An Interview with Sophie Allport

We love the Sophie Allport collection here at Butterfly Lane and our customers do too!  It is the epitome of chic and understated country living, with pretty prints and delicate fine bone china.  With everything from friendly busy bees on sweet tea tidies to a country favourite chicken design on tea towels, we want it all!  

So you could imagine our delight when we found out that Sophie was launching a whole range of gorgeous kitchen accessories with Butterfly Lane's most favourite of garden creatures...the robin!  We think that a robin is not only for Christmas  (they are just so cute any time of the year!) but these fabulously festive designs with subtle snow flakes are getting us feeling rather...well, festive!  I love the idea of filling the large jug with mulled wine, and the medium jug full of gorgeous gravy for your Christmas dinner.  Whilst the mugs can be filled with steaming hot chocolate!  

They also make a splendid gift as they come in a gift box and of course have the beautiful Butterfly Lane gift wrap!  With prices starting from £5.00, what's not to like...

Sophie Allport Christmas Collection

We were lucky enough to have five minutes with the lady herself so here Sophie Allport talks to Butterfly Lane about her inspirations, her home and what she's planning to do this Christmas...  

What is the favourite part of your job? 

I’m so lucky as I get to paint as a job and I’m never happier than when I’m in my studio painting and coming up with new designs and product concepts.

What is your inspiration?

I’m continually inspired by the world around me.  Nature and the countryside fascinate me and the changes of the seasons and their colour are incredible.  I have three young boys and their excitement rubs off on me.  Our Ladybird collection came from my eldest’s obsession with the cute little bugs!

If the Butterfly Lane readers were to buy one iconic piece from your collection, what should they buy?  

Our best selling products are our double oven gloves and tea towels.  They’re 100% cotton and really durable and people come back time and again and buy more in different designs.  Our products are high quality but we think still reasonably priced.  A tea towel is £5 and a pair of double oven gloves is £13.

'Busy Bee' Oven Gloves £13.00

Tea Towels £5.00 each

How would describe your homes style?

I think a home should be comfortable and a place to feel completely relaxed (which is difficult with three boys under 7 causing chaos!)  I live in a barn conversion that has plenty of natural light and I’ve mixed hard surfaces like natural wood with soft furnishing in the form of rugs and cushions.  I’m obsessed with colour and my home style could probably be described as quite simple and neutral but I like to bring in pattern and contrast with colourful accessories like throws, cushions and in the kitchen with my tea towels, oven gloves, chair pads and tablecloths.

How do you unwind after a stressful day in the studio?

I love relaxing in front of our woodburner at this time of year with a nice glass of wine.  There’s nothing better than snuggling up with my boys to watch a family favourite like Strictly Come Dancing!

How would you spend the perfect weekend?  

I absolutely love the north Norfolk coast.  This is where the inspiration for my Sailing Boat range came from.  The big skies and vast open beaches make for great family walks and cricket and rounders matches.  I always like to cook a Roast on Sunday – there’s something so rewarding about the family all sitting together and indulging in a lovely meal before collapsing in front of the fire with the papers.

What does the future hold for Sophie Allport? 

I’m working on some great new collections for Spring and Summer 2013 and we’re planning to widen the range of products we sell even further.  New launches this month are our hot water bottle covers, pot grabs and after so much demand we are now selling rectangular hob covers that fit Rayburns.  We’ve also just opened our first showroom at our head office near Stamford so we’re hoping that will go well this Christmas and into next year.

We have just launched your gorgeous Christmas Robin collection on Butterfly Lane.  Have you even begun to think about Christmas yet in the Allport house?  

Funny you should ask that as we did our brochure photoshoot at my house a few months ago and had to get a Christmas tree decorated and set up all the fairy lights etc.  It felt very strange in August and my boys got very confused!  We have booked the Christmas pantomime and organised who’s hosting Christmas day in the family but that’s as far as I’ve got.  It’s always such a busy time for us at Sophie Allport that I really should start planning my present buying but can’t quite bring myself to think about it yet!

Sophie Allport's Christmas Collection is now available at Butterfly Lane

Finally, if you could buy anything from Butterfly Lane (apart from your gorgeous collection!), what would you buy? 

You have such a lovely collection of things... I would probably treat myself to your ‘Rose and Peony’ soap.  I love my gardening and roses are my absolute passion.  To be reminded of that wonderful smell in a soap would be a real treat. 

Our gorgeous range of soaps that Sophie Allport has her eye on

Rose & Peony Soap, £5.95

View all of our gorgeous Sophie Allport collection here.