The Baby Cot Shop is unrivalled in its offerings and design expertise. What inspired you to open your business?
My business journey isn’t a typical one as I sort of fell into it. I had been working as a Medical Representative for a pharmaceutical company when I took some time out to have my children. It was with great reluctance that I applied to return to work, and couldn’t get suitable hours with the company I worked for. I happened to be reading a book where the author addressed gifts and talents. Her response to the question, How do I know what my gift is?” Was “your gift is that thing you do effortlessly but everyone else things it’s a big deal”. For me, that was interior design. So I enrolled on a couple of design courses and established an interior design company. Less than a year into it, my husband and I decided to up and move to the United States.We visited the states every year so it made sense to sell your home, pack up your kids and move abroad. In the process I purchased a baby and children’s furniture shop. That was my introduction into high-end furniture for babies and children. I learned about craftsmanship and furniture design, combined my interior design background with the sale of furniture and began to specialise in the interior design of nurseries, playrooms and children’s bedrooms. In 2008 the recession arrived and wiped out the business- and everything we owned. We returned to England to weather the storm, fully believing it would blow over and we would return to the States. I forgot to mention, we returned pregnant with son number 4. I decided I couldn’t sit and twiddle my thumbs waiting for things to pick up again, so I started researching the UK market and established Punkin Patch Interiors in 2008. In 2012, we changed the business model and the name and became The Baby Cot Shop.
What does the word luxury mean to you?
Luxury to me means freedom. The freedom to have what you want, when you want and how you want it and this is across the board from experiences to items.
You are based on one of London's most famous streets, what are your favourite areas of London to spend time in and why?
I love Oxford street because it reminds me of my teenage years. I love the quirkiness of the shops on the side roads, the unexpected treasures like the Wallace Collection and the buzz of Christmas shopping. Chelsea is another favourite because of the rich, eclectic history of the area, specifically the King's Road where we are located. I am fascinated by the fact that my shop, at number 408 was once occupied by The Emperor of Wyoming, owned by late fashion entrepreneur, Bill Murphy who in the 1960's, sold his designs to Bob Dylan, Keith Richards, David Bowie and many others. And we are surrounded by vintage shops like Vivienne Westwood to art galleries, King's Road's only Car showroom and fine restaurants. The area we are located is called the King's Road Curve.
What design trends of the last few years have really impacted you and stood out?
Motifs have stood out for me. In 2009 we had motifs inspired by nature like bees, dragonflies and more. Mustard was the colour, one of my faves, and ec- everything drove the conversation. I love the large scale botanicals from 2017 spilling into 18. It infused a boldness which meant I could live as big and as loud as I wanted to.
If you could summarise TBCS in one item that you sell, what would it be and why?
This is the most difficult Baby Cot shop question I've ever been asked! It would be the Tribeca Cot Bed. I love the sturdiness of the wood and the delicate floral carving juxtapositioned against the headboard. Then there is the plush upholstery which gives the customer complete flexibility because with that, you can choose how understated or opulent you want the cot to go. Customers can also be as involved or uninvolved in their design process as they wish. The Tribeca Luxury Cot comes with enough flexibility to appeal to any customer and that is what we do. Yes, we everyone including royalty and VIPs, we treat everyone who comes in is treated with the same decorum, whether they are buying a small gift item or kitting out a luxury nursery room or child's bedroom.
Once again, we would like to thank Toks for taking the time to speak with ourselves and share her wisdom and insights. For more information on their range of luxury nursery furniture contact The Baby Cot Shop via +44 (0) 20 33717530 or on design@thebabycotshop.com.
