TILES, TIDES AND TIME FOR TEA

Talented ceramicist Brenda Bates, of Welbeck Tiles, has opened a beautiful new seaside café in Mousehole, near Penzance, Cornwall. The ‘Rock Pool‘ – which is perched on a cliff above a natural rock pool – is filled with her impressive collection of vintage Swan teapots as well as her chic tiles. I loved styling it and writing about it for Homes & Antiques magazine (July issue – out now). On sunny days like today, I really wish I was taking a dip in Cornwall rather than sitting at a desk in London!

Brenda’s collection of vintage ephemera and treasures was a pleasure to plunder – like being in a prop hire warehouse! She has some amazing old Cornish postcards, maps and tourist guides, which have inspired her tile designs over the years.

Rifling through Brenda’s boxes of coastal-themed ephemera was a real treat and, just when I thought we’d seen the lot, she produced yet another collection – this time of 1950s toiletries in fabulously patterned gift boxes. I couldn’t resist using one of the prettiest paper-wrapped soaps as a prop…