The Best Fluffy Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Use them or lose them — that’s the mantra we should all be adopting when it comes to local independents.
Seeking out these homewares shops will reward you with a cool lamp, vase or chair that you won’t have scrolled past a dozen times on Instagram, either. That they are somewhat out of the way only adds to their charm.
Granted, Eltham has never been regarded as a design Mecca, but that is all changing for those in the know about Cloverstore. This community-spirited concept boutique, founded in 2023 by a husband and wife duo with backgrounds in fashion, brings a curation of pre-loved and vintage homewares to this sleepy suburb.
Supplied
Right now it can’t keep bobbin stools and travertine side tables in stock, and it’s the place to discover under-the-radar brands such as Falmouth-based Dinette (for painterly tea towels) and Towel Studio for anything but boring white basics. Whatsmore, it has a ‘coffee by day, wine by night’ counter, so you can meet friends and stay hydrated. Culture vultures should also factor in a trip to the nearby lavish Eltham Palace.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. 98-100 Westmount Road, SE9 1UT (cloverstore.uk)
Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern
The 10-minute incline from Crystal Palace Station up Anerley Hill will reward you with an extensive offering spanning classic antique, vintage, mid-century and modern furniture. Spread over four floors of a former textiles warehouse — and not packed to the rafters in a way which means you have to rummage for treasure — the setting is just as beguiling as what’s waiting to be claimed.
Supplied
Stocked by 20 specialist dealers, this is the destination for sideboards, chests of drawers and a smattering of Ercol pieces. It also excels in niche but characterful storage alternatives such as haberdashery and shop display cabinets. Trading for over 30 years, prices are fair and delivery can be arranged nationwide.
The west London set and industry insiders all speak fondly about this institution a stone’s throw from Turnham Green Tube. A former Edwardian picture palace saved from demolition by two antiques dealers in the 1970s, it’s now home to 10,000 sqft of desirable furniture. Art Deco cocktail tables sit alongside Japanese display cabinets and Murano glass lighting across three floors.
Staff cost-up third-party couriers so you don’t have to lug that brass trolley onto the bus. Arrive well-fed with a bottle of water and accessorised with a measuring tape to get the best from our visit. Oh, and comfortable footwear is a must.
Perched on the corner of an unassuming residential pocket of south-east London, Lamp Ldn delivers a joyful hit of dopamine both inside and out (its hot-pink frontage is accessorised with giant striped scallops). Founded in 2020 by two former event executives, the pair have channelled their energy into supporting independent makers who are passionate about their craft. Irresistibly merchandised to draw out everyone’s inner maximalist, expect handpainted pottery, patterned lampshades, textiles from Projektityyny and vibrant aluminium trays by Kaymet manufactured just off the Old Kent Road.
Harry Pseftoudis
This summer will see the launch of an own-brand range of Italian ceramics. The website is well-stocked too, but go IRL for a mood-boost and then refuel at one of the many eateries on nearby Bellenden Road.
Hoe Street isn’t just a thoroughfare to pick up some fried chicken on the way to Walthamstow Central; thanks to EBTD it’s a hotbed for some of the most desirable MCM (mid-century modern) pieces ever produced. The selection is nothing but discerning: Magistretti sofas, rattan Cesca chairs, Kartell magazine holders… but you have to be quick, as stock goes fast.
Make a pilgrimage to this former mechanics garage to find a unique marble coffee table instead of getting square-eyes on Google. And when you need to come up for air, the William Morris Gallery in pretty Lloyd Park is just a skip and a jump away.
Open weekends; mid-week by appointment. 70 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, E17 4PG (ebtd.co.uk)
