUST go to Liberty at Oxford Circus (tube stop).
Oh and don't bother with Camden, so grimy these days but Portobello market (the Portobello Road) is fun on the weekends.
If you've got time, hop on the train and go to Brighton. Loads'a fun.
It's not a shop, but I highly recommend the Design Musuem, London. http://www.designmuseum.org/
And it does have a cute little shop.
Heals on Tottenham Court Road - handy for Habitat and Purves & Purves and other good shops.
The Design Museum
David Mellor Kitchen Shop (not just because my stepdad makes some of their chopping boards!)
Liberty is definitely worth a visit.
Enjoy!
oh, that is great! i am going to london as well in two weeks and your suggestions come in very handy to me too!! thank you!
Yup..I am going to join in and hammer home LIBERTY!!! heaven on earth...just the store-front sends shivers down my spine!
Also, Heals (original stockists of lucienne day etc), The Conran Shop (the best one IMO is just off Fulham Road)...worth walking through from there to Kings Road, and seeing Muji! And I love the V&A shop, and The British Museum shop for art and design books...
Hope you have a great time!! :)
Monsoon has great home accessories and beddings in select stores.
www.monsoon.co.uk
Here's the website for Monsoon Home.
Designers Guild!!
277 King's Road (Chelsea)
I don't know why this didn't show up before... but
Mint
Flow Gallery (she does exhibits and sells)
Design Museum (like the others said!)
Carden Cunietti
Columbia Road on a Sunday morning to see the Flower market and all the shops (stop by Treacle for a tiny cupcake)
Caira Mandaglio
Chair (Young British Designers) on Westbourne Grove
It's always nice to see the colors at Designers Guild
and then for like a cool interior eat at YAUATCHA.
you HAVE to go to EAT MY HANDBAG BITCH (yes that's really the name, doesn't have anything to do with handbags). Great midcentury modern furniture and objects in pristine condition. 37 drury lane in covent garden area.
http://www.eatmyhandbagbitch.co.uk/
Hi, there's a pretty good list of the interesting stuff here. Ben
We're headed to London in May and this is so helpful! We can't wait to check out these places!
i would have to recommend SELFRIDGES on oxford street as a one stop design shop - every dept is great, but especially the basement for interior accessories.
from selfridges you can walk up marylebone high street - its boutiques all the way if you go up through st christophers place. there you'll find marimekko, cath kidston, skandium, and another branch of the conran shop.
a bit of trek but quite nice is 'aria shop' in upper street islington.
i agree with everyone else that habitat & heals are great. if you go to tottenham court rd you have those two plus paperchase, purves & purves,cargo home, and the pier
all in a row.
There's the Crafts Council Gallery (also has a shop at V&A):
http://www.craftscouncil.org.uk/
Contemporary Applied Arts:
http://www.caa.org.uk/
Get Stuffed, 105 Essex Road, London - Taxidermists in London
I haven't been in London for a couple of years but I think the Fulham Road is better than the Kings Road which has been completely taken over by cheesy fashion chain stores...
LASSCO in Old Street or Battersea. They are architectural salvage specialists.
One of the most amazing places to visit, everything from church furniture, apothecary shops, cruise liner doors.
http://www.lassco.co.uk/
For inspiration and awe visit the John Soames House museum in Lincolns Inn fields. (free entry)
This 18thC architect created the most incredible house you'll ever see. Walls turn inside out to reveal galleries, tunnels contain ancient relics from Egypt and atriums flood the basement with natural light.
This is still a hidden gem (just!)
local artists and take up shop on sundays at spitalfields market on commerical road and the fashion up market right off of brick lane. both are on the east side, a short walk from the columbia flower market (also on sundays and totally worth checking out.) around the area as well are lots of great little shops worth checking out.
you can find some truly amazing pieces for some great deals. come with cash, however, since most are small vendors and don't take credit. and there's only one cashpoint in the area, with a 20-minute line you don't want to wait in.
Thanks to all for the tips....what great info!! I can't wait. Cheers! Carey
Post a Comment
<< Home