Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change, so here we are with Winter, in all its glory. This season's Pillow Talk is with the beautiful and charming Caroline Kent.
With a background as a curator of contemporary art, illustrator Caroline Kent founded stationery brand Scribble & Daub in 2012, to create stylish cards and paper goods for gifting, hosting and correspondence. For those who still delight in handcrafted, tangible pieces as a remedy to the digital world.
WHAT IS ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND?
A Moleskine diary to jot down a line or two about the day, a pebble my son Caspar drew love hearts on for me, a painting of roses on an odd bit of cardboard which hides the plug socket that was put in the wrong place, and The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers, recommended to me as a great Christmas read by my friend Jo Rodgers.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE BEDTIME ROUTINE?
A candlelit bath with Susanne Kaufmann’s Oil for the Senses, followed by Votary’s Night Oil. Then a few pages of a great book, turning out the light when I find it drops from my hand… This is not a scenario that occurs with any regularity!
YOUR ONE PEARL OF WISDOM FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP?
Fresh air - I sleep best with the window open.
AND ONE FALLACY?
Sleepy tea, it just makes you need a wee in the middle of the night!
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT CHRISTMAS MORNING...
I love the feeling of a rustling, present-filled stocking at my feet, and childishly insist that my husband still make one for me - he one hand-painted me a little box of marzipan fruits (I love marzipan). Waking up to that is the best. Our alarm clock on Christmas morning is the excited shrieks of our three boys as they open their own stockings, and who then pile into our bed to show us their loot.
WHOSE BEDROOM WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SNOOP AROUND?
Alexa Chung
WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST FOR YOUR WORK?
The garden and meadow we’ve made around our cottage. I won’t ever get tired of drawing flowers. But I do get terribly distracted by the endless jobs that I could be doing outside the studio window…
MOST ROMANTIC PIECE OF MUSIC TO RELAX TO?
My husband Tim playing the piano.
WHAT IS ON YOUR BREAKFAST-IN-BED TRAY?
A pastry magically teleported from Lannan bakery in Edinburgh, half a pink grapefruit, a glass of Champagne, and coffee in my favourite Ginny Sims mug. And a copy of the FT on the side.
BEDTIME READING: PAPER BOOK OR KINDLE?
Paper book, always and forever.
WHAT IS ON YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST THIS YEAR?
A holm oak tree, Art is Magic by Jeremy Deller, a pair of beautifully coloured socks, a charm necklace from Grainne Morton, and a bolt of Common Room’s mochaware fabric for my January decorating plans…
ONE SMELL THAT EVOKES AUTUMN IS...
Frost (or even better, snow).