Well, for starters, I spoke to Lena Corner, who has just set up a company called Colour Flooring. It's a fledgling company - only two weeks old - but already it is drumming up good interest, not least in the studio today. We learned from the outset that, yes, vinyl flooring is - sort of - what you might have previously known as 'lino'. But expunge that four letter word from your mind. Lena and her business partner Bill sell beautiful block colour vinyl flooring - not, as Lena pointed out, the kind of vinyl flooring that typically is fashioned with images of stones (you know the type - pebbles upon pebbles, as if you're walking on the flattest of stony beaches) or fake wood. Up until two weeks ago, even if you wished you weren't, that's what you could have bought for your floor. Or very expensive rubber flooring. But now, aha! The niche in the market has been filled.
At £19 a square metre, it's less than half the price of what it would cost you to buy the rubber version. It's easy to lay - just glue it yourself (or if that makes you quake, it's something any builder could do with their eyes shut). You can order free samples. Plus, they have 'Brilliant White' which is something of a coup in the world of hip flooring. That's a phrase I've never used previous to this story, but I'm afraid I mean it. Hip flooring. There, I've said it again.
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Then it was a super speedy jaunt through Paul Smith Junior, the new collection for children.
very nice, £81
Obviously, the clothes are great - colourful, pretty much non-gendered, and good quality. But you know from my lengthy chat that I'm not one for designer clothes for smallies, but I feel it's my duty to let you know what's out there. PLUS as soon as people start to buy such things, those things appear on eBay. Which is where people like me come in.
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Next, a bit of independence with Out of Town, although it's very much in town. In Clerkenwell, it's a vintage shop AND cafe AND (soon) a bar too. Robert felt he'd utilize the bar while his wife shopped; I have the sense that I'd enjoy fueling my purchases with a dose of caffeine, always the giver of a dangerously cheery high, combined with a laissez-faire attitude towards money.
For sale: old maps, vintage furniture and accessories, the finest of threads. The website is still under construction, so I'll write about them again, with pictures, when everything's up and running, but the vintage stock is worth looking at in real life anyway. And I'm not interested in virtual cake.
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Vintage theme continued with the next sale from Kerry Taylor Auctions on 28th September. I'm always mentioning them; you can be assured of some serious pieces of vintage clothing, and all of fantastic quality. Have a look on their site for all the details if you're interested; the auction happens at Unit C21, 40 Martell Road, London SE21 - it'll be open on 26th September (12-4pm) and 27th (9.30am -5pm) for viewing, too.
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As always, we like a sample sale:
Margaret Howell happening in The Music Rooms on South Molton Lane on 23rd and 24th September, 9am-6pm
DSUK on Friday 1st October (12-9pm) and Saturday 2nd October (10am-7pm). I couldn't tell you where it was happening today - error, sorry. Chelsea Old Town Hall on the Kings Road is what I meant to say. For £5 entry fee, you can get up to 90% off major designers (Vivienne Westwood, Missoni et al)
If you listened to the show, you know there was more...that's going to come as a part II, not because I think it's any kind of a cliffhanger, just because the timing dictates (ie living in chaos).
Any thoughts or questions, let me know below!
Clare
