Shop 'till you drop: just five minutes from Oxford Street, Marylebone is London's hottest new destination for interiors
The Evening Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Marylebone is a favourite destination for homeware shoppers. Its revitalised high street has kept its character, attracting independent shops and smart chain stores. And it’s all only five minutes from crowded Oxford Street.
VV Rouleaux
In Marylebone Lane, just off the main drag, pop into VV Rouleaux at no 102. This alluring ribbon shop has been curated by founder Annabel Lewis since 1990. Silk, satin, organza, velvet, wire-edge and grosgrain ribbons on spools fill metal trays, from 3mm to 100 mm wide (satin ribbon from 45p a metre).
Plus tassels and fringes, flowers and feathers. Downstairs the new “library” has 100 files of colour-coded samples, and check out the classes covering “knots and tassels” and “hats and headdresses”.
Skandium
Skandium is top for design from Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway (86 Marylebone High Street). Browse popular Scandi brands — Carl Hansen, Iittala, Louis Poulsen, Artek, Georg Jensen, and Marimekko — with textiles, lights and accessories.
The best-selling Aalto vase by Iittala costs from £58. Furniture includes the CH24 Wishbone Chair from Carl Hansen & Søn from £544.
Then call by Caravane (38-40 New Cavendish Street, W1). Successful in Paris with five stores, it pushes ethnic upmarket, selling exclusive artisan furniture, fabrics and lighting. Soft cottons are printed in India with their own woodblocks and are layered on sofas and beds. Covers from around £145, cushions about £37, tablecloths from £70.
Tricia Guild’s Designers Guild (at 76 Marylebone High Street) does your scheming for you: mix her florals, damask and stripes with cottons, linen, tweeds, and/or velvets — then add her paint.
The Conran shop
The Conran Shop, which kick-started Marylebone’s design transformation 20 years ago, still holds the edge (55 Marylebone High Street).
The terracotta arches of an old stable block frame eye-catching windows. Inside are furniture (Rondo armchair, £4,495), textiles (Shard cushion cover, £37.50, lighting and kitchen/tableware, plus exclusives and limited editions. It’s great for gifts, from books to tech to toys, china, glass and toiletries. The Conran Kitchen café is a perfect pit stop, too.
David mellor
Turn right into New Cavendish Street for David Mellor, whose name lives through his son, Corin, in a new shop in an Arts and Crafts dairy (14 New Cavendish Street). Mellor’s cutlery is famous, with 14 designs in stainless steel.
“Pride” is his most adored range, designed while still at the RCA (six-piece setting, £97). Also see work by British potters such as John Leech and Richard Batterham.
Anthropologie
Anthropologie is all about hot-hued clothes and homewares. Ceramics (fruit pot from £12) mix hand-painted motifs — florals, paisley, grids, spots, plus dogs and birds (33-34 Marylebone High Street).
Just a plate or two, from £15-£25, make a summer table sing. Or doll up a duvet with an embroidered quilt (“72 hours of work by 60 hands”) at around £150. Painted ceramic knobs from £8.
The white company
In Marylebone High Street The White Company flagship shop opened last November (no 112-114). Downstairs is the “sleep studio” to try out mattresses/toppers, pillows, or make a duvet cocoon.
Founder Chrissie Rucker has just opened in New York. White is de rigueur but there is also cream, grey, caramel, beige and black. Sheets from £30; towels from £8; mattresses from £195.