I love polka dots. If there’s one pattern that doesn’t seem to age this has to be it. Delicious splodges of colour – uniform or random – that go with everything and look just as good on fabrics as they do on pottery, furniture, walls or canvas.
I’ve been thinking about dots a lot recently – ever since my daughter decided to ban me from calling her Dotty/Dot, her nickname since she was a baby. So in recognition of the fact that my Dot is growing up, and a mixture of sadness and happiness that we are moving on to a new phase in her/our lives, I’ve decided to indulge myself by gathering together a plethora of polka dots pieces to cheer me up. They would also look great in any home.
This lovely mug is from Laura Ashley’s AW12 homes’ collection and is part of a set that also includes a jug, cake stand and cup. www.lauraashley.com
Add a spot of style to your cooking with this casserole dish from Berry Red. www.berryred.co.uk
Tea always tastes nicer out of a teapot I think – and what could be nicer than this blue-on-white Blue Penny design from Aston Pottery. There’s also a matching mugs, cups, saucers, jugs, storage bowls, serving plates and more in the collection, which also comes in several colour combinations. www.astonpottery.co.uk
Dotty cushions – what could be comfier? My very own Dot would love this one. Love Letters are by Jonny’s Sister and they’re available in a variety of patterns, covering A – Z, all handmade in England. www.jonnyssister.co.uk
These fabric bowls are obviously not for food storage, think of them more as decorative accessories to store bits and pieces or just look pretty on their own. Available from www.nellypepper.co.uk
Passionate purple – wonderful. This plate is from Berry Red and its name – Naomi Plum Side Plate – indicates there are other pieces in the collection so I’ve had a look and found a jug, dinner plate and latte cup. www.berryred.co.uk
This cute ceramic Spotty Dotty toast rack holds up to five pieces of toast and is dishwasher safe. It’s from I Like Chickens and can be found here.
Good old Tesco, they make it easy to pick up a few polka dots with your weekly shop. This set – each piece is sold individually – was launched for the Diamond Jubilee but should be in shops throughout the summer. www.tesco.com
This beauty is from Matalan and is just right for holding your morning coffee with its chunky shape and easy-to-hold handle. I’ll have to get one for work – it will look great on my desk. www.matalan.co.uk
Compared to this, my plain old toaster is just plain old boring. From German design company Efbe Schott, this vision in red provides a cheerful start to the day as well as scrumptious toast and warm croissants. It has all the tech features you would expect, too, including electronic browning control, removable bun rack and crumb tray, and a defrost button. Find it at www.redcandy.co.uk
It’s not just pots and accessories that get the polka dot treatment, why not extend your love to furniture too? This Italian retro dining chair is decorated by hand and is made of wood with a metal frame. It’s from Alexander & Pearl and comes as a set of two. These would look fab in my kitchen, find them here.
I’m loving this lime cushion, the red edging gives it, well, an edge. The cover is removable for washing and you can use it in the garden – great for picnics. Find it at The Contemporary Home.
Measuring cups that look good as well as being practical, what more could the home baking fan want? These are by Spode and launch in August at www.spode.co.uk
Perfect for pasta bakes or lasagne, this polka dot oval dish from Emma Bridgewater is finished on the outside in classic blue and has a capacity of 1.7 litres. Find it at www.emmabridgewater.co.uk
This pretty yet substantial looking metal tray is also by Emma Bridgewater. The handles give it an extra safety aspect.
Finally for today, see how lovely this polka dot design looks in this bathroom. Beach Spot Mural is from Digetex and comes from its new Coastal Beach Collection. It’s not necessarily cheap – from £129 though I’m unclear whether that’s per roll or the cost for the entire wall – but it’s certainly stunning. www.digetexhome.com