A Clerkenwell Stroll

In design terms, London is booming right now. While the edgy, avant-garde East End does its experimental thing, Clerkenwell is the neighbourhood that is all about the kind of living, breathing design that’s inspiring, useful and accessible.

Home to a gamut of design-related businesses, from high-end showrooms (Knoll, Vitra, Poltrana Frau) and creative design studios to craft ateliers and funky boutiques, the area straddles both ends of the design remit, providing both innovation and accessibility. With a host of bars, coffee shops and gastropubs to chill out in, an afternoon stroll through its cobbled, historic streets should reward with plenty of inspiration (and even the odd trinket to take home).

Start on the western borders of Clerkenwell, where textile lovers shouldn’t miss Timorous Beasties, which showcases subversive fabrics and provocative wallpapers from a homely boutique on Amwell Street. Hand-printed, punked-up Victorian grandeur is the order of the day. Heading due south, Exmouth Market is an inspiring meander taking in Third Wave coffee shops, (Caravan), quirky jewellers (EC One) and gift emporia. Family Tree does the lifestyle boutique thing to a tee, with beautifully crafted goods from local designers interspersed with well sourced international finds. As the name would suggest, the owners are on a mission to nurture their carefully developed family and friends design network.

Head south along Rosebery Avenue to check out the Moroso and Flos showrooms, before taking a quick detour along Clerkenwell Road to design bookshop Magma. While design bookshops conjure up thoughts of quiet and imposing spaces, full of weighty coffee table tomes, Magma is a bit different, offering a gallimaufry of printed goodies — font handbooks, animation kits, indie poster books and quirky stationery. Cult games and toys, too.

Swing back in an easterly direction to take in Viaduct. Located in an atmospheric Thirties printhouse, this one-stop shop of modern design is where visitors get to see, feel, touch and put their feet up on the latest furniture collections from the likes of Cappellini, Moooi, Established & Sons and Flos. For something a little surprising, drop in on Craft Central’s The Corner Shop — home to a series of pop-up shops which provide a constantly changing opportunity for new and exciting designer-makers to showcase their work. Events range from hat-making workshops to ceramics exhibitions.

Heading towards the eastern edge of the area, Modus on Great Sutton Street is the home of quality British contemporary furniture design, by established names such as Simon Pengelly and PearsonLloyd as well as emerging talents. If simplicity and elegance are the holy grail for all modern designers, Ellis & Louca on St John Street has it nailed, with furniture, quirky toys, rare china and cute gifts – the common denominator being everything is beautifully designed and tastefully presented. Well worth popping in to pick up a small reminder of your day.

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