Kentish Town Stores is an independent lifestyle store offering handmade ceramics, textiles, home fragrance, homewares and gifts. Our products showcase some of the very best craft being made in the UK today. Our curated edit is sourced direct from
artists, makers, craftspeople and small independent brands, all based in the UK.

Read more about us, and our Founder, Luci Noel, here.

We specialise in handmade goods, made in small batches and crafted with care. Each item is unique and made by the hand of skilled makers.

Our products are made in the UK and sourced direct from the maker. We work with brands that are ethically and sustainably minded – putting the human and the environment at the heart of what we do from mud to made.  

There are very occasional exceptions to where the products are made – currently our range from The Atlas Works are made by hand in the Atlas Mountains and our coloured candlestick holders from Block Design are hand-crafted in China. Both companies uphold our core values of sustainability and socially conscious business practice.  

The Atlas Works is a collaboration between two London based designers and a traditional factory in Morocco. Block Design are a B Corp and have met rigorous social and environmental standards which is central to the company’s founding ethos since it launched back in 2000 by Tara Ashe.

Our ceramics are hand-thrown or hand-built and glazed individually. This gives them a tactile, human quality that mass-produced items lack. No two items will ever be the same and each piece is the result of many hours of human production.

The piece that you see on the shelf is the result of many years of product development, experimentation and practice by talented craftspeople. For every piece available to buy and collect, there have been countless pieces reclaimed back into the making process because of any one of the numerous challenges met during that process.

The true value of handmade ceramics and craft is unquantifiable when you consider the years of practice development each of our makers have experienced.

Sustainability is at the heart of all that we do. We believe that investing in handmade homewares, built to last a lifetime, that become future heirlooms, is hugely beneficial in terms of lowering our impact on the planet and sending less “fast homewares” to landfill. 

When we source from new makers the sustainability of their practice, their eco-conscious processes and use of responsibly sourced materials is a key consideration. Our makers work in a considered way with their chosen material – repurposing, reusing and recycling an ever-important part of their making cycle.

Our products are all small batch. Pieces are made with an intent to be used and enjoyed for many years to come. They are not made to sit on the shelves of dusty warehouses for years before they are released into landfill. This can mean that production times are longer than you might expect from mass-produced items, but we believe that the wait is worth it when you can enjoy your new wears and feel the warmth of the hand of
the maker in your everyday.

Yes, you can visit our physical store in Hampstead, London where we are open six days a week, or you can shop online 24/7. More information can be found on our contact page here.

Yes, we are always happy to dress our standard protective tissue wrapping with store twine or ribbon and are delighted to include handwritten notes if you are sending your purchase direct as a gift. To do this you can leave us a note when you checkout through the website.

If you also purchase wrapping paper and/or a greetings card, then we can use this to wrap your gift and write your chosen note for the intended recipient. Again, you can leave us a note on your order or send an email directly to hello[at]kentishtownstores.com.

For online orders we accept returns within 14 days of delivery, provided items are unused and in original condition. Custom orders are non-refundable. Please see our full returns policy here.

Standard UK delivery takes 3–5 working days. Express and international options are also available at checkout. Please see our full delivery details here.

The beauty of being a small team and working directly with our makers is that we can make your experience as individual as possible. We love to talk to our clients about their ideas, and we are always on hand to talk through what might be possible.  

Our makers are working to pretty tight timeframes and often have a workload that exceeds their capacity, as a result not all will be able to make changes to their standard product offering. However, many are very happy to look at options and, in the past, we have collaborated on some amazing customer bespoke orders.

Some things to consider when thinking about when/what to order:

• Handmade wares are time consuming to make. We place most of our orders with makers up to three months before we receive the goods in store, and there are occasional hiccups that can delay this process even further. Do make sure you allow enough time if you need something for a specific occasion. We will do our best to give you an accurate lead time but there will occasionally be changes to this out of our control.
• We represent our makers for their unique style and ways of working. If you have an idea of something you would like that is not on our standard list we can help to find the right maker and have the conversation with them about your commission, however, they will of course make the work in their personal style, and this might not be the exact image of what you have/expect. We think this collaboration makes the work even more special with the maker extending your vision for a piece.
• Bespoke orders are non-refundable and non-returnable. We take payment up front and the transaction is final. This does not affect your statutory rights in terms of defective products.
• If you have your eye on something from our core collection that we do not have enough of in stock, we are always happy to accept preorders. These are charged on order, and we will come back with a lead time within five days. If this does not fit your requirements, we will offer a refund at this stage but after the initial five days the order cannot be cancelled or refunded.

Please do get in touch to discuss your ideas.

Most of our ceramics are dishwasher-safe, however, makers always recommend hand washing to aid longevity and preserve their handmade finish.

Any items with wooden components and a few pieces of ceramic are not safe to be put in the dishwasher – if there is a specific piece you have in mind do ask to be sure.

We strongly advise against putting any of our wares in the microwave.

Although the majority of our products are dishwasher safe, handwashing with gentle eco detergents is recommended to keep them looking their best. We also recommend air drying to avoid contact time with potentially dangerous hands!

We work with independent UK based makers and small independent brands, including ceramicists, textile artists, woodworkers, leatherworkers, candlemakers and illustrators. You can have a look at the map of where are makers are based here.

Our ceramicists work in a range of materials including stoneware, earthenware, porcelain and terracotta. They often reclaim their own clay and make their own food-safe glazes.

Our woodworkers use sustainably sourced British timbers, textiles use sustainably sourced Merino wool, and the leathermakers use leather sourced from tannery’s using traditional techniques to create unique hides.

Our home fragrance brands are committed to clean home fragrance. All use a vegan base and 100% essential oils to make the candles, incense, soaps and essential oils as luxurious and clean as possible.

Much of our work is sourced from small-batch production potters who create a series of work that is repeated throughout the year. However, no two pots will ever be identical – they are all sisters not twins.

Makers often experiment and change their processes and techniques. Their work evolves one batch to the next and this will be evident in their final output.  

Many of our items are also one-off pieces or part of short runs – once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Absolutely. We share maker stories on our website and Instagram, highlighting their processes and inspirations. We also have a Meet the Maker page that will give you a bit more insight into their practices. Sign up to our mailing list for maker info straight to your inbox.

We love how handmade gifts offer something unique and warm when you are gift giving. Every one of our wares is a fantastic option for a very personal gift and we are delighted to help with guidance whenever you need it.

Looking for a small token? We love to gift egg cups for a wedding gift to make something meaningful out of leisurely married mornings together.

For a mid-range purchase, we have an amazing selection of handmade ceramic vases, the perfect way to show off those post wedding blooms.

If you are looking for a collective present or something that is a real investment in the years ahead, building family life and memories together, there is nothing better than a unique dinner service, made to order for the couple themselves.  

We have a fantastic range of curated gift guides that are both budget and occasion specific. Whether you’re looking for Finds Under Fifty, or maybe you’re the Big Gifter, or looking for a piece for a Wedding present, you can browse through our gift guides on the website.

Absolutely. You can mix and match items and we’ll gift wrap them beautifully as directed by you. Just let us know your preference in the checkout notes, and don’t forget to add a card to match the occasion.