Christmas Shopping at The Fairytale Forest at The New Craftsmen

Bowls by Zoë Hillyard & Eleanor Lakelin, Mohair & Merino Throw by Georgia Kemball and ceramic animals by Sophie Woodrow

I'm a big fan of retailers pushing the boundaries of the shopping experience.  Our American cousins have been slightly ahead of the curve for some time with unique concept store The Apartment, a fully furnished SoHo loft in New York, and an apartment in Los Angeles, where everything, even the toothpaste in the bathroom, is for sale!  Read more on Remodelista.

In London, retailer of the very best in British craft, The New Craftsmen, has created something very interesting and fun to help with Christmas shopping this year.  Their Mayfair showroom has been transformed into a Fairytale Forest, with magical illustrated calico trees and a series of styled vignettes which have transformed the interior of the shop into a sort of life-size pop-up book you can wander through, selecting items for purchase as you go!  

Ceramics by Nicola Tassie

Taking inspiration from The Maker's Tales, a story written exclusively for The New Craftsmen by Sara Maitland, the showroom is positively bursting with thoughtful and unique gifts made by the stable of British craftspeople represented by the organisation.  The Maker's Tales gives an insight into the narrative behind some of these beautiful objects - you can read Part 1 of the trilogy here.

Tableware by Iva Polachova and glassware by Jochen Holz, wooden chopping boards are part of Sam Bazeley’s The Craftsmen’s Totem

Including furniture, textiles, ceramics and accessories, The New Craftsmen's range is made by a growing network of the very best makers from the British Isles.  The range of handmade products is rich in provenance and narrative, with the focus on objects rooted in British craft traditions.

Extended shopping hours in the showroom Monday-Saturday and the all important late-night shopping on Thursdays!  If you can't get to the shop, you can purchase online through the new website.  

Foot Chopping Board by Sam Bazeley, Gilded Cork Vessels by Pedro da Costa Felgueiras, Gold-Plated Dressmaking Scissors by Ernest Wright & Son Ltd