Our Curated Abode: A Hardware to Housewares DIY Store in Kent, England
by Margot Guralnick
If only all towns had a version of Emma Jane Palin’s Our Curated Abode. Trained in graphic design and illustration, Emma is an all-around creative type: she’s worked in digital marketing for brands like Apple and the London Design Festival, blogged about interiors and life in a rental, and is now a stylist and interior designer. While fixing up her own place in the port town of Ramsgate in Kent, England, Emma encountered so many unaffordable and hard-to-pin down tradespeople that she decided to tackle things herself—and earned a diploma in site carpentry.
Last August, having discovered a lack of quality hardware and other decor staples in her area, Emma opened her own emporium stocked with exactly the goods she was looking for, sourced from local and indie brands. Tagline: “hardware meets homeware.” Our Curated Abode also offers design and color consultations, plus DIY workshops on things such as how to drill and how to replace a sink.
Wearing a hot pink suede tool belt, Emma herself built out the space. And she’s also the one running the show behind the scenes as well as manning the store most days. Copycats, please take note, but be warned that a lot of heart, soul, and sweat are required.
Photography by and courtesy of Emma Jane Palin/Our Curated Abode (@ourcuratedabode).
Above: Our Curated Abode occupies an old retail space with a charming exterior.
Above: “I want the shop to be a place where you can find a missing bolt, grab the one thing you need to finish decorating, or pick up WD40 along with a candle,” says Emma.
Above: The offerings range from bamboo-handled paint rollers to frilly pillows. Emma “worked with a UK manufacturer to create an eco-friendly range of paint brushes.”
Above: The shop came with its beadboard paneling and window seat. Emma built the display table.
Above: While finishing the space, Emma developed a line of Our Curated Abode paint colors with COAT, a sustainability-minded UK brand that is a certified B Corp.
Above: The walls are painted COAT’S Pegwell Bay, a terracotta that Emma says is “by far the most popular color in the collection.”
Above: “Yes, we sell beautiful homeware, but our focus is always on DIY first and foremost,” says Emma.
Above: Toyo metal tool boxes are an Our Curated Abode specialty.
Above: Emma built the storage and counters herself. She singles out the large wall shelf as “probably my proudest accomplishment.” 
Above: COAT paint and product on offer include “mind the gaps Wall Filler” and Sugar Soap wall cleaner.
Above: The consultation corner: Our Curated Abode’s design services are outlined here. Many of the candles, pitchers, and other home goods are available from the shop’s online store.
Our Curated Abode is at 26 Addington Street in Ramsgate.
Three more favorite shops, near and far:
Remodelista Reconnaissance: A Stainless Steel Teapot at a Surprising Price Point
by Annie Quigley
All of us on the edit team are enamored with the handmade, movable kitchen components by Jennifer June of Loose Parts (see: Kitchen(s) of the Week: Freestanding Cabinetry by Loose Parts in Upstate NY).
But something else caught our eye while we were poring over all the details: a great-looking stainless steel teapot (or coffee pot, depending on your preference), perched on a breakfast table. But where’s it from? The answer surprised us…
The Sighting
Above: Spotted in this Loose Parts kitchen for the NYC offices of PR firm Hello Human: a great-looking (and very of the moment) stainless pot and matching cup and saucer. Where to find something similar, we wondered? Photograph by Jonathan Hökklo.
The Source
Above: Surprise! Some sleuthing revealed that the teapot is likely a standard issue restaurant-supply variety. Shown is the stainless Olympia Concorde Stainless Steel Coffee Pot with mirrored finish, €13.99 from UK retailer Nisbets, and also easily findable via catering supply shops. Another option: the Winco Metal Coffee Pot/Teapot, $13.80 from Restaurant Equipment World. All-stainless, plastic-free, swanky-looking options for under $20.
As for the cup and saucer? The Insulated Stainless Steel Cup and Saucer is a great option from Garrett Wade…or browse Trend Alert: Stainless Steel Cups and Saucers.
P.S. You might also love 10 Easy Pieces: BPA-Free Coffee Makers. Or:
For daily dispatches and more favorite finds, head to Remodelista.com. For bonus content—like our weekly Quick Takes column—consider joining us as a paid subscriber.
Remodelista participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
