Kati Price, the Marketing and Content Manager at Design Council reveals a glimpse of what Covent Garden has to offer with her personal walking tour which she wrote for LONDON DESIGN GUIDE (the book). Follow her route and you may find some hidden gems within and away from the main bustle of the Covent Garden Piazza.

COVENT GARDEN: Take a Walk with Kati Price

“Start off at Tottenham Court Road, where you can’t miss Centrepoint, one of London’s first skyscrapers, which has a fascinating and controversial history.

Centrepoint, 20-21 St. Giles High Street

Wander down St Giles High Street, cross over into Monmouth Street and pop into Miss Lala’s Boudoir for luxury lingerie, then into Orla Kiely for some of her trademark patterned bags and accessories.

Miss Lala’s Boudoir, 18 Monmouth Street

Orla Kiely, 31 Monmouth Street

Keep an eye out for a passageway that leads you into the hippie oasis of Neal’s Yard and emerge onto Short’s Gardens, where you can sample some 200 cheeses at the world-famous Neal’s Yard Dairy.

Neal’s Yard Diary, 17 Shorts Gardens

After exploring Neal Street, bear left onto Long Acre and walk over to Great Queen Street for some robust British fare, taking in the Art Deco Freemason’s Hall opposite – it serves as the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England.

Freemason’s Hall, 60 Great Queen Street

Head back down Long Acre and bear left into Bow Street which is dominated by the impressive façade of the Royal Opera House.

Royal Opera House, Bow Street

As you turn into Floral Street, look up and you’ll spot the twisting glass Bridge of Aspirations, designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre, which connects the Royal Ballet School with the Opera House.

Bridge of Aspirations

Pick up some treats at Kastner & Ovens as you stroll down Floral Street en route to the Paul Smith store.

Kastner & Ovens, 52 Floral Street

Paul Smith, 40-44 Floral Street

As Floral Street ends you’ll find Covent Garden’s oldest pub, the Lamb & Flag.

Lamb & Flag, 33 Rose Street

After a quick pint, head down James Street into the Piazza, the heart of Covent Garden, designed by Inigo Jones in the 17th century. Formerly a vegetable market, the space now hosts lots of craft and food stalls, boutiques and street entertainers.

Covent Garden Market

After a refreshing frozen yoghurt at Yu-foria, visit the London Transport Museum or head down Russell Street to Drury Lane and Aram, which, in the 60s, first brought furniture by the likes of Marcel Breuer and Le Corbusier to the uk.

Yu-foria, 19 The Market

London Transport Museum, 39 Wellington Street

Aram, 110 Drury Lane

If you’re feeling thirsty, grab a seat at the brilliant Lobby Bar at One Aldwych or head underground to CellarDoor, where you’ll discover drag queens and cabaret crooners in this former Gents toilet.

One Aldwych, 1 Aldwych

Cellar Door, Zero Aldwych

Cross over the Strand and finish your tour at Somerset House – a spectacular spot for ice skating in winter or al fresco drinks and music on the River Terrace in summer.”

Somerset House, Strand

This extract was taken from page 75 of London Design Guide. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

When we created LONDON DESIGN GUIDE (the book), we took the decision to break this vast city into manageable areas. To accompany each area, we asked a local to write a personal tour of their favourite places. Here is shoe designer Tracey Neuls‘ tour of Marylebone, home to her inimitable shoe store.

MARYLEBONE: Take a Walk with Tracey Neuls

“Homogenisation of our cities is sadly becoming more and more unavoidable. Marylebone Village, on the other hand, is unmistakably British and goes even one step further – it is honestly local. The atmosphere as you walk from Oxford Street to Marylebone Lane quickly changes from department stores to shops like Biggles Gourmet Sausages, where you can buy handmade links by the dozen or in a bun to take away.

Biggles Gourmet Sausages, 66 Marylebone Lane

Neighbours include David Penton & Son, an old world DIY shop where, more times than not, they will have what you need.

David Penton & Son, 64 Marylebone Lane

And The Button Queen, which supplies buttons from the 1800s.

The Button Queen, 76 Marylebone Lane

Across the road you have Paul Rothe & Son, a family-run café where the decor has been loved yet untouched since it opened over 100 years ago.

Paul Rothe & Son, 35 Marylebone Lane

And this is the best bit about Marylebone: popping up among the original shops are strong contenders for future classics. The side streets are always worth exploring for just that. For example, on Bulstrode Street you will find Content, which sells creams and perfumes served by the passionate owner herself, who knows her products inside and out.

Content, 14 Bulstrode Street

Remembering less is more, don’t miss the Monocle magazine shop – quite possibly the smallest shop in London yet jam packed with goodies.

Monocle, 2A George Street

Keep walking and you can choose between butterflies and cheese. Worth a look is Damien Hirst’s boutique Other Criteria, where art multiples can be bought at a hint of the price of the original.

Other Criteria, 14 Hinde Street

Nearer the top of Marylebone High Street, The Fromagerie beckons. This cheese specialist and grocer supports local producers, and has a few secret tables in the back where they prepare and serve up a delicious daily menu.

The Fromagerie, 4 Moxon Street

Pass through the tranquil innercity Paddington Street Gardens before arriving closer to the heart of residential Marylebone.

Paddington Street Gardens

A rather eccentric character called Felix sets up a rogue stall every morning selling flowers in front of Hardy’s restaurant. His unique selections of cut flowers are reflective of his own individual personality.

