Christmas stockings are surely one of the pleasures of the season, full of unusual treasures either practical or whimsical. We asked the owners of 4 London design retailers – Jasper Morrison Shop, The Republic of Fritz Hansen, Mint and SCP – to nominate 4 of their favourite stocking fillers from their own stores.

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First up is Jasper Morrison Shop (selection pictured above), a gem of a store from the the British designer of the same name. Buyer Ruth Donaghey sets out her four nominations:

1. Moon espresso cup and saucer by Jasper Morrison for Rosenthal, £15: Finest porcelain quality, essential form and natural good looks for the espresso connoisseur.

2. Foil Cutter, £5: A Spanish classic for removing the foil from wine bottle tops with ease and precision.

3. Pentel pens in 12 colours, £1.50 each: The original felt tip, and still the best, in production since the 1960′s.

4. Yellow Stapler produced by Ellepi, £10: The handy whale shaped stapler from Italy, built to last.

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Next up, The Republic of Fritz Hansen, which is a new store located in Fitzrovia.The retail arm is run by design store Skandium and owner Magnus Englund puts forward his pick:

5. Copenhagen headphones produced by Urbanista, £79: Johan Wahlbäck is an old friend of Skandium since he resurrected the old Swedish army bike, put it back into production and made it into a staple items for Swedish university students in the 1990s. Now Johan is looking to the future instead and has created the brand Urbanista, making smart and stylish products at affordable prices for the urban environment. These Copenhagen headphones come in a variety of colours but we think Danish red is best for listening to hot music.

6. Washbag produced by Mismo, £150: If Skandium was a fashion brand then our bag collection would look like Mismo, the Danish brand based on simplicity and quality. For those who want a bit of Mismo also at home and not just when travelling or going out, there’s now a wash bag collection which is only available from the Fritz Hansen store.

7. Oscar the dog by Hans Bølling, £69: Oscar the dog was designed by Hans Bølling in 1953, when Hans was only 22 years old. The Danish love for fine carpentry, animals and a sly sense of humour all meet in this object. Hans Bølling went on to design villas, housing estates and town halls, but his animals from the 1950s will perhaps be remembered and cherished even when those buildings no longer stand.

8. Dish from Baca range produced by Royal Copenhagen, £89: Royal Copenhagen is not a porcelain brand known for cutting edge design, despite being around since 1775. But under the direction of Nils Thorsson and his Tenera and Baca ranges from the 1960s, Royal Copenhagen had a progressive and radical period. Skandium has taken upon itself to make these little known and rare designs available again, the only problem being that as soon as we get hold of any, they sell out. This bird design is from the Baca range, introduced in 1964.

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Lina Kanafani, owner of design store Mint, guides us through her pick of stocking fillers in 2011 (pictured above):

9. Tape Shapes by WRAP magazine, £18 per set of 4: With each set containing 12 vinyl stickers, these Tape Shapes by WRAP are designed as a happy alternative to sticky tape when wrapping presents or for adding a fun touch to envelopes, notebooks, walls and windows.

10. Pedestal Egg Cups by Tina Frey, £60 per pair: These pedestal egg cups by Tina Frey comes in black and pink. Made of resin, they make a lovely surprise as a stocking filler for all ages.

11. Pencils by Ariane Prin and Notepad by Helena Seget, £40 inc pencil case: The Torn Note Pad page is a sustainable notepad made from fine porcelain, designed to be used and enjoyed on a daily basis. Notes can be rubbed out with a rubber erase, washed off with soap and water or wiped away with a wet wipe. Perfectly paired with it is Ariane Prin’s pencils made from wood dust and flour.

12. Riedizioni by Luisa Cevese, from £35: These lovely bags can be used for cosmetics, toiletries or just for fun! The brilliant colours are industrial scraps from Bombay and are put together in Italy.

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Last but not least is Sheridan Coakley who owns SCP, with stores in Shoreditch and Notting Hill. Here is his selection:

13. 250 series watch by Uniform Wares, £380: The Uniform Wares boys have done it again with the elegant new 250 series. Inspired by a WWII gentlemen’s wristwatch with a contemporary twist, this is the perfect gift for your favourite gent.

14. Bank in the form of a Pig by Harry Allen for Areaware, £198: This little piggy didn’t make it to market, instead he was cast, made into a piggy bank and given a glitzy chrome makeover. Four shiny colours available in December.

