shopping in west london
Les Couilles Du Chien, Photo by Angela Moore, July/August 2006
- West London Shops
- If you want to feel like an in-the-know local instead of a tourist, follow Rita Konig's tour of this trend-spotting neighborhood's top shops and best-kept secrets.
- Bazar
- 82 Golborne Road
W10
011-44-20-8 969-6262 Bazar, a jumble of Provençal furniture and tabletop pieces, mostly from 1850 to 1950: antique shutters, kitchen cupboards, café wares and more. A must-stop if you're decorating a place in the country or just want that look.
- Cross The Road
- 139 Portland Road
W11
011-44-20-7727-6760 This home-accessories spin-off of The Cross, a fabulous clothing shop next door, is filled with quirky, irresistible things chosen by Sam and Sarah, aka the "Cross girls," such as shocking-pink silk chrysanthemums (which I had to buy), Ed Ruscha-style silk screens, Turkish rugs in bright colors and cushions in vintage fabrics.
- Davda
- 342 Kilburn Lane
W9
011-44-20-8 969-3239 A bit out of the way, but Davda creates the most beautiful glazed pottery with a charming handmade feel in exquisite palettes. I quite lose my breath with excitement over what to buy—I recently settled on gray, lilac and mineral-blue plates, plus cream bowls.
- Les Couilles Du Chien
- 65 Golborne Road
W10
011-44-20-8 968-0099 The name is French for "the dog's bollocks," London slang that means "the best." In reality, it's hit-and-miss—but the hits could be anything from Victorian glass domes to angle poise lamps.
- Myriad
- 131 Portland Road
W11
011-44-20-7229-1709 Owner Sarah Fenwick is a brilliant curator of high-end home and garden pieces. On a recent visit, she had armchairs upholstered in calico, fantastic vintage French metal outdoor furniture, faux-bamboo mirrors and wonderful antique linens.
- Nina Campbell
- 9 Walton Street
SW3
011-44-20-7225-1011 To cap off the day, cab over to Walton Street, where my mother, Nina Campbell, has had her interiors boutique for 30 years. The Marie Daâge china is my favorite—the large breakfast cups in sorbet colors with white hearts are a happy start to any morning—but there is also a lovely selection of lamps, match strikers, blankets and antiques.
- Portobello Road
- Between Chepstow Villas and Golborne Road En route to Golborne Road, hit this famous half-mile-long market, walking up from the Notting Hill Gate tube station. I recommend the stalls by Cambridge Gardens, where designers such as Paul Smith and Alice Temperley flock on Friday mornings for vintage clothes and accessories. Further on is the Cloth Shop, a gold mine for old heavy linen sheets and Welsh blankets.
- Summerill & Bishop
- 100 Portland Road
W11
011-44-20-7221-4566 I adore the glassware at this delightful Provençal kitchen shop, especially the decanters (because simply everything is better decanted) and the small clear tumblers with fine white or pale-pink patterns. Definitely don't overlook the linens, baskets and flatware.
- Warris Vianni & Co.
- 85 Golborne Road
W10
011-44-20-8964-0069 The acid-green exterior makes this place hard to miss and harder to resist. Vianni deals in Indian fabrics—silks and cottons in glorious colors that India so perfectly produces. There are saris with designs woven in gold thread and gauzes in fabulous patterns, both of which I love for sheer shades.
