Michelle and Roz make biannual trips to London to visit Top Drawer Gift & Home Fair. It’s always a visual feast and the best thing is finding new and emerging brands to add to our Home department. This Sept, the Top Drawer offering was small but perfectly formed and we picked up several new exciting suppliers. Here’s Michelle’s report of our new discoveries…

Donna Wilson

One of the highlights were the delightful and imaginative creations of Donna Wilson. Known for her whimsical designs, her stand was a visual feast of plush toys, textiles, and ceramics (knitted cushion shaped like a rainbow cloud anyone?). We met Donna herself who invited us to explore and enjoy her wonderland of creations. Her collection is an artful blend of playfulness and craftsmanship & it’s clear her work goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about bringing joy and personality into our everyday lives, and we can’t wait to share these lovely products with you once they land in our Homeware department.  Also, Donna is a Scot – bonus! @donnawilsonltd

The Flora Lab

The wonderful smells wafting from this stand drew us straight over to the Flora lab Company where we met Sophie. Launched in 2020, Sophie excitedly told us all about her glorious products. The Flora Lab’s products, ranging from hand-poured soy candles, wax melts and diffusers are a celebration of nature’s beauty intertwined with thoughtful design. They combine natural plant waxes to the finest fragrance oils which are ethically sourced and cruelty free. The packaging is very pretty and has been specially designed by an artist called Emily Wainwright who is obsessed with all things botanical and has created a glorious floral branding for this company’s products. As the nights draw in, we think that the Flora Lab scents will give you a real sense of coorie. @thefloralab

Essential Design London

For those with a penchant for collecting rare and beautiful items Essential Design London vintage throws are a dream come true. A new company to us, the team at Essential Design London, takes a pride in using ethically sourced materials and sustainable production methods which means these throws are not only beautiful and unique but also responsible choices for your home. Roz and I enjoyed choosing a selection of throws in a variety of patterns and colours, each a work of art. Whether it’s a cosy evening by the fireplace or a decorative statement on your sofa you are sure to find the perfect one for you.

As well as discovering new suppliers, it is also exciting to find out what our current suppliers are adding to their ranges. From Ark Designs (who you might rememebr from a a previous Home Highlight) and Arthouse, who preset artistic talents of adults with complex neuro-diverse and physical support needs, we have our favourites that we like to return to.