15. Bora Da throw by Donna Wilson for SCP, £245: Snuggle up this Christmas with traditional, Welsh-made throw by Donna Wilson and SCP. The wool is specially spun and dyed in England and then woven in Wales by a traditional family-run mill. We have two brand new colourways- Willow (pictured) and Pink Slate.

16. Enamel bake set by Falcon, £55: Make a mean shepherds pie or crumble with this classic enamel bake set. Light weight and practically indestructible. Perfect for the cook of the household.

If any of these stocking fillers catch you eye, they can of course be purchased from each respective store. Happy shopping!

We can’t keep up with the number of special events, late night shopping and pop-up Christmas stores that are taking place across London in December. Here is our pick of just a handful…

First up, don’t miss The Temporium in Covent Garden. This is a pop-up shop curated by architecture and design website Dezeen, which brings together a mix of new and established designers and brands in a festive shopping frenzy!

1st-24th December, 65 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9DG

A large show of over 100 designers and brands is taking place in Shoreditch in the form of East London Design Show. This three day event shouldn’t be missed if you’re in the market for Christmas gifts.

2nd-4th December, Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT

Online design store Theo is hosting a sample sale at its warehouse in Bethnal Green with some eye-watering discounts on most of their stock for four days only!

1-4th December, Unit 14-15, 10-14 Hollybush Gardens, London E2 9QP

The Republic of Fritz Hansen store in Fitzrovia is creating a Winter Wonderland for adults and children. The store is being transformed into Santa’s workshop for one day with families invited to enjoy Christmas decoration making, Danish mulled wine and other Scandinavian treats.

Sunday 4th December, 13 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RN

Leading furniture producer Vitra is hosting the Vitra Christmas Market at their Clerkenwell showroom. Seven stalls are offering special gifts by small producers and designer/makers. 10% of all takings will go to Shelter.

5th-22nd December, Vitra, 30 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5PG

Tom Dixon Shop is hosting a four-day shopping extravaganza and a Sunday food and wine market at their Ladbroke Grove space. Plenty of great Christmas gifts are on show as well as some other surprise treats.

8th-11th December, Wharf Building, Portobello Dock, 344 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5BU

Copies of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 are available to purchase at all of the events mentioned above!

Other great events:

- Cockpit Arts is hosting Open Studios at their Deptford location, with designer makers selling direct to the public (2nd-4th December).

- Alfies Antique Market is celebrating 35 years in business with a Christmas shopping party on Thursday 8th December.

- Designers Makers Handmade Christmas Market is open at 18 Exmouth Market (Clerkenwell), selling unique items by UK designers.

There are plenty of other great events to mention so we’ll keep adding to this page as we discover them. On the whole, you can assume that most shops are open late each Thursday throughout December!

The annual East London Design Show returns to Shoreditch Town Hall for another selling exhibition of Britain’s emerging homewares, furniture, graphic art, fashion and accessories. 

EAST LONDON DESIGN SHOW, 2nd-4th December 2011

SHOREDITCH TOWN HALL

380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT

This year, there are 38 new designers out of the 100 joining the show with many launching new products and collections from hand-made one-offs to the mass produced.

Exhibitors include Mini Moderns with their retro textile and homeware designs; Michelle Mason with her design-led giftware; People Will Always Need Plates with their iconic illustrated tableware selection; and Reiko Kaneko with her contemporary bone china tableware and accessories, to name only a few.

LONDON DESIGN GUIDE is available to purchase at the show. We have teamed up with another publisher of London guides – Metro Publications – who are selling the guide on our behalf.

There is a cafe onsite as well as a play area for children.

Admission costs £5 for adults, concessions £3 and accompanied children 15 and under are free.

The show opens on Friday 2nd December from 12-9 and on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th from 10-6.

Following the debut success of The Temporium last year, the temporary Christmas emporium returns to London this Christmas. Purchase design items by a variety of new and established designers and brands in this Covent Garden pop-up shop, presented by Dezeen.

THE TEMPORIUM, 1st-24th December 2011

65 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9DG

Over 20 different stalls are selling unique gifts and products direct to the public. The theme this year is “24 days of Christmas” and each day a different product is being featured in the store, creating an advent calendar of designer gifts.

