London is a hub for quirky, effervescent, unique shops, market stalls and charity outlets that sell a range of fantastic items for every room in the home. One place that I like show my personality is in the kitchen, and for this reason I have become an expert of some of the more cool, and occasionally wacky, shops in which to find some fabulous kitchenware to really stamp originality on my home.
Palmers Green (North London) offers a superb selection of charity shops where, if you take your time and peruse carefully, you can pick up some unique items for your kitchen which are unlikely to be found in your friends’ kitchens! Likewise Portobello Rd has some marvellous second hand stores which can lead to amazing discoveries that can add character to your kitchen without breaking the bank.
An expert in this field, Vincent from leading design company Increation shares the fact that:
“One of my favourite’s stores is Divertimenti. It’s a pleasure to spend time browsing and cooks heaven.”
Check out the shop the next time you are in town and I am sure you won’t be disappointed.
If money is no object then luxury stores such as Harrods and Liberty might have what you’re looking, as they juxtapose the traditional beside the unusual, creating ideas and must haves for all types of people. My favourite purchase of late was a moustache corkscrew from Liberty which always raises an eyebrow at dinner parties!
If you find yourself in Islington make sure to pay a visit to the Gill Wing Cook Shop – the proprietor used to run the Cookshop at Harrods. This delightful store offers possibly one of the best kitchenware range in the city and caters for all types and tastes. The reason I am drawn here time and time again is because of the vast knowledge that the stop manager and assistants possess – no question goes unanswered and they really can help with any and all of your kitchenalia needs.
Covent Garden market still holds a host if unusual finds for the kitchen and taking a stroll up Kensington High street or Oxford Street will lead you to Urban Outfitters – true, they’re mainly a clothing retail outlet but on occasion they stock some fab kitsch items that can really brighten up a kitchen.
If you want to give your dinner parties a Japanese twist, head along to the Japan Centre on Regents Street where a fascinating choice of Miso bowls, chopsticks and Sukiyaki pans await you. Once you have all the utensils that you need to cook Japanese food, they can also supply some of the key ingredients to help you make a fabulous meal.
Finally, to really put a piece of London next to your breadbin you may want to consider a trip to the one of London’s major museums. Once you have finished marvelling at the beautiful works of art you can investigate the shop – you’ll be surprised at the number of kitchen items that you can collect, from aprons to eccentric tea towels!
This post is brought to you by Increation.