My top 5 shops
1. Les Couilles du Chien, 65 Golborne Road, London
Les Couilles du Chien is owned by my mate Jerome and its the most fantastic antique and furniture shop on Golborne Road. And what a great name! Its obviously French and literally translates as ‘the dog’s bollocks’ and I have to say it is. Every visit to the shop is a different experience. Jerome will stock anything from unusual decorative pieces, unique antiques to contemporary lights and furniture. Probably half the furniture in my house is bought from this single shop.
2. The Apple Store, New York
For me, Apple is quite simply the best company in the world and British designer Jonathan Ive CBE (Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple Inc.) is a design genius. I’m an Apple gadget addict and the Apple Store in New York is an amazing experience open 24 hours a day. I could quite easily live in there!
3. Selfridges, London
For an all singing, all dancing, everything under one roof shopping experience, Selfridges in London is my favorite department store. I buy everything from my watches, clothes, products and furniture from there and its where I do most of my Christmas shopping.
4. Vitra London, 30 Clerkenwell Road, London
Vitra showrooms are amazing. Since 1957 Vitra has manufactured and supplied some of the best furniture ever designed. I could spend so much time (and money!) in this showroom that I have to restrict my visits. Honestly, my chair collection is slightly out of control.
5. Tate Modern Bookshop
I love books and I love the Tate Modern. I can happily spend an entire day leafing through the pages of every book. Shame they don’t have a place to sit and relax in the bookshop while having a coffee! i suppose no-one would ever leave then…
Janet Rawstrone
on May 28th, 2009
@ 11:49 pm:
Dear George,
you should go to Greenwich and see the Queen’s House by Inigo Jones, it is so beautiful, both inside and out. The tulip staircase is amazing.
AndrewBoldman
on Jun 4th, 2009
@ 11:07 pm:
Hi, good post. I have been woondering about this issue,so thanks for posting. I’ll definitely be coming back to your site.
George Clarke
on Jun 7th, 2009
@ 10:23 pm:
Thanks Andrew. Get a few Forums going on the site. Really keen to know what you guys are thinking about architecture, home and the property game at the moment. I’ve just been asked to be a government advisor…so you lot need to make your voices heard! thanks for watching! George
Emma
on Jun 11th, 2009
@ 7:49 pm:
Hi,
For me it has to be Liberty’s of London. I love exploring all the nooks and crannies, and whenever I’m passing can’t help but be amazed by the splendour of the Mock Tudor. It’s such a warm and inviting building!
It was a huge influence for me whilst at art college. Emmax
Andy C
on Jun 12th, 2009
@ 1:55 pm:
Hi George,
I am a big fan of the show and had aspirations of being an architect myself as a child but alas being no good at mathematics ended up as a lawyer!
I too love the Apple store in New York… a huge glass cube with a large glowing Apple logo and the stairwell down to the sales floor is a work of art in itself!
When it comes to my favourite buildngs I would have to go with the Ennis House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I love those textile blocks!
George Clarke
on Jun 15th, 2009
@ 1:46 pm:
Andy…good choice of building! You have good taste my friend! Any Frank Lloyd Wright building would be high up on my list. I’m always torn between the sensitivity and context of FLW’s buildings with the genius of Le Corbusier! There are lots of incredible buildings in the world that make an enormous difference to people’s lives…we are very lucky. George
David Little
on Jul 24th, 2009
@ 7:17 am:
Hi Geoege
Like your Top 5 Shops – man of good taste – Selfridges is a big favourite and now that they have Jo Malone they have everything that I want in one place.
What is your favourite Cologne?
Judy Goubert
on Jul 28th, 2009
@ 8:46 am:
Hi George.
Someone else who has a chair fetish! My ‘ideas’ box contains many pictures of chairs I’d love to own. On my list are the Thonet 14, the Butterfly stool by Sori Yanagi and a Cherner armchair. Thinking of turning my hall into a ‘chair’ gallery!
Love the Home Show – keep on making them.
Judy
Trevor
on Jul 30th, 2009
@ 8:19 pm:
George
Got to agree about the Apple Store in NYC. A great shopping experience and genuinely iconic.
Trev
Karen
on Jul 31st, 2009
@ 10:52 pm:
Hi George
Just wanted to say that I share your love of the Tate Modern Bookshop. Infact I love the whole building right from the walk across the bridge through the turbine halls to the views from the roof terrace. And the arts not bad either!
I am lucky enough to have a membership so I can at least do coffee after the books with the fantastic view. I can take in a guest on the membership so just let me know if you want to do books and then coffee!!