Highlights include a selection of glassware and porcelain curated by Spanish designer Jaime Hayon (above); a special edition War Bowl by Dominic Wilcox (below); and a limited edition Christmas product by Paul Cocksedge.

The Christmas tree is decorated with special red and white cycle lights by Swedish designers Bookman while delicious festive take-away snacks are provided by Pom Pom Takoyaki. A festive window display created by Frama is featuring dozens of Diamond Lights designed by Eric Therner (below).

Other designers involved include cult jewellery designers Fiona Paxton, Paperself (whose eccentric paper eyelashes were one of the biggest hits last year), a new UK-based lighting and furniture brand working with Australian designers called Matilda and leading design retailer Theo (below) alongside many, many more.

And don’t forget, LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 EDITION is selling at The Temporium alongside DEZEEN BOOK OF IDEAS. Each book can be purchased for £12 or both together for £20! If you can’t make it to the shop, you can order both books directly from us for delivery anywhere in the world.

It’s official! The new edition of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 is now available, featuring totally new content and plenty of great features. Order your copy now for only £12 and we will dispatch it to you wherever you are in the world.

LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 gives a fresh insight into the city’s contemporary and vintage retailers, as well as design galleries, museums and bookshops. All 140 new and established hotspots are compiled and reviewed by design commentator Max Fraser.

Shops are categorised by neighbourhood and accompanied by detailed maps – plus walking tours written by local tastemakers including Sheridan Coakley, Tom Dixon and Kit Kemp – to help navigate the best that the city has to offer.

You’ll find restaurant, bar and cafe recommendations, selected as much for their design credentials as for the quality of food and service.

And we’ve commissioned 10 short essays by local experts including Naomi Cleaver, Hugh Pearman, Benjamin Hubert and Libby Sellers, each discussing an aspect of the industry, be it designing, producing, selling, communicating, collecting, even discarding design.

The 2012-2013 edition also introduces 4×4, a new 16-page supplement featuring the top furniture, lighting and accessories designs available in London design stores. The survey does your homework for you, evaluating the designs based on quality and longevity.

The 208-page LONDON DESIGN GUIDE is a snapshot of the design scene today, a celebration of creativity and a practical tool for Londoners and tourists alike. There’s no better incentive for exploring the wealth of design in the capital.

It’s “a must-read” according to the New York Times.

Publisher: Spotlight Press

Editor: Max Fraser

Book designer: Richard Ardagh Studio

Cover designer: Peter Crawley 

Following on from the success of his discreet shop in Shoreditch, top designer Jasper Morrison has launched his shop concept online and made his no-nonsense selection of well-designed everyday items available to all.

Morrison is famed for his simple, confident and timeless furniture and product designs. A couple of years ago, he converted part of his London studio into a shop space, selling a mix of his own designs as well as anonymous items that he’s discovered on his travels. A stunning endeavour in itself, now he has made these items available to purchase online.

The website design is clean, clear and calm – in many respects very similar to the shop and to Morrison himself!

The physical shop space in Shoreditch is reviewed on page 131 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE. We can thoroughly recommend a visit.

After the success of their inaugural ‘For Love & Haiti’ exhibition in 2010, Darkroom‘s Valentine charity exhibition returns in 2011 featuring artworks based on the heart, donated by an array of Darkroom designers and artist friends.

LOVE FROM DARKROOM, 2nd-14th February 2011

DARKROOM

52 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3LL (020 7831 7244)

In the 2010 exhibition, Darkroom sent the profits from the sale of artworks to the Haiti earthquake appeal. For 2011, they will donate the profits from the exhibition, titled ‘Love from Darkroom,’ to the Kids Company charity that works with vulnerable and neglected young people across London.

All pieces are exhibited at Darkroom and sold to the public for a set price of £150.

A wide variety of over 40 talented artists, designers, photographers and illustrators have created works including Philip Treacy (milliner), Katie Hillier (accessory designer), Carolyn Massey (fashion designer), Patternity (designers), Multistorey (graphic designers), Frank (furniture/product designers), Hannah Martin (jewellery designer), Despina Curtis (stylist), Nick Bond (menswear designer), Lynn Cockburn (knitwear designer) and Bill Woodrow (sculptor).

Undoubtedly, the perfect Valentine’s gift for a fantastic cause. If you cannot attend the exhibition, you can still donate to the Kids Company – click on this link.

