You may have seen I asked the lovely people of Tete a Tat to answer the following questions:
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
Something under £100?
Flog a dead horse? Me? That is exactly what I am going to do, but with a slight twist and ask the fine people of Knock Knock to keep it in the realms of the home.
Founder of Lines London, Miranda Porter
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
I’d like an extension to my tiny mews house that would equal the size of my tiny mews house, and would only comprise a dressing/ faffing space. I’d have all my vintage displayed and know where all my shoes were. Heaven.
Something under £100?
It’s been a bit of year, so many awful things seem to have happened that it’s hard to think of one in isolation. However, the explosion in Beirut, and subsequent swell of support, I found both heartbreaking and heartening. One person who was an education through this was Petra Palumbo, creator of the pretties glassware going, and this Christmas she’s created a scented candle, with all going to Beit el Baraka, a non-profit which offers help to families and older people in Lebanon who are struggling to afford living expenses, so I’d like one of those, please.
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
I wish I lived in a country where I could make use of this next gift idea year-round. This is called the “Oraculo” carpet, a tailor-made circular rug for your tree. It was inspired by a trip to Senegal after spending time with a community and seeing families gather under a tree for shade at meals times or just to be together. Made out of the finest Spanish esparto, I daydream about eating a picnic, reading, snoozing or just looking up at the sky on one of these beauties, 10% of each purchase goes to @Foundawtion, for the construction of a school in Thionck Essyl, Senegal. doradaar.com/
Something under £100?
Alice Wawrik of By-Alice.co.uk has a wonderful selection of sourced and vintage treasures for your home as well as some pieces she’s collaborated on with makers and artisans. I love this delicate carafe and matching glass (£40) for your bedside table, it’s been hand-painted in the U.K blown glass with different flowers you would find on a walk in the British country side. @by_alice_home.
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
Ok, what I am eyeing up for my garden this summer in Dorset is this old school retro-swing seat in the blue stripe but they have all sorts of colourways.
Love the kitsch and comfort! - Sea Stripe, Garden Rocker, £3,897, Odd Limited.
Something under £100?
I met Lizzie Scarlett by showing pieces through the New Craftsmen as she works there. When she isn’t working there she makes ceramics and quilts amongst other things. The quilts are wonderful and quite contemporary but over £100, but her ceramics start at £20.
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
My dream piece of furniture is this beauty of a cabinet that I missed out on in an auction and then saw in Drew Pritchard It has now sold but for me, it is one of those pieces you can’t forget. It dates from 1830 and you can open the doors to find painted storks and 8 small drawers. A perfect cabinet of curiosities.
Something under £100?
And for a piece a little more in reach, I recently came across @pollyannajohnsonceramics and I want to buy everything in her new shop. She is an unbelievably talented artist and this plate got me. It’s definitely something I need to be told sometimes.
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
‘Apples, Glass and Knife’, £4,500.
Picasso and Paper was the last exhibition I saw pre-lockdown at the RA. I'd hang it (ideally in my dream cottage in Cornwall) as a reminder of how important (and how forgotten by the government) the arts were in 2020.
Something under £100?
Freight in Lewes is my mecca. I've been eyeing up this pepper mill for years. Made in the UK, simple beautiful design, built to last - It would bring me joy every time I used it. Brushed nickel pepper mill, £65
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
I am a great fan of room dividers, My flat has large rooms but not very many of them and so our dining/ TV room triples as a spare bedroom and my studio. Its often messy, too large too feel cosy and with whole wall doors to the sitting room and normal-sized doors to our bedroom and the kitchen and one can feel exposed when lying on the sofa bed! This one is eye wateringly expensive but one of the prettiest I have found, Mid-Century Swedish Bamboo Screen Room Divider, 1950s, £4,532
Something under £100?
I love these little wooden birds, my mother has them perched on shelves and on top of a mirror, Janusz wooden painted bird, £4.50
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
As well as a trip to the moon, an enormous hall with panelled walls in Rachel Dein botanical casts.
Something under £100?
A replacement glass light mill in green, but equally happy with one in pink. Such a pointless object, but a beautiful one offering so much within it’s spinning vacuums bubble, Green Light Mill, £50
Antiques Dealer, Lori Inglis Hall
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
My dream Christmas gift would be a Roger Fry Omega Workshop toy camel, as pictured here in Vanessa Bell and Winifred Gill’s ‘Model Nursery’. I’m not sure any even exist anymore, so perhaps more of a fantasy than a dream!
Something under £100?
My more realistic choice (although still very desirable) is this one-of-kind butter dish by Sussex potter Yolanda Beer, which would look absolutely perfect on my Christmas table.
Anything in the world, not matter the price?
Over the years in finance, I always kept up painting classes therefore what I long for the most is space to have an easel up and paints handy the whole time: so I have no excuse but to keep practising. There is absolutely no space in my flat so a studio at the bottom of the garden would be a dream!
Something under £100?
I love books for providing endless inspiration. Top of my wish list at the moment is Textiles of the Islamic World which looks like it has the most fabulous colours and patterns.