Spend Big for Small Business Saturday

Today is Small Business Saturday, so here's to the purveyors of the niche, the makers of cool, those captains of small industries who tirelessly make and or sell the most interesting products. In a world of big and bland when you want to find something unique these days for your home, I guarantee you will find it in a small business. I have listed below only a tiny selection of some of my favourite small businesses with a top interiors pick or two from each.

April and The Bear 

April and The Bear is a Dublin-based online lifestyle and homeware store by Siobhan Lam offering quirky cool industrial and Scandi-style pieces. Folk are always asking me where I got my copper magazine rack in our bathroom - well it was here! So looking through their site today I instantly stopped at this - like how amazing would this geometric Three Brass Candleholder be on your Christmas table this year! 

Lauren Aston Designs

Based in picturesque Devon in the UK  Lauren Aston Designs makes these divine luxury chunky knit blankets - I got one for my birthday this year and hands down it is one of my best presents to myself ever. Lauren and her team handcraft super soft lap blankets and throws in wool that is as light as spun candyfloss and perfect to snuggle up under watching your favourite Christmas movie or to stay in bed on those frosty winter mornings. I love this super chunky Welcombe Throw in this soft mink colour. 

Rees & Hunt

Rees & Hunt is a new interiors online store recently launched by my co-host on our Instagram tag #mygorgeousgaff, Ciara Rees. Ciara is an interior designer based in Wexford and has curated a fabulous collection of homewares with an excellent price point  - in particular she has some gorgeous pieces for a kid's bedroom or nursery. I am loving this gold round mirror - perfect for the bathroom over your sink or on a bedroom wall.

Decor Etc

Decor Etc is an independent UK online interiors store owned by Emma Allman-Shuttleworth who sells hand-painted velvet lampshades and cushions along with a unique range of cool prints and other home accessories. Worth checking out! I love this hand painted velvet bamboo print lampshade and those cushions too. I also really like her foil prints too. For those who know me well this is what I often say to say thank you to someone! I really need to get this print myself.

Gayle Mansfield Designs

Gayle Mansfield Designs sells some of my favourite typography prints that can be seen in the coolest homes on  Instagram like that of Lisa Dawson. I love this Chop Chop print - perfect for the kitchen wall of that culinary King or Queen in your life.

Lamb Design

Prepare to want everything. Lamb is an online store based in Brittas Bay on the East coast of Ireland. It offers a careful curation of the most beautiful pared back interiors pieces. If you've ever looked at Pinterest and wondered where you'd find that very unique piece - chances are you will find it here. I love this Daily Roller perfect for the kitchen or entryway of a busy, yet uber stylish household.

Article 

One of my go-to interiors stores when I'm in Dublin is Article in the Powerscourt Centre. I love their range of quirky ceramics, cool stationery, prints and frames and interesting coffee table books along with their offering of handmade candles like one of my favourite Irish made candle ranges  Clean Slate. I am just coming to the end of burning their Winter Fig scented one and still have the Espresso and Coconut one burning in the kitchen. It's where I also regularly pick up my matches in a bottle that I always have on our coffee table. They have an edit of their collection on line but I'm always a fan of real store experiences so suggest popping in and saying hello to the lovely team there!

The Old Mill Stores

Winner of 'Best Independent Retailer' at the Irish Design Awards with Image Interiors & Living magazine, The Old Mill Stores is a unique shopping experience. Located in Cork in the village of Connonagh between Rosscarbery and Leap, the store has become even more popular with folk  travelling on the west Cork Wild Atlantic route. They have the most interesting array of pieces and their online store even has a brass section! Hence I was drawn to this cute brass rhino hooks. 

Of course speaking to the owners Claire and Tom recently (pictured above), I was delighted to hear that in store itself they stock my other favourite Irish candle brand, Field Apothecary. If you've read my other blog post you might remember I think their award-winning candle Rain is a fabulous gift idea for friends and family both home and away this Christmas to perfectly convey that very unique but utterly impossible to articulate smell of Irish rain. 

Weaverella

Weaverella is the brain child of Emma Carroll from Waterford who takes her inspiration from the colours in the landscapes and seascapes around her to create unique wall hangings that she sells to customers all over the world via her Etsy shop.  I have one in our guest room and my eye on another one on her site...

Industry & Co 

And finally there's Industry & Co in Dublin a lifestyle concept store with a relaxed atmosphere that's great for really cool industrial pieces with pared back cool. Again no trip to Dublin for me is complete without popping in. From one-off vintage pieces to Berber style rugs, to industrial lamps and light fittings it is a mecca for the interiors lover. And they've a lovely eatery too. I love the boho chic vibe from this old school chart style botanical print. 

So please do share that Christmas spend this season and support small businesses - and remember it really counts - your spend doesn't support a CEO or shareholder, it supports an individual or a  family. And as it is December I can at last say - Merry Christmas!