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A Visit to Holly’s House

Holly Wick opened her eponymous shop, Holly’s House exactly one year ago, motivated by the desire to bring fresh, new design to West London. Wick, who also runs an interior design consultancy, stocks heaps of fantastic items from established brands, including Moooi and Diamantini & Dominiconi, alongside indie talent from the likes of Phoebe Richardson and Andy Macgregor. Let’s celebrate Wick’s first year of success with a Design Store(y) so we can learn (and see) more.

What motivated you to open the store?

In recent years there has been a surge of exciting design shops opening in East London. I’m aiming to make that eclectic style more available in the West.

Describe the concept.

The concept was to make it feel as if you were walking into a home filled with beautiful design. I took inspiration from my own home and projects I’ve worked on, using both new and vintage pieces, to create a comfortable, witty and engaging environment for people to browse.

Why did you pick Parsons Green? 

I live in this neighborhood, just a hop and a skip from the shop, and feel that it reflects my own way of life. Since opening a year ago we have felt huge support from the local community.

What’s one of the challenges of the business? 

At the moment we are focusing on promoting the shop. Making sure people know the name and that customers form lasting relationships with us. It is a very exciting time as we gain recognition.

What stores have you worked in before opening this one?

None at all. Holly’s House was born after I studied interior design at KLC in London. I got my first residential design project and as I was sourcing materials and furniture, I thought how fantastic it would be to have all of these amazing pieces it one place; that was the seed and the shop has grown from there. It acts as a showroom and a base for the interior design service. It is a space where people can connect with pieces, and with myself, on a physical level.


Peacock chair

What are your favorite items in the store right now? 

Our Tikau rugs ,which are woven by local artisans in rural parts of India, our chevron cushions, the French-designed Zig Zag floor light in steel with a fantastic orange flex, and the Happiness eye test, which never fails to put a smile on my face. I also love the beautiful Brickett Davda china and our canary yellow iron peacock chairs (above)! The list is endless, I suppose!


Brickett Davda china


Chevron rug woven in India

What is this season’s inspiration? 

We don’t tend to run themes from season to season as the shop showcases a collection of pieces which will hopefully stand the test of time and fit in as comfortably in 50 years time as they do now!


Vintage pizza boards

What’s your favorite vintage find of late?

We found a wonderful vintage tailors chest with original brass measure on the top which is amazing and so full of history.


Daniel Heath Circus mirror

Are there any emerging designers you’re particularly excited about?

We are also huge supporters of emerging artists and designers, and believe the shop offers a really exciting platform for them to show alongside more established names, such as Moooi and HAY. I love Daniel Heath’s beautiful etched mirrors and Andy Macgregor’s unusual pineapple and owl cut outs.


Phoebe Richardson tableware

What’s been a consistent best seller? 

Phoebe Richardson’s skull plates and cup stack have been extremely popular, as have our mixed draw side tables.

Does the store have its own line or done any collaborations?

Not currently but we are working on lots of exciting ideas. We are in the process of rolling out a scheme which invites collaborations with young designers to create exclusive ranges for Holly’s House.


Terracotta bird bowl made in Tunisia

Any special events coming up?

We’ve just organized our first pop up shop which will run from November 26th to December 9th at 199 Portobello Road in Notting Hill.

Do you have anything from the store in your own home? 

Everything in the shop is carefully selected by myself. I love all the products and many of them have found their way back to my house! Most recently, a small ’50s style wooden coffee table with an olive-coloured lacquered top.

Visit Holly’s House at 283 New Kings Road, London SW6 4RD.

Photos by Natalie Dinham.

Marni Elyse Katz is a Contributing Editor at Design Milk. She lives in Boston where she contributes regularly to local publications and writes her own interior design blog, StyleCarrot.