The facade of this Peckham shop winked at us and we had to stop the car and go inside. A treasure trove was waiting…We met the owners, Anna and Lotte to find out more.
Can you tell us about the design of your shop front?
We want the shop to make people smile – so painting it pink was a good place to start. We change the design of the facade twice a year – before this we had yellow stripes and geraniums which was fun. The look we have now, which has taken us through Autumn / Winter was inspired by Charleston House and the hand painted patterns that Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant field the house with. We planted heuchera in the beds to compliments the folk-y colours. Next we have a collaboration with an artist who will be dressing the shop front for summer, which is very exciting! I think a bed full of blowsy Begonias to go with it will be really fun.
How did you go about finding the brands for Lamp?
Very simply we stock things that we would like to have in our own homes. We like to find new talented makers and support people to help their brands grow as well as working with established brands that align with our ethos of creating mindfully made beautiful products that can be kept for a lifetime, not a season.
How would you describe your style?
Colourful, joyful, bold. We want to sell things and create spaces that make people happy.
What are both of your backgrounds before starting the shop?
We both started off as art students at St Martins who needed to earn a living to pay for nights out in Soho so we got jobs waitressing for catering companies. We then drifted into the event industry full time and stayed there for a couple of decades planning and designing parties all over the world. We got together about 8 years ago to set up LAMP and carried on working on creative events and more recently (pre pandemic) temporary interiors for pop up restaurants, bars and things like that. Then in March 2020 all of our work disappeared over night…
What made you want to open a shop? And why Peckham?
Necessity! We had so many conversations throughout that first awful lockdown about what we were going to do and just waiting for the world to get back to normal started to feel too risky. We both have families to support and having worked for ourselves for over decade it also just felt really odd having nothing to do. One day we were on the phone during one of those endless daily walks and Anna walked past a shop with a sign in the window saying ‘To Let’. We chatted a bit about what we could do with a shop, walked once more around the block and went back to sign the lease and pay the deposit. So it all happened within about an hour I think. That was August 2020. We painted it pink and then started working out what to sell. Why Peckham – well the whole thing was so random really as we hadn’t planned to open a shop, but Anna lives in Peckham, hence the daily walk and spotting the sign.
Could you pick out a current favourite piece of stock?
We are completely in love with the Miranda Berrow ceramic lamp bases. They are so beautiful and look wonderful with our new Huddle Collection pleated shades. It is a very happy paring.
What’s the cheapest way to improve an interior?
Good lighting – so dim the lights and light a candle or two. Getting the lighting right is so important when it comes to making a space feel comfortable and welcoming so a step up from candles would be a pretty lamp on a side table or chest of draws.
Which are your favourite instagram accounts to follow for interiors?
@elizabethhaydesign – her interiors are full of life. @edwardbulmerpaint – we love the colours of his plant based paints and seeing them in situ is always an inspiration. @degournay – its all just a work of art – completely glorious. @manwithahammer – following his restoration project is somewhat addictive and he does a great line in oversized headboards that we always enjoy. And then @sean_anthony_pritchard and @butterwakefield – because flowers and interiors will always go together.
Can you tell us a bit more about your interior design service?
We offer an interior styling service helping pull a full scheme or coming in to help tie together an existing one that isn’t quite working. We don’t call ourselves interior designers as we haven’t been formally trained – but we know what looks good and understand how to make a happy space. We do lots of window dressing – picking fabrics and trimmings for curtains and blinds and also upholstery – its such a pleasure to help give a piece of furniture a new lease of life (and keep it out of land fill). Most of or work to date has been in South London but we are working on some commercial projects in West London and a restaurant in the City at the moment too, as well as a farmhouse in Somerset. We also have plans afoot to expand our interior services to a wider audience which with any luck we will launch later this year.
What are your favourite local haunts?
Nola for our morning coffee, The General Store for all and any of their delicious things, Stuart Ross great new hair and then for good places to eat we are spoilt for choice – Forza Wine has the views, Kudu is a real treat and Sunday jazz and a roast at The Montpelier is always fun.
Can you share a recipe you are particularly enjoying at the moment?
Anything from Anna Jones’s, A Modern Cooks’s Year – her early spring stew with baked ricotta is perfect right now.
A Little Bird Loves
