Monday blues-buster

Design for good.

Ahead of Fairtrade Fortnight (25th February - 12th March) comes this interesting project by children's book author and illustrator Chris Haughton who wrote 'A Bit Lost', featuring the owl, above left.

The idea behind Node Rugs is to connect a network of groovy designers and artists with traditional Nepalese carpet makers to create beautiful handmade rugs. Here's a short video showing how it all happens.

I like the premise because it acknowledges the fact that people want to do the right thing (fair trade), but maybe don't want to buy something that looks like it was picked up on a gap year. These ones definitely don't... and have been created by designers such as Marimekko illustrator Sanna Annukka and textile star Donna Wilson. 

The rugs will be exhibited at '18 rugs x 18 artists' at the Design Museum in March, for more info click here. 

Indie of the Week #10: Roost Living

Flying the flag for Britain is Laura Binns of Roost Living, born in England but brought up in Australia, she only sells things that have been designed and made here. Passionate about craft and interiors she has been supporting British designer/makers, such as Nadia Sparham and Rory Dobner, through her online shop for the past six years. 

Who are you? I’m Laura Binns from Roost Living, a curated collection of homeware designed and made in the UK.

Where can we find you? Online at www.roostliving.com; Twitter; Facebook; Pinterest.

Describe your store in five words: Beautiful handmade products for the home

What makes you different? The selection of products is out of the ordinary, it brings together some of the best designer makers in the UK plus a few more up and coming ones too.  Many of the products are designed exclusively for Roost Living so you won’t find them anywhere else.

How you decide what makes the cut? It has to be beautiful and it has to be made in the UK.

What were you doing before you did this? I was a PA, so completely different – but always working in the creative industries.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Plan Plan Plan!  I think I went into it all a little blind and without a grand plan. But with planning comes vision and direction, I’ve learnt that now.

What are you most proud of? I feel very proud whenever there is great press. It always makes me stop and think wow, here is this thing that I have created, and the press think it’s pretty good. That is a great feeling.

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Has to be Fliff’s Golden Hare Butter Dish and Sugar Bowl – elegant, but a bit quirky at the same time. 

What's hot for 2013? Great designers coming up including Tori Murphy, Richard Brendon’s Reflect cups and saucers, plus more great designers yet to be revealed... watch this space.

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

Love tokens

Bone china rings by Moko Sellars at SCP. Quietly placing a little question mark over the association between diamonds and love. Brilliant.

Monday blues-buster

Delighted by the news that the BAFTA for visual effects went to Life Of Pi. Saw this in 3D last month and it was mind blowing. With its lush colours and wildly imagined digital scenes featuring humpback whales, schools of shimmering fish and a Bengal tiger called Richard Parker it's the perfect antidote to the gloomier months. If you still haven't seen it... go (we'll talk about the ending later).

Indie of the Week #9: The Mint List

The Mint List is furrowing a path to interestingness on the internet. If you are looking for something a bit different you will certainly find it here. Since September 2012, Camilla Kelly has been selling items on behalf of eccentric antique dealers, and carpenters working out of barns in Wales, who might otherwise not be seen online. "It has quite a tailored feel to it," she says, with some understatement, of the items which range from tables to taxidermy. Yep, those are squirrel lights (see below).

Who are you? Camilla Kelly, of The Mint List.

Where can we find you? Online www.themintlist.com; Facebook; Twitter; Pinterest

Describe your store in five words: handpicked, offbeat, unusual, original homewares.

What makes you different? Quality control. Every single one of our pieces is unusual, hard-to-find and in most cases unique, but even though each of our items has stand-out appeal, they all sit together well as a one strikingly eclectic collection. When you buy something from us it's a certainty you're friends are going to ask where you got it from. We've put in the hard work finding independent sellers offering hard-to-find vintage, antique and designer finds so that style enthusiasts can now shop online from one well-curated, easy to use website. We also do wedding gift lists and couples can spend their gift money by shopping directly with our artists, antique shops and design studios so because of this our partners [sellers] are not solely vetted on their creative credentials - we make sure they're lovely people too.

