Screen printer Hannah Carvell is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on colourful home design for a creative family to live in. See the rest of her articles here. One of the things I miss most about living in London is sample sales. I have been dedicated to them since my early twenties, when I lived in East London, and I would happily book a day off work if it was a really good one. When I worked with fashion clients, I might even book a “meeting” to conveniently coincide with a sale.In those days it was mostly about fashion. Living in East London, there were plenty right on my doorstep – the Orla Kiely ones spring instantly to mind. I once managed to wangle an invite to a Christian Louboutin sale through a contact at work, Biba was a particularly epic one (I still have a treasured necklace that always prompts “Where is that from?”), and I remember queuing for hours at the Music Rooms to get into a Mulberry sale where I still couldn’t afford a bag once inside. But a girl can dream.Sample sales, though, aren’t just about fashion. Home and interiors sales are just as exciting, and I have collected some truly treasured pieces over the years. I remember making my husband accompany me to a Designers Guild fabric and accessories sale in a warehouse on the outskirts of north-west London. Years later, I still have the embroidered cushions we bought, and I made curtains for my bedroom using a roll of fabric picked up for a fraction of the retail price.