Images, from top: artworks by Corrie Williamson; Rob Ryan; Kuni Awai; Carolyn Massey.

It’s Christmas time and here LDG editor Max Fraser brings you his selection of gifts for the holiday season. As always, we would encourage you to buy well made items with lasting appeal to try to reduce the waste that comes with the merriment and excess. Enjoy!

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Every year in my family, someone buys a new Christmas tree decoration to add to a mish-mash of existing baubles and figurines, each one bringing back memories of a specific year. I find most baubles to be tacky and over-decorated, so I was delighted to discover this mouth-blown and hand engraved glass creation, which somehow encapsulates 2010: fragile and transparent.

Glass baubles by Judith Seng and Alex Valder. £41 from placesandspaces, Clapham (page 154 in LONDON DESIGN GUIDE)

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Candles help add to the atmosphere of Christmas day. These slender glass candlesticks will add an elegant glint to your dining table as you tuck into a feast. A stemware collection by the same designer is also available if you want the entire look.

Tilo range by Anna Torfs. Starting from £130 from Vessel, Notting Hill (page 33 in LDG)

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If, like some members of my family, you are prone to breaking glass then perhaps this etched brass candle holder might be a good option. The detailed pattern unleashes a mass of intricate shadows when lit. There is a similar pendant lampshade version also available.

Etch candle holder by Tom Dixon. £30 from Tom Dixon, Ladbroke Grove (page 32 in LDG)

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OK, back to glass. Well, chunky Quartz crystal actually. These glasses are part of a series designed by Max Lamb for historic crystal company J. & L. Lobmeyr. Lamb wanted to explore the optical effect of faceted crystal, creating a series of 23 cylindrical glasses cut with an increasing number of facets, from 3 to 34. The versions shown above were cut with 6 facets to create thick-walled crystal glassware.

Quartz Series by Max Lamb. £130 (small); £155 (medium); £188 (tall) from Projectory at Phillips de Pury & Company (Saatchi Gallery location)

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If you enjoy a dash of lemon juice with your smoked salmon, try out this futuristic-looking new citrus squeezer. This creation is produced by Alessi, the same company that makes the iconic Juicy Salif lemon squeezer by Philippe Starck (which doesn’t function very well!). Thankfully, and by Starck’s own admission, this one works extremely well!

mysqueeze citrus juicer by Roland Kreiter. £33, available exclusively online from mydeco.com or from Alessi, Mayfair (page 52 in LDG)

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Add some colour to the table with this selection of cheerful steel bowls (gloss on the inside, matt on the outside), originally designed in 1953 by Danish civil engineer, Herbert Krenchel. Excitingly, the iconic design has been reissued in 2010 by Danish brand Normann Copenhagen.

Selection of Krenit bowls by Herbert Krenchel. £12-97 (depending on size) from Skandium, Brompton & Marylebone (pages 20 & 42 in LDG). If you’re searching for a highly-collectible vintage original, visit Rocket Gallery, Shoreditch (page 135 in LDG)

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Of course, Christmas is the time to crack open just about anything that is wet and alcoholic. Here’s a bottle opener that will endure such heavy use, made from cast iron by skilled Japanese craftsmen.

Large bottle opener by Nobuho Miya. £13 from twentytwentyone, Islington (page 119 in LDG)

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A Christmas meal isn’t complete without the crack of some crackers. That said, most of them conceal a useless gift destined for landfill. Not so with these crackers from leading online stationery store, Present & Correct, which are made from graph paper in Devon and contain a few little treasures that you will likely want to keep!

Christmas crackers by Present & Correct. £10 from Present & Correct Pop-In Shop, Clerkenwell or from Present & Correct online shop.

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Over the Christmas period, it is more than likely you’ll get a surprise visit from friends or relatives. So, pull up one of these finely-crafted British-made stools which can double up as a wee side table/drinks perch when not being sat upon.

Stool One (oak) by Another Country. £145 from Another Country or The Temporium, Brompton (9-19th December 2010). Additionally, a limited-edition of 100 solid ash stools has been produced in collaboration with Monocle for £175.

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Of course, if anyone outstays their welcome, show them the door… and these simple coat hooks which they probably failed to notice on arrival!

Ceramic and cork knobs by Jasper Morrison. £9, £14, £21 for ceramic and £8, £10, £12 for cork from Jasper Morrison Shop (page 131 in LDG). Also can be used as handles on furniture. The shop is also open on Saturdays in December.

