Interiors Therapy

After two hours of crowd-wrestling in Chinatown yesterday, I escaped with my chum to the *quiet* of Regent Street, where we ducked in to Zara Home and Libertys.

I had heard a great deal about both vendors of splendour but I had not been to Libertys for about four years and had not investigated ZH since its opening over a year ago.

Obvious themes taken from both stores were:

• 'Organic' shapes in tableware, as well as a fascination with glazes and delicate ceramic work


• This also translated into the look of 'homemade' and 'handmade' in everything from bedlinen, tableware, wonky cutlery and big-stitched throws and cushions


• Crochet and lace. In ZH, they had even stiffened crochet into napkin rings and even starched charger/platter details, as well as embellishing towels, bedlinen and even laundry bins


• Tea, teacosies, mugs and teapots continue as a fascination, as well as baking and the eternal popularity of cupcake paraphenalia

This little apple peg board was gorgeous and also came in the similarly lovely red print at the bottom right.


I also loved their throws and cushions. Bedding and sheets were fearfully expensive, but this popper cushion, for example, was about £20 which I didn't think unreasonable considering the work. Was also a fabulous inspiration for all my patchwork squares.

Finally, a display at Liberty, for all those lovers of pattern and contrast out there. Yum Yum Yum, and if only I had the nerve!