How do you decide what makes the cut? It's hard to say exactly what draws me to products we sell. Having grown up in the antiques industry, I have a genuine love of all things antique and vintage and I think that reflects in the pieces.  I want to emulate the joy that you get from stumbling across a wonderfully stylish item in a french flea market, a salvage yard or an unknown artist's gallery; that excitement of knowing you've found a real gem that you can't wait to take home. Every item that goes on the site should evoke that feeling, whether it be an artwork a china plate or a piece of furniture.

What were you doing before you did this? I worked in advertising, specifically commercial TV production. 

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Slow down, not everything needs to happen all at once. Make sure you get one thing working properly before you move on the next.

What are you most proud of? All of our partners [sellers] have something completely original to bring the the site and I'm proud to have found such an incredible collection of creative individuals.

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? I think it would have to be Daniel Heath's antique mirrors etched with hand-drawn imagery of birds and foliage. These can be inscribed with personal messages or dates. So romantic.

What's hot for 2013? Bold, colourful design pieces like Melanie Porter's upcycled, vintage cinema seats reupholstered with brightly coloured knitted wools - seriously cool and incredibly cheerful too. If you had these in your home you couldn't help smiling all day long.

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

Monday blues-buster

All photographs by Michael Franke

I love it when something just jumps out at you like Christopher Jenner's design for perfumer Penhaligon's store on Regent Street. It's a kaleidoscopic blast of jewel-like colours and geometric madness. Done in the designer's signature pointillist style, and inspired by the Aesthetic Movement, it's a rare instance, for me anyway, where more really is more. 

Check out this great little high-speed film about London architecture which I found on his website - this guy sees patterns everywhere.

Indie of the Week #8: Papa Stour

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

Former London interiors stylist Rosie Brown has been championing the work of Scottish designers and makers for the past eight years. She set up Papa Stour - an online showcase for local craftsmen - after moving back to Scotland to sort out her work/life balance. It's the kind of company the internet was made for, giving these products an audience way beyond national borders. Brown has also refurbished, and rents, a holiday cottage called Callakille so you can live out your Highland fantasy, if only for a week.

Who are you? Rosie Brown of Papa Stour

Where can we find you? Online at www.papastour.com

Describe your store in five words: finest contemporary scottish craft & design

What makes you different? Papa Stour is a curated collection of work by designer/ makers based in Scotland. We like people to think about how they source homeware and gifts and we offer beautiful handcrafted work at affordable prices.

How do you decide what makes the cut? Our artists are often Art School graduates based in their own studios all around Scotland, they produce fresh designs and a quality product which we feel shows off the finest of Scottish design. Our Collections show pieces which we believe would look fabulous in any home.

What were you doing before you did this? I graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone Art School (Printed Textiles) and Glasgow School of Art (MA). I was then a freelance stylist based in London working with interiors editors at magazine such as Elle Deco and Living etc. I loved London, but returned home to Scotland to get the right work/life balance.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Planning is all important, make a date to regularly review how you are doing. It's too easy to focus on what you are doing and not how you are doing it - take a step back and you'll get lots new ideas.

What are you most proud of? I set up Papa Stour in 2005, and it has continued to grow from 20 artists (many of whom are still with us) to over 60. We are proud to support them and delighted when we can get them national and international press coverage and awareness. We're also proud to get mentions such as The Sunday Times Style section saying we are one of the online retailers: "revolutionising the way we kit out our homes".

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Ooh... a luxurious handmade suede Kindle case which is handcrafted using local leather and lined with charcoal coloured felt. It's fun because it's embroidered with a graphic embroidery motifs in sign language to spell out the word B -O - O - K.

What's hot for 2013? We love the fresh colour in Yoke's bright prints such as Hello Sunshine, the ethereal quality of Elin's hand blown glass work and Sharon's beautiful wooden Key Hooks which are sculpted using the shape of the wood so each is unique and unusual. 

Monday blues-buster

The early bird catches the worm, and crazy winter morning sunrises. After years of iPhone pics I'm enjoying messing about with a proper camera again.

"For me, design is not about the latest new thing it's about trying to define what enduring quality is".

Stephen Bayley

Indie of the Week #7: Ben Pentreath

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

Ben Pentreath is an architectural designer who set up his eponymous shop just off Lamb's Conduit Street, in Bloomsbury, in 2008, with his friend the decorative artist Bridie Hall. The pair sell well designed, beautiful and often quite unusual things that are not easily found elsewhere. They also run an interior design service and last year Ben published this book. 

Who are you? Bridie Hall, Creative Director of Ben Pentreath Ltd

Where can we find you? Ben Pentreath Ltd, 17 Rugby Street, London WC1N 3QT; 020 7430 2526; www.benpentreath.com; Facebook; Twitter

Describe your store in five words: Good things for the home.

What makes you different? We only stock what we would like to own ourselves, and normally do own ourselves.

How you decide what makes the cut? Whether or not we could live with it ourselves.

What were you doing before you did this? I was a specialist painter.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Be confident in what you are doing and just get on with it!

What are you most proud of? The reaction we get from customers who are fans of what we do.

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? The Tiny Trays by The John Derian Company.

Take six things

Put them together and you've got a drawing machine. Wind it up and this little doodlebug rolls around making swirling patterns as it goes. It's a cheerful companion and an essential piece of kit for the professional procrastinator. It's made by Ed for his company All Lovely Stuff. 

Monday blues-buster

Who wouldn't want to live in a world where you can buy your pet mouse their own miniature Fender to rock out on.

Indie of the Week #6: The Hambledon

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

The Hambledon has been described as Winchester's answer to Liberty and it's easy to see why. This urban outpost is a haven of highly covetable homeware, beauty products and fashion which have been hand-picked to fit a certain aesthetic and customer. It's the kind of place where people don't just like it, they love it.

Who are you? Victoria Suffield, owner of The Hambledon.

Where can we find you? 10 The Square, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 9ES and online www.thehambledon.com

Describe your store in five words: Friendly, varied, inventive, funny and serious.

What makes you different? We're sort of ploughing our own furrow. We're a bit like a department store but we just sell what we like. We're obsessive about the look of shop. And we're very enthusiastic.

How you decide what makes the cut? We have to really love something. And we like to have an imaginary mood board for the season when we start buying. We then try to shoe horn things to fit our mental image. Spring is all about soft colour with flashes of neon. 

What were you doing before you did this? My mum has always had a shop (The Hambledon Gallery, Dorset) so I was brought up with retail. I've worked as an art dealer, for a film company and had a mail order business but there is nothing better than good old fashioned shop keeping.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Try not to fret, don't procrastinate and buy the bloody building.

What are you most proud of? Most of the time I'm pretty proud of the shop as a whole and I work with the most lovely, lovely group of people. It's not really for me to be proud of them but I am! And we're still here, 13 years later.

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Womenswear for Spring is just being delivered and it's very, very pretty. We're all looking at quite hefty personal orders!

What's hot for 2013? I'm loving new paper cups and plates from France- geometric designs and subtle colours. Roll on the grown-up party.

Monday blues-buster

Frosty mornings - and a reminder that nature is often the best source of inspiration for bold, graphic prints. I could happily live with this printed on a fabric.

Indie of the Week #5: Solid ID

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

I stumbled across Solid ID at Design Junction last September when my eye was caught by the fabulous anchor light shown above. It just seemed a really fun and playful way to show what you can create through the re-use of materials and the re-imagining of what things could be. Perhaps I should have guessed there was a Dutchman behind it (I'm married to one) as they are known for their ebullient approach to design/life. Eelke Jan Bles is from The Netherlands, but now lives in Spitalfields, and Solid ID is his quirky shop on London's Fulham Road. 

Who are you? Eelke Jan Bles of Solid ID.

How can we find you? 273 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9PZ, online Solid ID, or on Pinterest.

Describe your store in five words: Off-beat goods for the home.

What makes you different? We source and curate our collection of individually designed items with care and a quirky eye.

How you decide what makes the cut? The main proposition is: we only sell what we like and or would have in our own homes. As long as items sit well together, being old or new does not matter, they just need to talk the same language.

What were you doing before you did this? I started my professional career as an interiors and food photographer. I own bespoke floor company Solid Floor and I also work as an interior designer and am very passionate about contemporary art.  Solid ID is a natural progression of what I have done previously.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? To have more patience and to be bolder.

What are you most proud of? The bestselling items in the store have been those we have individually designed or re-worked ourselves: the flower cage lamp, the hand painted storage jars and the resin topped butcher tables. It’s really gratifying to see that these pieces have had such a resonance with our customers.

