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TimeOut Just opened When Toni Horton first opened her boutique, Something..., at 58 Lamb's Conduit Street in 2004, its quaint brand of old-world charm and array of nostalgic knickknacks attracted a legion of fans from the Bloomsbury artsy set. Now, a full range of jewellery, homewares, handbags, children's goods and beauty treats is available online. It's a great site for gifts: the Lucy Buchan cup and saucer necklace (£35) will put a smile on the face of anyone fond of a brew; the divine smelling Abahna soaps and bath foams are perfect for a friend in need of 'me' time (try Himalayan Cedarwood and Rose Otto, £20); and nothing says domestic bliss like a vintage cake stand (from £48), which is so pretty you'll want to keep it. |
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Stella Something... ... is a lovely little shop in Bloomsbury, London WC1, selling everything from garden chairs and cake stands to soap and mirrors. It has now launched something-shop.com, where we've spotted these fabulous Selma tea plates. |
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The London Paper Something Something, the treasure trove of a boutique on Lamb's Conduit Street, has thankfully gone online. All it's quirky homewear, cosmetics and vintage clothing and accessories are just a click away. |
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The Observer Magazine Online Heaven Go to pretty website www.something-shop.com to buy lovely pillows, vintage jewellery, garden furniture and cute stuff for kids. |
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Financial Times The Cult Shop When Toni Horton opened Something nearly four years ago, she had no retail experience. You would never know this from the array of beautiful, quirky and useful gifts in her high-windowed shop in Lamb’s Conduit Street, near Holborn. She chose the location, having worked in photo-production nearby, ‘because the nearest place to find interesting presents was Covent Garden, so there was plainly a gap to fill’. She now has a stream of male customers hunting presents for female recipients, plus women shopping for gifts and for themselves. Horton, who sources mainly from Britain, Denmark and the US, tries to secure brands that people might not have heard of or cherry-picks the unusual from better-known labels. She has a good eye, as evinced in her own matching lipstick and huge, faceted red jade ring by Lola Rose (also in other stones, £75), dramatically worn with plain black. The rings sit alongside moulded resin, 1930s-looking Brief and Sassy evening bags with detachable chain handles (£150) and jewellery such as a black pearl charm bracelet (£400) by Sam Ubhi and elaborate pieces handmade from vintage neads and buttons by Magpie (from £295). Across the room hang pretty children’s clothes from UK brands such as Dandy Star or Their Nibs (vintage-pattern dresses, £25), plus natural-dyed, hand-knitted bootees (Lisbeth Dahl, £9) and hats (£10). Cosy home items include Lisbeth Dahl crocheted, Mary Jane-style slippers in neutral shades (£20) and hot-water bottles with cotton-knit covers (£15), plus white cotton JGMD aprons with hand-embroidered cook’s quotes (£20) and hand-stencilled enamel casseroles by Lisa Stickley (from £30). The centre tables are packed with decorative home items – Green Gate tealight holders with delicately silvered interiors (£9), intricately engraved tin-on-wood boxes and drawers by Grand Illusions (from £20), cake stands made from vintage plates (JGMD, from £45) and antique-looking engraved tumblers (Grand Illusions, £22 for four). Whiltshire-made scented candles by True Grace (£18) have subtle unusual aromas. Down a corridor decorated with a monochrome mural by Charlotte Mann and dramatic black or white My Brother’s Frame picture frames by Harry Allen (£120), the boudoir has a full range of natural bath and body products by Abahna (from £9) and crystal-studded emery boards (Lisbeth Dahl, £2.50). In the summer customers can go through the door leading to the garden where they can browse French-style folding chairs (£35) and admire small metal watering cans or buckets (£35) and glamorous Raj garden parasols trimmed with tassels and metal drops (£99-£210). Horton is expanding her business through her website – such a unique store would be hard to replicate. |
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Central Something Special Treasures and treats are plentiful in this charming emporium placed in the middle of thriving and surprisingly trendy Lamb’s Conduit Street. If you are looking for a present, it’s the ideal place to browse for inspiration. The range of scented candles is generous with fruits and florals for a Spring feel, and cedary and musky tones for people who prefer subtler smells. Other gift items include toiletries and all kinds of bathroom lotions and aromatics. Bags, diaries, glassware, jewellery and baby clothes add to the choices, with lively cards and stylish wrapping paper to add finishing touches. You might find that you leave with a few little packages for yourself too. |
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Good Homes Magazine Shop of the Month... A mere 15-minute walk from the bustle of Oxford Street in London is a sanctuary of homeware products called ‘Something...’. You’ll find pieces from Lisbeth Dahl, Day Birger et Mikkelsen and Grand Illusions. And when the weather is clear, the back garden is used to display outdoor trinkets. |
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Red Magazine ‘Having a secret garden is my escapism’ Toni Horton runs her home-accessories shop, Something…, in the centre of London. She fell in love with the space because of its secret walled garden. ‘I always wanted a shop that felt similar to someone’s home, but I never dreamt I’d find one with a hidden garden. There is a lot of ivy and plenty of shade from big trees. I also wear fig perfume, and the first thing the estate agent remarked on was the unusual presence of a fig tree. As much as I thought the garden would be a great place for me – in the summer, I do my paperwork out there before opening the shop and, after work, my husband and friends come here for a glass of wine before we go out – I wanted my customers to enjoy it, too. What I love is when customers go through the shop and out into the garden – they can never quiet believe what they’ve seen. A lot of them head here at lunchtime, just to feel they can be with their thoughts for half an hour. They love the shed. It’ like a mini shop. Inside, there’s a 1950s dresser. It’s great for displaying things, little lanterns and kids’ gardening sets. Customers often say they would like to close the door of the shed and stay in there. What’s lovely is that I think of it as a female shop and yet men feel comfortable here, too. One guy said that, if I put bunk beds in the shed, he’d happily spend a two-week holiday there, just pottering around the garden! I love summer, when the garden comes into its own. But I can also go out in winter with a mug of tea and spot little robins. Sometimes, when it’s pouring with rain, I’ll sit in the door of the shed with my head sheltered and my feet outside on the ground – it’s a lovely feeling, almost like being in a caravan. And, because you’re on your own, it really clears your head. The garden is completely calming. I sometimes sit and just listen to the noises and watch the sunlight and shadows. It’s a magical place, where I can gather my thoughts and relax. Owning your own business means you rarely take time off, but just being in this garden feels like escapism. And you wouldn’t believe that this idyll is in the centre of a city. |
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The Times Shop of the Week Hidden away in Lamb’s Conduit Street in Central London is this quaint little oasis of a homewares boutique, Something..., which has just opened its summer garden, complete with potting shed that showcases its covetable garden wares. Offering fragrances, interiors products, aromatherapy candles, vegan bags and accessories, there’s plenty to draw you in, or you can potter online at www.something-shop.com. |
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