It is, as they say, gifting season. And whether that’s an excuse to treat yourself or spoil a significant other, we naturally prefer an international feel to our objets d’amour. So to round off the year we’ve sourced a collection of collectibles from some of our most beloved destinations.
Each outlet works with local artisans to ensure that you take home something you’ll treasure forever, without having to worry about baggage limits. From Italian ceramics to Kenyan baskets, these are the interior brands to bring a sense of wanderlust to your home.
BETTINA CERAMICA, ITALY
Fashion insider Natalie Sytner was inspired by her Ligurian grandmother Bettina to launch her label Bettina Ceramica – a celebration of Italian ceramics, both traditional and contemporary. She travelled across the country from Sicily to Veneto to find the families who have been making these beautiful handcrafted objects for generations, curating a selection of wall hangings, tableware, lamp bases and candlesticks.
The Sicilian head and figurine vases, inspired by the island’s multicultural heritage, are real standouts, created and painted in Caltagirone, an epicentre of the ceramic world. [Shop]
KALINKO, BURMA
Homeware brand Kalinko has noble goals – to support and nurture craft families who have been isolated from global markets for 60 years under military dictatorship. Founder Sophie Garner wants to connect the country’s artisans with international shoppers in order to preserve its craftmanship and traditions.
Burmese rattan is thought to be the best and most durable in the world thanks to the technique of the weavers, so expect plenty of it, from trays and placemats to lampshades and laundry baskets. Also on offer are tactile wooden bowls, handblown glassware made using recycled materials and colourful cushion covers woven in the north-west of Burma. [Shop]
ARBALA, MOROCCO
New London-based label Arbala collaborates with Morocco‘s best artisans to create homewares that go beyond touristy souk souvenirs. Infusing the country’s creative traditions with a modern aesthetic, the collections offer unique objects to treasure without the chaos of a maze-like bazaar.
Highlights include bright colourblock vases made using recycled glass from Marrakech’s famous glass-makers, Beldi; beautiful, one-of-a-kind marbled tableware created by an artisan maker in the small village of Ourika; and the brand’s best-selling wicker stools – the perfect way of injecting a pop of vibrancy and texture to any room. [Shop]
ANTHOLOGIST, GREECE
If you love antiques, then Andria Mitsakos’ Greece-based interiors brand Anthologist is the perfect shopping destination. With a background as travel publicist and collector of beautiful objects, Mitsakos not only sources unique homeware items, but also works with local artisans to create bespoke pieces impossible to find elsewhere.
You’ll find hand-painted bowls in Mediterranean shades of sunshine, antique silk Suzani decorative pillow cases and rare, hand-loomed rugs that would look just as fitting in a frame as they would the centrepiece of a floor. There’s also a section dedicated entirely to folkloric items, each steeped in tradition, history and authenticity. [Shop]
ATT PYNTA, SCANDINAVIA
Att Pynta translates in Swedish as ‘to add decorative details to your home’. We’re talking Scandinavia here, so decoration is still fuss-free and simple, which is exactly the focus of this rising interiors label that has steadily been building a cult following. Collections are focused on longevity and sustainability with timeless pieces designed to quietly elevate your home.
These aren’t attention-grabbing products, but rather understated, thoughtfully designed and high-quality objects that will never lose their appeal. Spanning sculptural vases and linen curtains to rattan rocking chairs and ribbed wine glasses, Att Pynta will offers Scandi elegance with personality. [Shop]
KENYAN CRAFTS COMPANY, KENYA
Zipporah Van Der Vijver’s grandmother was a Kenyan craftswoman, who raised her seven children through hand weaving baskets and tending to her little piece of land during rainy season. Van Der Vijver now lives in London, but is keen to amplify and celebrate the work of her grandmother and countless other Kenyan women who learnt the art of Kiondo basket-weaving from their forebears and used their artisan skills to feed their families.
Her online platform offers colourful planter baskets, bowls, bags, wall-hangings and belts, made by female artisans from remote rural villages in Kenya using traditional Kenyan basket weaving techniques and crafted from pure, sustainably-sourced sisal fibre. Each basket takes around five to seven days to create making them precious commodities. [Shop]
In a giving mood? Our new Mr & Mrs Smith gift cards are available now…