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During any Christmas down-time, while most people can be found reading a good novel, I’m guilty of using the time to scrub up on my design knowledge. Yeah, cool man. So here is a beast of a book delving into the nuts and bolts of the Eames Office, written and designed over 13 years by ex-employee Marilyn Neuhart and husband John. After this weighty accomplishment, we’ll finally be able to draw a line under the Eames legacy.

The Story of Eames Furniture by Marilyn & John Neuhart. £140 from The Lollipop Shoppe, Spitalfields or directly from the publisher, Gestalten. If you have a spare 16 minutes, be sure to watch this fantastic video about the book.

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Before you sit down to read, it’s important that you have a good light. Here’s a beauty – an architect lamp designed in 1921 by Bernard-Albin Gras and recently reissued. The construction of the lamp, hand made in France, is free from screws or welded joints. There are various versions available but this one is my favourite.

Lampe Gras 207 by Bernard-Albin Gras. £380 from SCP, Shoreditch and Westbourne Grove (pages 136 and 31 in LDG)

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For those of you with children, you probably have to tolerate heaps of ugly plastic toys in your home. Well, American designer David Weeks has designed a series of wooden animals that happily fall into the ‘kidult’ category. Beautifully hand made, each limb is fully flexible and simply held together with elastic. My favourite is Hanno the gorilla.

Hanno the Gorilla by David Weeks. £59 from Aram Store, Covent Garden (page 76 in LDG)

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And on to the New Year. I like to start each year with a fresh new notebook to jot down ideas and future plans. You never know when you will have a lightbulb moment, so it’s best to invest in a good looking book for any public appearances. Crucially, this one has unlined pages (that’s just how I like it), with a Japanese screen printed cover and red linen spine.

Large hand bound notebook. £26 from Darkroom, Bloomsbury. Other colours and sizes are available.

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Finally, a little note to jolt your conscience. A staggering amount of landfill waste is generated each year from excessive packaging as well as unwanted Christmas gifts. We would encourage you to carefully consider the person you are buying for (so that they receive what they actually want), avoid unnecessary packaging, and make a concerted effort to buy into quality items that will last. There, we said it.

Check out GOOD magazine’s ‘10 favourite innovations for reducing plastic consumer waste.’

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Foodies and design buffs alike can enjoy The Dock Christmas Market at the water-side estate of Portobello Dock. Hosted by designer Tom Dixon, expect lively festivities on the terrace, in the Tom Dixon Shop and Dock Kitchen restaurant.

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THE DOCK CHRISTMAS MARKET, 16th-19th December 2010

Wharf Building, Portobello Dock, 344 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5BU (020 7400 0500)

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On the opening night (6-8pm,Thursday 16th), one can enjoy roasted chestnuts, London Lager and mulled wine on the terrace with live music from the Bonfire Band.

Food stalls line the cobbled entrance with an array of cheese, charcuterie and confectionary. Traditional home-made cakes are being served at ‘Molly’s Tea Room’ where kitsch floral crochet tea-cosies (hand made by Andrea Lesley Crochet) are sold alongside an exclusive blend of tea provided by Postcard Teas.

The full range of Tom Dixon lighting and furniture is available in the shop, alongside other fresh design arrivals from complimenting designers and brands.

Pine and Needles is selling Christmas trees, as well as decorative wreathes from local florist Scarlet & Violet.

Open Thursday 16th-Saturday 18th 12-8pm, Sunday 19th 11am-5pm.

Somerset House is staging the popular Super Christmas Market again this year, providing a platform for emerging designers and giving you the opportunity to buy direct from London’s inventive independent talents.

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SUPER CHRISTMAS MARKET, 10th-12th December 2010

SOMERSET HOUSE

The Studio (behind the Ice Rink), Strand, London WC2R 1LA (020 7845 4600)

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Pick up original home wares from ‘All Lovely Stüff’ and special nik naks and Christmas baubles collected from Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries from ‘Shop Eastern Bloc.’

The centrepiece of this year’s market is The Poundshop, a wallet-friendly boutique with specially commissioned stocking fillers costing only a pound. Furthermore, enjoy free festive games and prizes.

This year’s market has been curated in collaboration with Somerset Houses’ Designers in Residence Owens & Yauner (Marc Owens and Freddie Yauner).