Thought for the day.

First in an occasional series of bits and pieces we like.

THE OLDER WE GET

THE BETTER WE USED TO BE

There’s no other place like London for discovering innovative, sophisticated, one-of-a-kind design, be it fashion or furniture, jewellery or artwork. The Londonewcastle ethos is all about pioneering great design and the very best emerging talent, so here we share with you a selection of our favourite design stores across the capital, where you can get your hands on something rather special.

SCP Department Store Deserving of our top spot is SCP Department Store, with its flagship store in the heart of Shoreditch. A foray through the warehouse-style shop on Curtain Road uncovers everything from contemporary homeware and artwork to gifts and accessories, with glorious things such as Seletti neon lights, Peter Marigold shelving and Rob Ryan crockery to be found - and that barely scratches the surface. If you’re into Donna Wilson, then even better, because SCP stock an impressive range of her products, from her signature soft toys to especially commissioned, SCP-manufactured furniture. You can buy it all online too and those in West London needn’t worry about travelling east, because SCP has a second store on Westbourne Grove.

Tom Dixon Shop Skip across town to a perennial favourite - the Tom Dixon Shop in its tranquil location at Portobello Dock, Ladbroke Grove. Mainly showcasing the Tom Dixon lighting and furniture collection, the store has some other interesting gems that complement the home range. There are classic Adnet mirrors, embroidered products by social enterprise Fine Cell Work, which trains prisoners in needlework to help their skills and self esteem, Made in Nano tiles and tabletops, infographic homeware textiles by Stuart Gardiner, and Cire Trudon candles for a spot of indulgence, to name a few.

Dover Street Market Whether you’re planning to part with your cash or not, a visit to Dover Street Market is an experience in itself that every fashion fanatic should seek out. Six floors of carefully curated stock, pitching fashion icons such as Alexander McQueen beside lesser known emerging talent, make up the brainchild of Rei Kawakubo, of Commes des Garcons fame. It’s a department store-cum-market-cum-fashion addict’s dream. Be prepared to lose quite a bit of your day, and seek out Rose Bakery on the fourth floor to give your energy levels a delicious boost. We’ll wager you’ll need it!

Aram Store Positioned as ‘London’s best furniture store’, the Aram Store near Covent Garden is a stalwart of the contemporary furniture scene, and family-run too. Zeev Aram, with a little help from Terence Conran’s then-new venture, Habitat, started something of a design revolution in Chelsea back in the sixties, with his first tiny showroom on King’s Road. Today, the Aram Store, in its substantial, architect-designed warehouse space on Drury Lane, brings together innovative, cutting-edge design of the highest quality. The Aram Gallery on the upper floor holds some pretty interesting exhibitions too, with a focus on new techniques, experimental design practice, and fresh talent.

Fab UK

Fab UK Of course, we couldn’t ignore the internet altogether, so we’re throwing a new online design store into the mix. Fab UK is a carefully curated site that has grabbed our attention lately. The team previously known as Llustre, has been taken under the wing of existing design e-commerce business, Fab.com. Now it’s busy signing up some of the most sought after designers around, offering their products at discounted prices, presented as online ‘sales’ for defined periods of time. You have to sign up to be a member, but it’s completely free of charge and a no brainer really if you’re after something truly unique.

Folklore Our wild card, just because it’s brand new, is Folklore in Islington. Opened in January by husband and wife team Danielle and Rob Reid, the company was created on the premise that ‘better living is possible through design’. Well said, we say. Less is certainly more, not only in the design of the shop which features stripped floorboards and upcycled fittings galore, but also in the product range. Folklore sells homeware, lighting, art and lifestyle accessories that have a focus on high quality craftsmanship, be they antique, upcycled, recyclable, or brand new. Environmental sensitivity is another key attribute of their carefully selected ranges. One to watch we think.