How do you juggle your business with life and small children?

You prioritise! The trick to juggling is knowing which balls are made of glass and which are made of plastic. We have help which makes life easier, so you do what you can when you can. I have fits and spurts with Host – but not having a physical retail space definitely makes it easier.

What London Velvet product have you got your eye on at the moment and where would you take It for its first adventure?

London Velvet’s Beach and Corduroy totes are the perfect day-to-day piece, I’d take mine everywhere all the time! They are big and sturdy enough for all my adventures.

Fool proof dinner party dish…

Anything by Jane Lovett – she is an amazing woman from my parent’s generation. Everything in her books you can cook in advance and it’s all ready to go so you can enjoy catching up with friends with a glass of wine in hand, rather than being chained to the oven!

Song that’s stuck in your head?

Something between and incy wincy spider and twinkle twinkle little star

Book you can't put down?

Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce. It’s the perfect commutable book. Easy reading that you can put down and pick up.

What your tips for the perfect dinner party tablescape?

Candles are an easy win. Put them in the freezer beforehand and they take twice as long to burn. A fun water jug always looks great on the table too. Lastly, supermarket flowers – get the discounted ones that are looking sad and pick out the good ones then put them in bud vases!

Homeware item your obsessed with right now?

I’m still obsessed with Moro Dabron. Beautiful scented candles made in an earthenware vessel based on Fulham pottery but a modern update on them. They also work as a gorgeous posy vase after you’ve used them.

Any new products your excited to launch?

There is the most amazing embroidery in Vietnam and we sell these monogram pillows which we launched at the tail end of last year, thankfully now just back in stock. Another thing I’m working on is merging old and new. So, we are getting classic beautiful heavy cotton tea towels and adding ‘naughty’ words to them.

What homeware trend can you just not get on board with?

I struggle a little bit with trends in its essence as I think things should be kept and past on. I’ve fallen for this myself at Host and I really want to try to only sell items that don’t date.

What is your go to day-to-day uniform?

I used to be a fashion editor and never thought I had a uniform until one of the girls I worked with told me I did. It’s always jeans, a white t shirt, jumper then a blazer. Lots of neutrals. So, it’s more of an unintentional uniform really.

What's the fabric of the hour? 

I’m desperately hunting for madras fabrics (a very lightweight southern Indian check) but in a heavier weight cotton. It has an amazing different colours and depth; I think it’s the new gingham!

Most productive time of the day?

First thing in the morning then 7pm onwards. Afternoons melt away with young children!

Favourite season and why?

I love real spring, when its baking hot for the first time. Everyone gets a bit of a ‘spring’ in their step and there are daffodils for sale in every supermarket. We have already had a couple of spring like days this year and its made me realise how much I missed it. 

2023 - what’s in it for you?

For Host we are really trying to do less but better. We went through cycle of everyone wanting more stuff and more newness but that’s just not sustainable in so many ways. We only want to launch a product if there is not just a gap in the market for it, but a really a need for it too. We are trying to be a little more conscious of what we are creating – so its about slowing down a bit; being a little more considered about how we do thing

If your guests had two nights at Aller, what would you suggest as the dream way to spend them?

I would arrive here in the afternoon, maybe have booked a fire-it supper, relax, have some cocktails , bottle of rose looking over the lake. Cook your fire-pit supper. Wake up early, have a nice breakfast, get up and go on a day trip. I love exploring so either go to the Newt for the day, or go to coast for a lovely lovely walk and then go for a yummy lunch or even just a really long walk around here finishing up in the local pub. Come back here for a picky supper as you’ll have been out for lunch, outside bath, more cocktails and early bed!

Favourite season?

Summer - I love warmth, the sun, and wearing lovely dresses and I love Aller when it’s looking it’s absolute best.

We love textures, materials, corduroy etc. What fabric are you most drawn to at the moment and why?

I am so drawn to pattern and especially love the Ottolines collection and I also love Fanny Shorter, Molly Mahon, I love a dot and a scallop. But there is also something really luxurious about a corduroy and a velvet.

If your family are down with you, what would you do with them?

At the moment we live up the road from the farm. Bring them to the farm, show them around Aller Dorset, a lovely walk around the rolling hills. A lunch in our local pub. Definitely go to the coast on one of the days. Definitely probably go to the crab house cafe, that’s our go-to if we have anyone to stay. You get the bib, a massive crab, it’s so nice in there and the most delicious food, it’s near the beach. Then home for a nice BBQ in the garden, a bit of tennis maybe use my in-laws pool. We’re very fortunate, so lots to do.

Congratulations on your recent Anthropologie partnership, is there anything coming in the pipeline you can share?

We’ve been so busy since we first launched, just put in two new huts as you probably know. Our house is on the market, we’re moving into the main farmhouse here, doing a big renovation so that will be my focus for the next 6 months I think. But we have so many plans, but I’d love to have a little shop selling my homeware, the granola. Lots of new products coming out including these outdoor cushions. Speaking to a few different brands, but it all has to fit in.

It’s evident you have your ear to the ground on what’s hot right now. What brands are high on your radar? 

Clothing wise, I’m loving Shop Doën - they actually ship straight to the UK now which is so good! I also recently bought a really nice dress from Palm Noosa, Katherine Ormerod suggested it to me. They have great dresses. Homeware… I love Sophie Warbutons company Host home! I love her stuff. I love Edit.58, I love Trove. There are so many. I love an Alice palmer lampshade. All together, I guess, Anthropologie, not just saying this because of the partnership but they do have such an amazing mix of everything. The clothing range, they have just so many amazing brands that I just never knew. The same as the homeware so definitely a place I’m looking at!

What London Velvet piece have you got your eye on at the moment?

Oooo SO much stuff. But I would say definitely the new beach bag in Blue & Brown. I also absolutely have been lusting over the weekenders. Would love the corduroy one, I’ve been hinting to Ant to buy me one but no such luck. I might have to invest myself!