Design Notes

The idea to start a fancy homewares store for prelovable gems, came from an aversion to trolling through shelves crammed with unloved stuff. After traipsing around charity shops for many days/weeks, these are our Top 10 Tips to consider before buying secondhand or preowned homewares.

When Anna Wintour says preloved gifts are more than acceptable, then you know change is in the air.  With the alarming effects of climate change all around us and Christmas looming in the not-to-distant future, it’s worth taking a moment to consider moving your gift giving to secondhand.

In Korea, tea is associated with meditation; as you empty your cup, you empty your mind. While in England, the British love affair with afternoon tea has long left behind its origins of a snack to stop you fainting before supper arrives, to become the perennial delightful treat in an otherwise stressful world.

England wine has never really wowed the world with their wine, but that didn’t stop them from making the 2nd most important contribution to the wine industry … after the great ‘stomping on grapes’ revelation. I’m talking about the corkscrew; first patented by an English chap, Reverend Samuel Henshall in 1795.

The 70s are back in vogue. Seventies design was fun and sexy but still sophisticated. 70s style has inherent cheerfulness which gives much-needed relief amid the heavy weight of extraordinarily stressful times. It's natural we want little pops of retro colour and charm in our homes as reminders of simpler times.

Before buying your next chopping board, have a quick read of English children’s book, Babes in the Wood. A cautionary tale of the danger that lies beneath the surface. Plastic chopping boards are a petridish of potential infection, whereas wood boards magically vanquish these villians.