Karen
martin
on Aug 19th, 2009
@ 7:58 am:
George,
i know you may disagree but there are some stunning shops in Tokyo, 2 of the very best (and there are alot) are the prada store by herzog and de meuron, which changes as the day goes on where you can see the movement of people both horizontial and vertical and another stunning building is the Tod’s building by toyo ito, another stunning contemporary building taking its form from the organic tree lined street of its location
martin
George Clarke
on Aug 26th, 2009
@ 6:16 am:
Hi Martin,
Why would I disagree? These are amazing buildings! Herzog and De Meuron are my favourite contemporary architects in the world and the Prada store is a cracking building! If only the shops in the UK were as beautiful…but they aren’t anywhere near close to being as good. Thanks for the message. George
Cathy McIntyre
on Sep 3rd, 2009
@ 8:05 pm:
Hi George,
To be honest, I don’t know much about architecture, except for what I think is and isn’t beautiful. As as child growing up in Preston, my nanna would always point out the writing in gold leaf around the top of the County offices (she knew the words off by heart). I suppose that instilled in me a love of old buildings. Must be a traditionalist at heart. x
Molly and Jade
on Oct 9th, 2009
@ 6:57 pm:
Hi George its Molly and Jade (we just sent you an email{so exciting}). Our favourite place is the British Museum in London. As soon as you go in you feel at peace and we love the roof! Oh my God it is amazing! x
Ruby
on Mar 19th, 2010
@ 8:33 pm:
Hiya George
Think you are fabulous! Love your soft but frank approach to your work and its great to see you genuinely love what you do and find your knowledge on architecture fueling my love of property development…..unlike some of the ‘home’ tele hosts. Looking forward to The Resurrection Man on Sunday (only kidding, saw you earlier on Loose Women).
Good luck for the show!!
Amen
Ruby
James S
on Mar 21st, 2010
@ 10:40 pm:
There are some lovely homeware and antique stores where I live in Southsea, independent places run by often quirky individuals who simply love what they do. For homewares you have Interior Trading and Victoriana in Marmion Rd, Just For You on Albert Rd, and the recently discovered Cobbles in Broad St (Old Portsmouth) which claims to be a gift shop, but sells a small range of nice homewares. For antiques we’re even better served with Victoriana’s other store on Marmion Rd, Tango Tea, Parmiter’s, and Langford Antiques all on Albert Rd. I’m sure there are more to be discovered, but if you’re ever in the area it is worth giving these stores a look.
Diane Parker
on Mar 25th, 2010
@ 9:25 pm:
loved the bath house, and l am desperate to find out where l can get the medieval style torch lights outside his front door have searched for hours on the internet no luck.
Can anyone help me please l have a grade 2 medieval hall house and they would look fantastic.
Thankyou
Dale Evans
on Apr 5th, 2010
@ 3:22 pm:
hi george,
im a college studying HND in spatial design and very interseted in Architecture,everything about desgining too i love just grabbing a pen and a giant sheet of paper coming up with some new concepts for college,any tips for the future ?
love resteration man too : ) thmbs up !!!
Robin and Bridget
on Jun 28th, 2010
@ 2:54 pm:
Hallo George.
Our favourite place is a beautifully built little house in Dorset.
We feel so very privileged to have been able to acquire such a gem and will be grateful to you for always for putting so much thought into it.
Agnès
on Jul 4th, 2010
@ 9:02 am:
Bonjour,
Je regarde régulièrement votre émission depuis la France et j’aime beaucoup ce que vous faites. Vous êtes très humain et vos émissions sont vraiment géniales. Bravo et continuez à nous faire rêvez. Mon seul regret est que vous n’intervenez pas en France…
Dans une autre vie peut-être. Au plaisir de regardez encore et encore vos idées et propositions. BRAVO
Agnès
Walker Easterly
on Sep 6th, 2011
@ 10:01 am:
You could definitely see your expertise in the work you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. Always follow your heart.
Sidney Narayan
on Sep 13th, 2011
@ 8:34 am:
This is some helpful stuff. It took me some time to locate this web site but it was worth the time. I noticed this page was hidden in yahoo and not the first spot. This blog has a lot of pleasant material and it doesnt deserve to be burried in the searches like that. By the way Im going to add this web publication to my favorites.
Rebecca
on Nov 7th, 2011
@ 9:06 pm:
Hello George
Since you’re a Vitra fan, you should replace Vitra London with the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein. It’s all Vitra fabulousness — just much more of it! Thanks for your TV work — I live in Switzerland and we don’t have anything like it. Watching your shows is a real joy.
Padraig
on Jan 20th, 2012
@ 2:27 pm:
Hi George.
Nice to see your putrid love of self. Hope you enjoy the relationship. Your favourite shop , favourite items – how sickening.
My girlfriend watched your restoration program last night and I was amazed at how someone so opinionated could be offered a program. She enjoyed it though so it’s just me.
Good to see someone tackling the issues with dilapidated buildings in this country though so I must say hats off for that.