10 Minutes with… Rockett St George
We have a very special blog for you today! The lovely duo that make up Rockett St George, Jane Rockett and Lucy St George have answered a few questions for us!
Jane Rockett & Lucy St George
Photography by Catherine Gratwicke
Myself and Jess met this awesome twosome at their book launch last year and knew instantly that these guys were amazing and inspirational. Their love of thrifting has turned into a flourishing business, which I’m sure you’ve all heard of, and they also have two published books about all-inspiring interiors, which both myself and Jess proudly display on our coffee tables and highly recommend you get!
We often specify Rockett St George items in our schemes because their products add another dimension to a design and really can pull a look together.
Today the duo tell us a bit about their interesting background, how their company has developed, what inspires them and we talk trends, or shall I say, the trend of ‘not to trend!’.
Take it away ladies…
NL: Your brand is iconic and pretty much a household name, how did that come about?
Lucy: We were buying and selling items bought from eBay and car boot sales and selling one-off items but we would end up making one person happy and disappointing more. So, we decided to visit markets, designers and manufacturers on the hunt for lovely unique items. We quickly realised that a traditional shop wouldn’t work for us with the commitment of our families, so we decided to go online and set up the Rockett St George website. Fast forward over ten years and our passion project has grown beyond our wildest dreams into a fully-fledged business!
Jane: Lucy and I spent a lot of time at antique and car boot fairs finding treasures for our homes. Friends and family would ask us all the time to find exciting items for them, so we had that light bulb moment and decided to open Rockett St George as an online store. Our original purpose of starting Rockett St George was to break free from chain store offering by sourcing unique, quirky and authentic pieces bursting with individuality. This remains true to everything that we do and is as important now as it ever has been.
NL: When you are buying for your company what pieces catch your eye? And where do you look?
Lucy: We are always on the lookout for new products and take inspiration from vintage items, Instagram, Pinterest, eBay, holidays, travel, trade shows, artist studios… everywhere! Our aim is to find pieces that are not available elsewhere. I think a lot of the time our lovely customers come to us to find something unique, quirky and packed full of personality. We want them to discover pieces that are truly personal to them and not a ubiquitous item that can be found elsewhere. Above all, it’s really important to us that our customers feel that incredible “buzz” that comes from buying something you love.
NL: What is your bestseller and why?
Jane: Our Palm Tree Floor Lamp! We designed it as there was nothing like it on the market at the time. Lucy was lusting after a £3k vintage one on eBay and it was lovely but totally unobtainable - who has £3k to spend on a lamp?! We both love vintage, tropical vibes and the glow of a statement lamp, so the Palm tree Floor lamp came to life! It’s been popular now for many years and will remain a Rockett St George icon for some time to come.
NL: What is your favourite item and why?
Lucy: This is always a tough question to answer as every product on the website is chosen (and loved) by us, but at the moment I would have to say our Beeswax Food Wraps. We’re always looking for ways to support a more sustainable lifestyle at home and the beeswax wraps are a really clever solution for food storage. Featuring fabulous star and leopard print patterns in a classic RSG black and mustard gold colour palette, these beeswax wraps are a plastic free and planet friendly alternative to clingfilm. They also help keep food fresher for longer and bring a beautiful pop of pattern to the kitchen!
Jane: I’m loving our new Chez Pitou dining chairs. Reminiscent of French bistro dining and all the gorgeous coffee shops in the side streets of Paris, these chairs were actually inspired by one of our favourite restaurants in Montmartre! Ideal for adding timeless natural texture to your dining space, the Chez Pitou chairs capture all the charm, character and magic of iconic French bistros. With travel more uncertain at the moment, the chairs are also a wonderful way to bring a hint of eternally-chic, Parisian style to your home.
NL: How do you stay updated on the latest trends?
Lucy: We are always active and try to keep abreast of everything from trade shows, to magazines, events, etc. However, we are more interested in timeless pieces. Although fashion provides endless inspiration to the world of interiors, I don't think homeware is necessarily like fashion when it comes to trends as our homes don’t need to constantly “keep up”. The pieces you choose for your home should be pieces that you love and a reflection of your personality, rather than a trend.
NL: What trends you do see emerging for the interior design market for 2021?
Jane: As Lucy said, I would recommend only embracing a trend if you truly love the design style and believe it will last and evolve with your home. For 2021, we expect to see the joy of simple pleasures celebrated in the home, with a focus on wellness, making more of an occasion of at-home dining, the continued rise of the home bar and multi-functional furniture designs that help our homes adapt to our ever-changing needs. Storage is always important but anything that helps our homes balance work and learning with family time and relaxation will be big in 2021.
NL: What accessories do you think make a house a home?
Jane: In my opinion, artwork, rugs and lighting should be the main focus in your home, as these are the pieces that introduce inviting comfort and help set the mood. With these clever home accessories, you can completely transform the look and feel of a space and perhaps most importantly, bring in elements of your personality to help make your house feel like home.
NL: It’s so amazing to see that you have sustainable practices in place. Do you find that buying sustainable products can sometimes be a challenge? If so do you have any handy hints on how to buy from sustainable retailers?
Lucy: We are constantly reviewing our sustainability practice and will continue to make it our aim for the future. We always look at the materials used and seek out eco alternatives where possible. Alongside this we’ve also made lots of changes at Rockett St George HQ to help reduce our impact on the environment and will continue to address sustainability as a priority in all aspects of our business.
In terms of buying from more sustainable retailers, Kate Watson Smyth has created a brilliant resource with the Do less Harm Directory, which helps guide consumers on making more informed choices when it comes to sustainability. The directory includes info from brands on their eco practices and includes everything from flooring and paint to kitchens, furniture and home accessories.
Both your books are amazing and we love that the interiors featured vary in each book. What inspired you to collate these?
Jane: Lucy and I have been on such an incredible journey together and wanted to share everything that we have learnt along the way. Not only did we love the process of putting this down in words, but it was also such a joy to meet all the lovely homeowners that took part in the photography of the book. They were fearless individuals who have a passion for their homes and interior design. We could probably write another book on the tips and tricks that we learnt from them!!
Keep scrolling to see our concept board featuring some more wonderful products from Rockett St George.
We couldn’t agree more with Jane and Lucy that trends are forever changing and that you shouldn’t follow trends per se, but create and embrace your own design style. These ladies’ perspectives are so refreshing and we thoroughly enjoyed writing this one.
If you’re looking for some amazing and quirky house additions check them out!
Keep your eyes peeled for our next 10 Minutes with… We will be talking all about upcycling with one of our favourite interior accounts, can you guess who?
Over and out x