Have you been to Carmel by Sea? It’s a fairytale, beachside town in California, a hop and a skip from San Francisco down Highway 1. It’s full of independent shops, gorgeous restaurants, ridiculously pretty architecture, stunning cliffs and the glorious beach. It’s a long way from Barnes, West London! We spent a few days there years ago as a family during a trip down Highway 1. An evening stroll to the beach led us to a group of people staring out at the sea as the sun went down. They had stopped to watch a pod of dolphins playing in the bay. It was a moment of quiet joy, peace and happiness in my life that I anchor on when things are far from joyous or peaceful.

Opening a retail store in my beloved Barnes, a place without the balmy weather of Carmel, but rivalling it for unusual charm, is a long-held dream of mine. I’ve worked in interior design for over 10 years, after careers in the charity sector and law, and raising a family. I have been both excited and overwhelmed by the massive choice of products for the home available on-line, from lighting and paint colours to fabric choices and furniture. I’ve also become increasingly frustrated that finding things for the home has either been driven on-line or to places that may produce lovely, well-priced goods, but ones you don’t know the environmental or human cost of. Don’t get me wrong, without these vast resources I’d probably still be trying to complete projects started 15 years ago. But what I miss is the joy of choosing things that resonate with me, that I can touch and feel. And I truly believe that it is vital to touch and feel things in person to make great choices of things which then do more than fill a home. Whether it is the weight of beautifully crafted cutlery from France in your hand, or the comfort of linen cushions, there simply is no substitute for choosing things for your home in person.

We are opening the doors to Carmel Church Road with the hope that we can bring some of the warmth, joy and quiet beauty that Carmel the town gave us all those years ago. We are excited to introduce wonderful textures, colours and craftsmanship to our clients and customers. You are so welcome to visit to see what we have found, pop in for a chat about interiors, check out our design book library or join us for a workshop.

Welcome to Carmel!