tiles – Stylitz

This week I found myself with an hour to kill between appointments in central London and rather than opting for the classic time filler (a whip around Topshop’s flagship store) I popped into Liberty’s. Eschewing the usual choice of the second floor fashion department, I decided to ride those gorgeous wooden lifts up one extra floor. And I am so pleased I did. The third floor houses all manor of fabulous things from adorable childrenswear to stylish gifts, trendy tomes to colourful fabrics. I loved it so much I spent most my hour taking pictures so that I could share it all with you. Here’s a little guided tour of what caught my eye…

It’s a Taschen fashion haven in the book department. The hilarious illustrated ‘Man Meets Woman’ by Yang Lin (£10) makes a great little gift.

Frames and crockery – from the colourful to the kitsch.

Fabulous retro phones and kooky clocks (Milk Bottle clock, £40)

Add colour and print to a games room with these classic sets.

Rory Dobner’s macabre letter tiles would bring gothic drama to a bathroom or kitchen (tiles, £39.50 each). I love the use of neon lighting in the store too.

Ditsy florals – the famous Liberty print adorns plates, aprons and kitchenware. Also check out the paper floral installation by Zoe Bradley (zoebradley.com)

Everybody loves rhubard and custard (Sweets, £6.95 a jar, Flowers of Liberty)

Get inspiration for this season’s 70s trend in the fabric department – a printed paradise. I love how colour co-ordinated these bold textiles are.

And finally (if you’re feeling generous) a little designer childrenswear to treat a mini one

So next time you have an hour to spare in central London or need to buy a unique gift for that difficult to please friend (we all have one) then you really should pop to Liberty London. What’s most amazing is the grand setting and stunning wooden interior. As a fellow shopper merrily remarked in the lift, ‘Ah Liberty’s! Couldn’t you just live here’. Yes, indeed I could!

Liberty, Regent Street, London, W1B 5AH. http://www.liberty.co.uk

We’re nearing the end of January and whilst another month of winter is still ahead I feel that spring is almost within reach. Also in London we have been very lucky of late and have been treated to some beautiful bright crisp days. I have been making the most of these and getting out whenever possible and I encourage you to do the same. Take the opportunity today or this weekend to wrap up in a warm coat and woolly scarf and venture out in the open air. And I know it may seem obvious, but whilst you’re out take a look around. Last week I took these photos of my local London park, Tooting Common. As you can see by the shadows these were taken in the late afternoon. I find the low, warm winter light at this time of year stunning. It makes everything incredibly photogenic!

Above pictures all taken on Tooting Common

On another day of observational exploring I started noticing the features on the surrounding Tooting houses. Having studied fashion design at University I am often inspired by details, be it textures, patterns or colour combinations. This is something that has stayed with me in my work as a stylist and I regularly note clever pairings or interesting decorations along with the more traditional fashion-focused outfit spotting. As you can see you never know what you may find on your doorstep or how it will inspire your work or an outfit in the future. Happy exploring!