After an inspiring trip to India, former department store home accessories buyer Stephanie Bates and her sister, Laura, decided to spice up the online interiors market with their own range of colourful accessories.
Bombay Duck now designs and sells dining sets, kitchenware, bath products, bed linen, pet accessories, stationery and travel kits all over the world - from London to New York - as well as online. Despite starting a family, managing director Laura hasn't slowed down - she takes her daughter Delilah to work every day and chairs meetings with her in a papoose.
Buttons, cupcakes and all-things-pink - this is a shop run by girls for girls. Head here for romantic rococo photo frames, frilly umbrellas, sparkling chandeliers and a bewildering array of dainty doorknobs in pretty pastel colours and polka dots. I like the ceramic butterfly knobs, too - perfect for jazzing up a boring bedside table or a plain chest of drawers. The flower-shaped ceramic knobs are lovely, too, and come in such a huge selection of colours that there's bound to be one to suit your style.
Bombay Duck's kitchen textiles are a delight, too - all tea cups and cute slogans such as 'Truly Scrumptious' - they're available in large and small sizes so great for kiddy cooks as well as yummy mummies.
I'm on the lookout for a patterned doormat at the moment, since my cats helpfully destroyed the last one, and the range at Bombay Duck is brilliant. Stripes, spots, flowers, even high-heeled shoes - I want them all. There's a tempting selection of patterned umbrellas, too, which I'm trying hard not to notice…
For some unknown reason, the fun knitted cake decorations here always catch my eye. Inedible, pointless, silly but strangely irresistible - they can be hung up, arranged on a plate - or simply admired. Funnily enough, they're mostly pink.
www.bombayduck.co.uk, 00 44 20 8749 3000
