A Design-Lover’s London Gifting Guide

As a festive feel begins to fill the air, we’ve found our minds wandering to all the pleasures of the season. From nippy evening walks under Christmas lights, to every manner of comforting culinary delights, the wonderment is building. But – as is the to-do list. So, we’re here to take a bit of pressure off in the shopping department, with a design-lover’s London guide to the twelve days of gifting…

 

SCP

SCP is a stalwart of good design. You won’t find flash or gimmick in this pared-back Curtain Road shop – just original, quality objects with that distinctive East London cool. The result is an absolute treasure trove of Christmas gifts for design-lovers.

 

 

ARAM Store

If you’re in the market for sleek and simple Modern beauties, ARAM Store is the place for you. You’ll have your pick of big-ticket design classics and creative home accents to gift, depending on just how much you like the recipient in question…

The Conran Shop

The Conran Shop is a classic for those doing their Christmas shopping in London. With design great, Terrence Conran kicking it off, you can be sure there’s nothing but quality and ingenuity here. From iconic furniture designs to smaller delights like ceramics and toiletries that are almost too beautiful for use, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for everyone on the list.

 

 

Choosing Keeping

Choosing Keeping is a stationary shop, first and foremost – but truly, it’s so much more than that. It’s got that warm, festive feel to it, with wrapping accoutrements and Christmas decorations to appease your wildest dreams, as well as smaller gifts like beautifully unique pens and notebooks. Presentation is everything, so they say, and Choosing Keeping offers all you need to make a real impact with any gift.

Petersham Nurseries

Petersham Nurseries is a world of its own. For the full experience, visit their sublime restaurant just off Richmond Park and finish with a stroll through the shop. Here you’ll encounter a collection of Indian antiques, feather-light blown glassware, and of course, a jungle of plants. You’ll find yourself in a dizzying display of design gifts and objects d’art with a true sense of history and character.

 

 

twentytwentyone

twentytwentyone has the intimate feel of a top-end vintage furniture shop with a truly bewildering mix of twentieth-century heroes and leading-edge contemporary designs. Since 1996 they’ve been sourcing the best of the best, building an ever-evolving emporium of design chock-full with some of the most inspiring interior design gift ideas.

Pantechnicon

Pantechnicon is a wonderfully eclectic gathering of Nordic and Japanese design objects. The shop spans two floors of this multi-faceted playground of delights. There’s even a rooftop bar, a Nordic restaurant, a vaulted cellar serving Japanese dishes, and a spectacular sake bar to help smooth over the shopping process.

 

 

Pentreath & Hall

Pentreath & Hall is a veritable cornucopia of creative gifts for the home. You’ll stumble upon spellbinding home accents in electrifying hues and rich materials. If you’re at the end of your rope and you’re not sure where you’ll ever find something for that one tough nut on the list, Pentreath & Hall is your saving grace for unique Christmas gift ideas.

8 Holland Street

8 Holland Street is home to a curated collection of design-forward finds. Here you’ll be met with Modern masterpieces alongside contemporary works of craft and hand-picked antiques. Founder, Tobias Vernon has fostered a deeply personal feel throughout his locations in Kensington and Somerset, alongside pop-ups with Sotheby’s and Anya Hindmarch. Without a doubt, 8 Holland Street is worth a stop if you’re looking for a particularly special gift.

 

 

Japan House

Japan House is a wonderland of traditional Japanese craft and cutting-edge creativity – as well as home to some of the best Christmas gifts in London. With a running programme of cultural exhibitions popping up in the space and a world-class sushi restaurant, you’re bound to leave this London Christmas shopping expedition with a joyful pep in your step.

Design Museum Shop

You may know the Design Museum as 2018’s European Museum of the Year, and rightfully so. Certainly go for the exhibitions, but don’t skimp on the giftshop when you do. Here you’ll find a fantastic array of art and design books, incredibly cool fashion capsules, and top-notch design objects. There really is no end to the delights of the Design Museum!

 

 

Tom Faulkner

We always love visitors in our London showroom, and it would be a joy to welcome you for a browse through our design accessories. The Capricorn and Ava Candlesticks are perfect for a design-forward festive feast. Or if you’re more in the market for a timeless keepsake, the Murano glass Lily Paperweight is always a winner. For something a little more substantial, you can’t go wrong with the strikingly angular Galena Vase. So, we hope to see you in our Chelsea showroom, even if it’s just to come in from the cold and say hello!

 

 

 

 

Text by Annabel Colterjohn