Because there’s no place quite like the Great British high street – from its niche independents, to seasonal Pop Ups and those expansive yet elegant department stores – Because Magazine is on a mission to champion the bricks-and-mortar of London in all its glory. Each week, we’ll beeline to the rails of our favourite retailers to scope out the must-have pieces and in-store exclusives that are more than worth making an effort for. This week, we're on Hackney Road to uncover DESIGN & THAT’s inaugural London store.
Opening their doors early July, interior design studio and store, DESIGN & THAT, have set tongues of design aficionados wagging for their contemporary-cool offering.
Curated by founder and interior architect Emma Shone-Sanders, the edit features classic and modern furniture, lighting, lifestyle and home accessories, while the space invites you to harness technical expertise and design advice.
Working with local artists and designers, the East London born-and-bred brand stay true to their roots through championing pieces they love from their stomping ground. However, with a penchant for design of different cultures, the brand also casts its net further afield to feature well-known names from the global scene, like Stockholm-based Mass Productions, Scandinavian-based Norr11, and Copenhagen-based Ferm Living.
Desperate to know where to start with matters of the home, we asked Emma to select three products that light up her heart...
What… Nomad chair.
Because… “The Nomad chair by Danish-based Nor 11 is a modern take on a traditional Moroccan wicker chair; it has bamboo wicker with beautiful con-yak leather on the headrest and seat. Nor 11 as a brand is quite a special one, because they use the best manufacturers and everything that they produce is exceptional quality and craftsmanship. We love Nor 11 as a brand and particularly this piece!”
What... Candles by Evermore.
Because… “Evermore is a sustainable candle brand, founded by Sarah Bell in her home studio in 2014. While she was hand pouring in her studio, she noticed there was a gap in the market for a luxury sustainable candle brand. And so the whole product is recyclable – from the cardboard packaging to the black glass. It is inspired by nature, the seasons and the skies. They all smell great and if I were going to pick one it would be citrus and grapefruit because it has quite a nice, light, citrus and fruity smell. I think it's a beautifully designed product; they all smell beautiful and it's sustainable so it's a really nice ethos to the brand as well as looking and smelling great.”
What... Dandy Sofa.
Because… “The sofa is by a Swedish-based furniture brand, Massproductions – it was set up by British Chris Martin and Swedish Magnus Eleback who designed this piece. We love it because it’s beautiful and really sculptural as a piece. The Dandy sofa is cream boucle by Pierre Frey and comes in a range of different leg finishes: you can get it in black, walnut or a stain dash, but we love it in this cream. It's really nice because it's on a curve so its quite sociable; if you are sitting in a group or you are entertaining you can sit next to each other. It's a bit of an art piece as well.”
Support bricks-and-mortar: visit DESIGN & THAT’s store at 61 Hackney Road, Shoreditch, London E2 7NX, or you can shop online via designandthat.com.
Unveil more of London's brick-and-mortor:
+ Store Stories: Riley Studio
+ Store Stories: Earl of East
+ Store Stories: Belstaff
