Home is where the kitchen is.

One thing we’ve discovered over these past few weird and wobbly months, is how much we treasure those four walls we call home, wherever they are. We know we’re not the only ones to feel lucky that we’ve got them and to feel grateful that we feel safe and warm in them too.

It doesn’t matter who you live with or what home looks like to you; there’s a reason why our kitchens are always described as being the heart of it.

This year more than ever it’s a room whose four walls have seen and heard it all. Kitchens have always been more than a place to cook for us. They’re where we catch up over a pot of coffee and a long and lazy breakfast on a weekend or talk about our day with a glass of red whilst a great big spag bol is on the stove. Whilst it’s always been a room we’d gather in at least once or twice a day, now it’s used more than ever before. Kitchen disco? Anytime! Classroom? For some of you we bet for more of the year than you’d have liked! Exercise studio? Done. It’s a room that’s seen more than its fair share this year, especially through the colder months.

Some of us have really relished being able to spend extra time cooking. When the ‘commute’ is only down the stairs and into the kitchen who can blame us?! There’s been time to fiddle and faff: make things from scratch we usually wouldn’t, try something new because there’s been the luxury of more time and even make a real occasion of our usual meal times. We’ve been able to enjoy the opportunity to make them feel more special since a trip to our favourite restaurants has been off the cards. Even if you’ve simply made the most of those fancy-pants takeaway menus from all of your favourite local places; we’ve all had to adapt in a way we never have before. Again.

Including us. Yes we’ve made approximately five hundred thousand banana loaves like the rest of the world; but going into a new year we’ve also had to change how we’d approach buying in our stock for the shop too. We’ve always been known for our thoughtful and unusual gifts and as a place where we hoped you could always pick up a present or two that you wouldn’t find on every single high street in every single town or city. And maybe a few treats for you too!

But gifting has changed. While people were out Christmas shopping when they could, it wasn’t just the usual stocking fillers they picked up. We sold more of our beautiful wooden brushes and homeware than we ever have over a Christmas period. Which makes sense given the amount of time we’ve all spent at home this past year.

But it got the cogs turning and got us thinking. This year we really want to grow that part of the shop. For you to be able to pick up something for you or a friend of family member that you’ll love and use over and over again. And for it not always to be something kept for ‘best’ or your usual gift-y things. Naturally we’ll still sell those sorts of things too but, we want to make the ordinary things count just as much.

Being big foodies and quite content to while away the time at home, it only felt natural to start with some kitchenware. We wanted bright, cheerful and functional kitchen pieces that would stand the test of time and not look out of place in anyone’s kitchen. We picked each piece carefully imagining all of the pies, puds and endless teas and coffees we could make either at home or out in the camper on an adventure when we can again. Or just sat in the garden on a warmer day. They’re coming we promise.

Kitchen enamelware has been around since the 1920’s for a reason. Its simple, honest and ‘no frills’ pieces have long been loved by generations for their timeless appeal, hard-wearing nature and versatility and it makes up just a little bit of the new things we’d like to share with you all.

We’ve handpicked a small selection of things we know we would {and probably happily will!} use ourselves and things we can imagine packing up in the camper, just as we can cramming them with pies, crumbles and puddings at home. We hope you love them just as much as us and agree that they’ll be right at home here! You can bob along and view our first drop HERE. Remember we are happy to deliver locally to all CA1, CA2 and CA3 postcodes whilst we are still closed during lockdown and can post out for all other deliveries.