Home comforts

FUN FAMILY DINING

We love these personalised street sign napkins, they make a great addition to any family table! Just provide your family name, postcode and area and leave the rest up to Johnny’s Sister to make a great gift. It’s the perfect present for new home owners, newlyweds or perhaps just to add your personal stamp to the dining table. £8 each | Personalised Street Sign Napkin www.jonnyssister.co.uk

LET THERE BE LIGHT!

How gorgeous is this beautifully crafted lamp designed by Anna Jacobs. Her inspiration comes from her original painting of a Ginkgo tree in ink, pencil and acrylic on plaster and board. The lampshade focuses on the stunning ink work and detail of the leaves, and is handcrafted in a colourfast canvas by craftspeople in Shropshire. The beautiful lamp base is handmade in crystal glass from the Norfolk coast. £249 | Ginkgo In Sunshine lamp on Sunshine Flex www.annajacobsart.com

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comforts BEAT THE WINTER BLUES BY REFRESHING YOUR HOME WITH COSINESS, HUMOUR AND COLOUR!

COLOURFUL CUSHIONS

These lovely cushions are made with a super soft cotton linen mix, and come complete with the cushion pad. We love the fairground themed fonts that have been used to create customised lettering. All of the cushion collections are proudly handmade in London and therefore, quite rightly, carry the authenticity of being ‘Made in the UK’! £29.99 |Showtime Cushions www.welovecushions.co.uk

MADE TO MEASURE

Add a splash of colour to your windows with a bright pair of curtains. Made from a blend of natural fibres including wool and flax, as well as recycled silk, this is an eco-friendly fabric that’s as good for the environment as it is for the home. The warm and textural fabric with a subtle three-tone mix feels luxurious and unconventional and will brighten up any room. Eco Curtains www.stitched.co.uk

CONCRETE COASTERS

Created during lockdown, these coasters were a happy mistake when Mr Concrete’s six year old asked if she could help Daddy with pouring concrete rather than doing her maths! Mr Concrete is happy to admit that he took inspiration from her original messy designs to make these hand poured splatter-effect coasters. The surface is smooth and feels truly luxurious to the touch and the coasters are made to endure. Each sit on a protective cork base. £32 | Set of 4 Black/Blush Splatter Concrete Coasters www.concreteandwax.com

COASTAL DINING!

We can’t get out much at the moment, so why not treat your family to some wonderful coastal themed dining! These seahorse bone china plates have a striking illustration that features an iconic sea creature and will remind you of days by the sea. The collection consists of eight beautifully illustrated sea creatures and crustaceans that will transport you straight to the ocean’s edge. Other matching coastal tableware is also available. From £17 | Blue and White Seahorse Plates www.creamcornwall.co.uk

THE ORIGINAL BRITISH MANUFACTURER OF THE SIMPLEX KETTLE

Lee Sheppard, Director of Newey Bloomer talks about this company’s copper kitchen essential

Frederick Bloomer and Charles Herbert Newey founded the company during the reign of Queen Victoria in 1850. From their workshop, they started out making anything in copper and brass from warming pans to fittings for Barber’s shops, and all things in between.

With the rise of tea drinking and the need for a safe way to boil smaller amounts of water, the two men designed the very first Simplex kettle in 1903.

Simplex kettles are still made to the original patent by the company, and even in today’s times, we make every single kettle by hand from the highest grade of copper. Each spout is lined with tin, delicately curved with an elegant bird’s mouth that ensures a smooth optimum flow, perfect for pour over coffee, as well as into a mug or pot.

The patented lid features an integral whistle, which is an ingenious design by Charles and Frederick, and today, we continue to manufacture to the same standards so that whistle still pipes up in kitchens all around the world. Every Simplex kettle is proudly hallmarked with ‘Made in England’.

It was Mark Bloomer who taught me everything about Simplex kettles, and I learnt every step of the production at his side, just as he had learned from his father and back through the generations. It’s hard work, and dirty, but we get a great sense of achievement when they are finally polished and boxed and ready to go to their final home!

I think what makes these kettles so special, is that every kettle is made by hand to the original patent registered in 1903. We select only the purest and finest copper and brass and spin by hand the traditional shape and ensure the centre seam is in the middle of the kettle. Not only is copper durable and resistant, but its timeless beauty will add a warm glow to any kitchen, and the chrome plated models fit comfortably in a contemporary setting.

Copper has a lot of great properties and is a magical material that is