Hardy’s, 53-55 Dorset Street

And while you are there treating your senses, have a peep across the street at St Andrews Mansion Courtyard for some rare, well- preserved London architecture.”

St. Andrews Mansion Courtyard

This extract was taken from page 39 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE. To enjoy similar tours of other areas in London complete with maps, why not order a copy of the guide?

All photographs taken by Claire Rooney.

Its January 2010 and the start of a new decade. It seems only right that at this milestone, we all consider what we’re doing right and what we’re doing wrong. In this LDG extract, editor Max Fraser confronts our insatiable appetite to consume and calls for change.

THE STATE OF STUFF

In today’s materialist culture we have become addicted to the constant allure of the ‘new.’ Max Fraser argues that now is the time to change our game.

Over the past decade or so we have lived well beyond our means, propped up by easy access to credit and an attitude that we can have what we want, when we want it. Today we wallow in a culture of uncontested consumerism. As Richard Girling wrote in his book Greed: ‘We acquire, accumulate, and consume so far in excess of “need” that the word itself has fudged its meaning.’*

Girling has a point. We belong to a generation that has never had to go without, and along the way we have created an invisible monster  that feeds off our over-indulgence and wastefulness. It looms on the horizon of Western consciousness, yet we live with the belief that we are somehow immune to the problems it conceals.

The current recession has brought some designers to the consensus that now is the time to address our culture of aimless consumption in the hope of restoring a marketplace with a healthier and more sustainable outlook than before.

As it stands the design industry seems to blindly produce more ’stuff’, clambering at every opportunity to capture our attention amid a sea of homogeneous and derivative products. It is by no means the only industry that simultaneously creates desire and fuels disposability; in general, the vast majority of ’stuff’ is only adequately designed and manufactured and capitalises on its own planned obsolescence. We recognise this – the burden on the planet is discussed endlessly – yet until it smacks us in the face, calls for change are likely to go unheard. In the main, we are hypocrites; we know we need to reduce but we feel doubtful that as individuals we can make any difference.

Could we ever move away from consumption altogether? I hear you ask: Why would he, the editor and publisher of an annual guide that ultimately encourages consumption, suggest such a thing?

True, this thinking is naive and short sighted. Trade is engrained in our culture. Our finely tuned production cycle should be credited for providing us with an ever-important source of income – which, in turn, helps keep society’s wheels in motion. Production should not be considered a 21st-century scourge; innovation and technology offer infinite possibilities to a forward-thinking society.

It is also important to recognise that human nature is at its finest when creating. It gives us a sense of purpose. Throughout history our country has spawned pioneers we can thank for everything we value as great. These innovators deserve kudos, not the imitators who follow in their wake. However, as Richard Girling rightfully warns: ‘We salute excellence, but excellence is seldom born of modesty, and still less of moderation.’**

More than ever before, society needs to embrace moderation and readdress the reality of our ‘needs’. But only when we seriously question why we have mountains of stuff cluttering our shelves (as well as our minds and, ultimately, the rubbish tips) will we be able to start changing our consumption patterns. It is time to move away from the concept of disposability and promote quality and longevity, repair and reuse. Consumption is fine, as long as we buy better quality products less often and place value on emotional resonance. The future should be seen as rich with opportunity, but conditional on a move away from today’s self-destructive trajectory. Along the way we need to excite and empower one another and sidestep those who hesitate.

As things stand today, I get the feeling we are just treading water, waiting for others to make the first move. An army of creative entrepreneurs is eager to advance, but seems held back by risk-averse corporations and government. As our history tells it, however, it is during the hard times that human beings have best responded to new challenges. There is every reason why now is the time for change.

* Richard Girling, Greed. Why We Can’t Help Ourselves (2009), p.64

** Richard Girling, Greed. Why We Can’t Help Ourselves (2009), p.83

This extract was taken from pages 158+159 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2010.

Leading design store, twentytwentyone, has just undergone extension work to their original Upper Street shop in Islington – just in time for Christmas. Here are some pictures we took within hours of completion!

The new space spans the basement areas of their existing property and that of their neighbour, providing a further 100 square metres of display for their confident product pickings.

The new interior has been created by award-winning architects DRDH. The outcome is a simple and refined setting.

Illuminating the stairwell leading to the basement is a striking cluster of Torch Lights (designed by Sylvain Willenz for Established & Sons) – apparently the only one of its kind in the UK.

If you are unfamiliar with the shop already, here is the twentytwentyone shop review extracted from page 119 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE and written prior to any knowledge of the new extension.

After many months of preparation, jewellery talent Jacqueline Rabun has unveiled her new website. Furthermore, in time for the gift giving season, she has launched three new collections inspired by structured and architectural shapes.

As well as being the online platform to view her work, there is also an integrated e-shop for those who can’t make it to one of her stockists or her stunning Knightsbridge showroom.

Jacqueline Rabun new collections: left – ‘Alphabet 0-9 ? & +’; top right – ‘Grace Round’; bottom right – ‘Grace Fluid’

If you haven’t already been, we recommend that you visit Rabun’s tranquil showroom. From 3rd-24th December 2009, it plays host to an exhibition of Modernist jewellery, both past and present, in collaboration with Grasilver.

We are proud to have collaborated with Rabun in her showroom, which was the perfect venue for the media and buyer launch of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE back in September.

Here is the review of the showroom from page 15 of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE: