The German designer Graziela Preiser has recently relaunched her children's homeware collection, which was hugely popular in the 1970s. Teaming up with her daughter, Nina, she's created the new byGraziela label - and with the time ripe for all things retro, it's going from strength to strength.
There's still a real gap in the market when it comes to stylish children's room accessories - too many high street stores still take a depressingly predictable pink, blue or yellow approach - so byGraziela is a refreshing place to shop. The designs are unisex, colourful and fun without being twee, tacky or Disney, so kids and parents will both be happy. For grown-ups, there's also an element of nostalgia: the simple, cheerful patterns remind us of our own childhoods.
I like Preiser's bold apples print best. Available in turquoise or orange, it looks cute on cushions, bed linen and fabric (which is sold by the metre). Another favourite is the classic "1, 2, 3" bed linen, covered with creatures and numbers, and the matching bunting to bring some colour to a boring bedroom ceiling. Elsewhere, there are funky posters with farmyard animals and alphabets in bright colours that are lovely to look at. Parents will also appreciate their educational value; these are not just home accessories, they're designs to talk about and to use as props for impromptu story telling.
This is also a great place to find gifts for kids. There's a range of sleepwear covered with the same retro designs as the home accessories and some fun melamine crockery sets. You can also find single bed linen sets here (perfect for teenagers) but no doubles, which is a shame because the apple print would look good in my bedroom. I probably shouldn't admit this, but I do wish byGraziela's snuggly hooded towels were available in adult sizes, too.
www.bygraziela.com, 00 49 (0) 40 1888 4373. Shipping costs to the UAE available on request
