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All We Want For Christmas … Mini Moderns

Mini Moderns was launched in 2006 by London-based designers, Keith Stephenson and Mark Hampshire. An interiors brand specialising in applied pattern across a range of products including wallpapers, fabrics, cushions, rugs and ceramics., the initial collection was snapped up by Heal’s and the brand continues to expand selling online and via selected stockists around the world.

Keith and Mark

Their design influences range from mid-century British textiles to vintage toys, from literature to childhood memories. Travel also influences their work – they like to call it field trips, we might say holiday. But it all adds up to research.

So, in the interests of further research, mad about the house asked them what they wanted for Christmas. They ummed and aahed for about …. three minutes and came up with the following list. And I have to say it’s one of the best Christmas  lists I’ve seen for a long time.

 

RE-TURNED BIRDS BY DISCIPLINE

£59

www.lollipopshoppe.co.uk

We love wood, we love birds and we love re-used materials so what better than these birds which are made from leftover wood by design company Discipline. We would like the entire set to establish a whole wooden aviary.

re-turned birds by discipline from the lollipop shoppe

 

COVE 3 WOODBURNING STOVE

£

www.charnwood.com

We already have a Charnwood stove for our beach house in Dungeness.  As the space is tiny we plumped for the smallest stove that Charnwood do – the Cove 1. Our hearts were really set on its big brother the Cove 3 in this Gunmetal colourway, but it wouldn’t fit in our tiny converted railway carriage. It’s modern without being tricksy, smart and incredibly efficient – and, more importantly, it would belt out the heat on those cold, wind swept evenings. We would just need to buy a bigger house – but it would be worth it.

the Charnwood stove Cove 3

TEENAGE CANCER TRUST

www.teenagecancertrustshop.org

A charity that is close to our hearts is the Teenage Cancer Trust – which is devoted to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer. Not only do they do incredible work but they hold amazing music and comedy events, several of which we have attended. A donation to this charity would definitely be on our wish list.

make a donation through the teenage cancer trust shop

 

MUSTARD VINTAGE

www.facebook.com/mustardvintage

launches in January

Mini Moderns have a new collaboration with Mustard Vintage, who are sourcing the most amazing vintage pieces and re upholstering them in our screen printed fabric collection. We would love a vintage Guy Rogers ‘Manhattan’ 3 piece suite re-imagined in any of our fabrics – or a full set of Parker Knoll rocking chairs.

mustard vintage and mini moderns collaborate

 

 

JAMES JOYCE GOLD BROGUE PRINT

£75

www.lollipopshoppe.co.uk

Mark’s brogues are currently at the cobblers being resoled. In lieu of a lovely new pair, we’d happily settle for this Gold Brogue print made exclusively for The Lollipop Shoppe by James Joyce.

Mark can admire this print while he waits for his shoes to be resoled

 

A BROOKLYN BROWNSTONE, A WILLIAMSBURG LOFT OR A LOWER EASTSIDE TENEMENT APARTMENT

Our favourite city is New York and we used to visit regularly to see friends there. Recently, we’ve been too busy with work commitments in the UK to get over there, but our dream would be to have a permanent base in New York. Dream properties would be a brownstone in Park Slope, a Williamsburg loft, or a tenement apartment in the Lower East Side.

Keith and Mark will take one of these please

 

A FIRST EDITION OF MURIEL SPARKS’ THE BALLAD OF PECKHAM RYE

A perfect combination for us is the writing of Muriel Spark and the illustrations of Victor Reinganum. We already have Macmillan 1st editions of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Bachelors and The Go-Away Bird. Our wish list would definitely include a 1st edition of Muriel Spark’s The Ballad of Peckham Rye to complete the collection. Set close to the area where we live and work, we love the story and the atmosphere it evokes, and the cover is simply beautiful.

and if you can find one of these they won’t say no

 

A CITROEN SM CAR

Generally speaking, cars don’t bother us. But 1970s design does, and in the hands of Citroen, seventies design reached its peak in the form of the Citroen SM. Often ignored in favour of the much loved Citroen DS (which we’d also settle for) the SM has innovative design touches, a sleeker look, and a louche quality that can’t be beat. Having said that, being practical types, what we really need is a white van to shift our stuff to trade shows and our new shop!

one of these will set you back anywhere from £12,000 to £24,000

 

FARINGDON LAPTOP DESK

By Leonard Pfeifer

£250

pfeifer.squarespace.com

We are currently on the look-out for a compact desk and nothing fits the bill better than the Farringdon Laptop Desk, designed by our friend Leonhard Pfeifer.

farringdon laptop desk

 

A WEEK OFF 

 

Mini Moderns would like a holiday for Christmas

 

 

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

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