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Vintage butcher tables with cool resin tops.

What's hot for 2013? Vintage re-invented with a bit of colour. Heritage pieces paint dipped and re-worked to suit a modern interior.

Monday blues-buster

Something very satisfying about these plates - not just the strong red, white and blue colour combo, or the cute, whimsical illustration - but the fact that they're from the original purveyors of twee chinaware: Royal Doulton. I love it when heritage brands shake off the old and embrace the new, in this case with illustrations by Karolin Schnoor.

This collection will be debuting at Home next week, along with lots of other lovely interiorsy things. Happy New Year!

Indie of the Week #4: Jane Newbery

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

I was wandering around the leafy streets of Dulwich in South East London recently with friend who directed me to this little gem. Owner Jane Hole sells an interesting, and very tactile, collection of interiors items and accessories on the ground floor and art from the gallery downstairs. It's exactly what a local shop should be - curated with care and a joy to visit. 

Who are you? Jane Hole of Jane Newbery

Where can we find you? 33 Dulwich Village, London SE21 7BN. Online at Jane Newbery. 

Describe your store in five words: Clear, cohesive, colourful, thought-through design.

What makes you different? The eclectic mix: from Fatboys to Beatrix Potter - something for everybody.  

How you decide what makes the cut? I buy what I like and in general the item has to have beauty and function. 

What were you doing before you did this? I was an English teacher in my previous life.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? I would have enjoyed my summer holidays and told myself not to panic during the quiet time in August.

What are you most proud of? Writing a convincing business plan and managing my cash-flow. 

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? The set of Beatrix Potter hanging ornaments. 

What's hot for 2013? Orwell & Goode lampshades - especially the hare design (pictured below, right). 

Monday blues-buster

Santa caught napping in the Selfridges Christmas windows on Oxford Street ahead of his big week.

Indie of the Week #3: The Original Pop Up Shop

Every Wednesday 'Indie of the week' celebrates the best independent stores around. These places sell interesting and varied collections of design-related things you don't see everywhere else. They may support young or local designers or be great at finding unique things from around the world. By thinking a little more creatively about what they stock they are fighting the bland homogenisation of so much of the high street. And since I'm down with the realities of modern life, online only stores count too, because a beautiful and easy to use website is just as delightful an encounter in cyberspace.

Do you you have a favourite store?  I'd love to hear from you.

Ever wondered what ice-cream parlours are used for in winter? This enterprising trio have come up with the perfect seasonal solution.

Who are you? Louise, Carol & Meryl of The Original Pop Up Shop

Where can we find you? At our pop up Christmas shop, now until the 21st December, at the Riverside Parlour, Tolney Lane, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1DA. Online at The Original Pop Up Shop; on Facebook; and on Twitter

Describe your store in five words: Festive, inspiring, timeless, crafty and original of course!

What makes you different? We started out life as a pop up shop three years ago transforming our family ice-cream parlour into a festive wonderland for the five weeks leading up to Christmas. Out go the freezers and in come the decorations, wreaths and locally grown Christmas trees, last year we launched online so we're a kind of online pop up shop too, that's quite different I think.

How you decide what makes the cut? Planning for each Christmas collection seems to start earlier every year and we always try to source unusual and beautiful products, often collaborating with little designer makers to come up with something a bit different. So we are often involved in the design process early on which means you've got to love it, or it's just no fun.

What were you doing before you did this? We are all still working full time in other jobs, so this is a project that we all fit around that. Carol runs the ice-cream parlour for the remainder of the year, Meryl is in finance and Louise is a freelance stylist in Sydney, Australia.

If you were starting again what advice would you give yourself? Trust your instincts a bit more and remember that it's all a massive learning curve so don't be too hard on yourself when things don't always go to plan.

What are you most proud of? The fact that we have managed to achieve what we have with one third of the team half way round the world, a really small budget and lots of determination.

Do you have a favourite thing in the store right now? Probably our hand printed Santa sacks and the super cute 'decos' by Abbie Brown - love them!

What's hot for 2013? We are loving our multi coloured felt ball garlands and can see them being strung up not just for Christmas but all year.

Monday blues-buster

A moody start to the week. I took this off the coast of Northern Ireland and love the way the sun streams majestically through the clouds.