Bristol Interior Design: where’s good to shop?

As an interior designer in Bristol, I love being able to work with and champion local businesses, using their products and building relationships so I want to tell you about a local Bristol business: the gorgeous homewares shop Mon Pote. Mon Pote is situated along the vibrant North Street home to street art, independent shops, cafes and restaurants and Bristols Tobacco Factory a theatre and arts venue which also hosts a Sunday pop up market where you can sample great food and meet local makers.

Mon Pote shop North Street, is a treasure trove of homewares along a vibrant city highstreet.

My history with Mon Pote

My love affair with Mon Pote started in 2018 when I used to live very close to their original shop. Bleary eyed from lack of sleep after I’d had my second daughter, I’d mosey on over allured by it’s calming atmosphere and glorious homeware treats and come away with a vase or a new cushion (forever in the hope of actually being able to rest my weary head on it!)

Fast forward a few years to now, my kids are in school, I’m no longer sleep-deprived but the shop still has the draw for me. The new location is bigger and better than ever with even more homewares to feast your eyes on. Every turn is carefully curated to stop you in your tracks and make you want to reach out and buy it all and live in a Mon Pote-esque retreat for the rest of your life.

A bit about Mon Pote

Whilst in store I chatted to the owner Anna about the shop which she started in 2016 following on from her completely different career as a solicitor. She wanted to create a space to sell a curated collection of homewares from smaller brands from both the UK and abroad and she’s certainly done that. Anna tells me the biggest sellers are lamps and cushions and that it’s always so exciting to hit on a product that sells like hot cakes and they can’t restock fast enough!

How to style your period property

Anna was kind enough to lend me some pieces to take home to show how I style them in my own home and it was very hard not to say “I’ll take one of each!” but I narrowed it down to a few things which I knew would be perfect in my home. Now, I do live in a period property but I do want to take the opportunity to say that I think having a few items of a different style or era REALLY will give you bang for your buck in your home scheme. I’ve spoken about it on my Instagram before but remember the idea of 80%, 20% so 80% one style and 20% another. So, in my home we have tons of period features, think ornate cornicing, period fireplaces and stone floors but adding a few modern pieces gives the design a shake up and adds some instant interest to the scheme.

OK, so this cushion is an absolute belter in my opinion with it’s subtle very hard to photograph stripe and on trend ruffles it sits pretty here in my period home living room. As an Interior Designer I’m very caught up in detail and how it can impact the look of a space but I don’t tend to design with overly bold prints and textiles so this subtle stripe and elegant ruffle are right up my street, giving just the right amount of pattern but blending in to the space really nicely.

If you want to know how it feels, I’m gonna say soft with the right amount of structure to look plump but still be comfy to kick back and relax into.

Now, anyone who knows me will know that gold, brass or any shiny yellow metal is my thang and these candle sticks are no exception. The twist is a fantasic way to add some texture to your room. Us Interior Designers do harp on a lot about textures but they are so important to making a space look interesting and more dynamic. In design I do like to mix up my candle sticks and have ones of various heights which I often group in 3’s or I place one at either end of the mantelpiece for a more symmetrical look.

The last piece I picked up was this ceramic plant pot and saucer which can be planted up with something small but I personally think it looks lovely as an ornament. It was the stripes that sold it for me! As forementioned, I don’t tend to design with big bold patterns so therefore, stripes are good for me, providing some pattern and interest but not taking over the space. I knew as soon as I saw it that this piece would look superb in my green/brown kitchen up on the shelf reserved for the pretties and I was not wrong. It looks so very cute next to my art and glass jars containing rice and pasta (ok, ok this shelf does have some practical purpose!)

In Summary

If you’re local to Bristol or planning a trip to the city and are a lover of all things home and design then get Mon Pote on your list for a visit and if you’re not then she sells it all online.  As an Interior Designer in the vibrant and arty city of Bristol, it is important to me to shop local where I can and source unique homewares from independent sellers and this place offers just that.

I hope I have shown ways for you to incorporate items into your home and you have been inspired to up your home styling game.

If you have found this blog post useful and want to find out more ways to design a room grab your free guide here which will take you through the Interior Designer steps to getting that perfect room design every time.

Happy shopping,

Claire