Room 2 Think

*Hoists self up onto soap box* Spend some time with yourself. Explore places you want to see. Go to exhibitions. Go to gigs. Eat at places you want to eat at. I promise you no one cares. People can be exhausting and it’s okay to take some time out to do things you enjoy without compromise. Many people seek the company of others as a mandate to do things. Be it going to see a new release film at the cinema (remember those?), visiting a museum or even going abroad, why do we need to make group plans to do these things? Don’t even get me started on going out to eat by yourself (HEAVEN FORBID!). I used to be one of those people who judged those who ate alone in restaurants, but now? I urge everyone to take at least one day a week to take themselves out. Be it for a whole day or during your hour lunch break. Every little truly helps. Now, before you think I’m a total anti-social hermit, know that I do appreciate the company of others. I like talking, gossiping, debating, bitching

Surprise! Yes, I’m back. I took a little break to focus on uni work and...you know...having a social life, but I really missed blogging and am excited to get this going again. As I’m sure you are all conscious of, the clocks went back last week. In response to this, I’ve been adjusting my lifestyle accordingly...i.e. I’ve been doing less than normal, and I’m okay with that. A lot of people get really bogged down at this time of year; seasonal depression is most definitely a thing. With temperatures dropping, the days getting shorter and the nights getting longer, it’s important to take extra care of one’s mental and physical health, which can be challenging at the best of times. Self-care means different things to different people, but below I’ve written some of my top tips for adjusting to the changing weather. Candles I adore candles and I use them all year round, but they’re especially important (yes, important) at this time of year. During the summer months, I prefer fruity, light

I’m still recovering from the extensive Top Drawer coverage I was doing in the last couple of weeks so this will be just a mini update from me. I’m now back in Exeter and ready to start my second year of university. One of my favourite things about studying in Exeter is that there is a real sense of local pride and community in the city itself (and not in a gross nationalistic way). From farmers markets to craft fairs; Exeter locals are conscious that the community needs to come together to support and nurture local produce and talent. My favourite example of this is The Fore Street Flea market that takes place on 4 Sundays across the year, where local businesses line the street with their wares, artwork, vintage goods and food. This Sunday just gone marked my second visit and I was delighted to see how much it had grown since I stumbled upon it at the end of last term. Organisers claim that there were over 140 stalls on the day, which is incredible! I picked up a few bits and piec

Last but certainly not least (albeit slightly late due to wifi problems), it’s time for me to bring my Top Drawer A/W 2017 appreciation series to a close with my highlights from my favourite section from this year’s exhibition - Craft. Showcasing the up-and-coming textile artists, ceramic artists, jewelers and mixed-media artists; Craft was a recent addition to the exhibition, and an essential one in my opinion. Here is a selection of my highlights: a) Abalon Star - Stand CR807 Combining two of my favourite things in the world (ceramics and candles), London-based Ana Bridgewater, along with her team, create handmade beautiful porcelain vessels to contain their hand-poured candles. b) Agata Nowak - Stand CR204 With many of the Craft exhibitors being ceramic artists (not like I’m complaining), it was refreshing to see some mixed-media art thrown into the mix. One of the most memorable collections I saw all day; Agata Nowak’s Historical Portraits collection is comprised of iconic portrait

2 down, 2 to go! Now it’s time for me to share my favourite stands from the Spotted section of Top Drawer A/W 2017. Spotted showcases an eclectic mix of upcoming (normally UK-based) designer makers and companies, with wares extending from kitchenware, luxury soaps and textiles. I was delighted to see that the presence of ‘Spotted’ exhibitors had grown so much since the concept was first launched - they only used to have small podiums/blocks to display their goods, now they get full stands! It was hard to pick out just a few highlights from such a strong selection, so here are ten exhibitors that I really adored: a) Anatole Design - Stand SP202 Launched just last year, Lizzie Weir was showing her range of colourful and vibrant cushions, upholstery, tea towels, aprons and a variety of other bespoke objects at the exhibition. The goods are hand-printed and each is unique. b) Epping Smith - Stand SP205 Epping Smith was founded by two friends, artist Emma McClure and interior decorator Ca

Time for part two of my four-part ‘series’, showcasing my highlights from Top Drawer A/W 2017! In case you missed it, here’s part one. The plan was to post these every other day and so far, so good! Let’s see how long I can keep this up for... Today, I will be listing my highlights from the ‘Home’ section, which showcased the finest up-and-coming homeware companies and designer makers, as well as new ranges from more established brands. I tend to favour emerging talent and smaller businesses so that’s very much the theme I’m going for here. a)  ANIMACONTEMPORANEA  - Stand H-17 ANIMACONTEMPORANEA, more so than any other exhibitor this year, proved to me that you don’t need to have a large stand to stand out. There's a real elegance to their products, which would look fantastic in any space. My favourite products they had on show were probably their 'LUNO' storage jars. b)  Birdie Fortescue  - Stand H-K24 Birdie Fortescue LTD was born out of a love and appreciation for ant