style heroes
Jane Rockett and Lucy St George
Leaving careers in retail and marketing behind them, friends Jane Rockett and Lucy St George decided in 2007 to launch online homeware store Rockett St George – a kitchentable enterprise inspired by their love of car-boot sales and antiques shops. Lucy lives in Crouch End, north London, with her partner Paul, their children, Ella, 18, Grace, 13, Ollie, 10, and cat, Roxy. Jane lives near Brighton, West Sussex, with her partner Toby and children,
Tyler, 17, Lola, 15, and Eden, 11.
Jane: We talk a lot about ‘style spots’ at Rockett St George.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed when considering the design of a whole room, so we split spaces into style spots instead – they’re essentially focal points, like a collection of items that fit beautifully together to create impact. If you start by designing the fireplace, a reading nook or an entrance first, you’ll find that the whole room is done in no time!
Lucy: My favourite space is my bedroom.
It’s painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black and one wall has a huge window. Because of the dark walls, the focus of the room is the view, which makes it really
relaxing. I did go through a ‘white walls’ phase at one point, and don’t get me wrong, it can look stunning in a minimal, modern scheme, but now most rooms in my house are either grey or black. Since going over to the dark side, my house feels more homely and it has more personality.
J: If you want your home to stand out, you’ve got to be bold!
It took me a while to realise that, but finally it’s clicked. I’ve definitely become braver: my bedroom is decorated in snakeskin wallpaper! I’ve also used lots of Madison Grey paint by Abigail Ahern behind displays of amazing artwork and unusual accessories. Abigail is my favourite designer – we share a love of dark colours and a quirky mix of beautiful things.
L: I’m constantly looking for pieces for my home
– not just for the business. My parents had an antiques shop, so I spent my childhood at auction houses and markets – I was either hugely influenced by it or it’s simply in my blood! My style is definitely eclectic and I’m still drawn to vintage and upcycled pieces and artwork today.
J: I’m so inspired by New York.
I try to go somewhere new when I travel, but I never get bored of New York. I love to collect things on my travels and put them on display – they’re reminders of good times with my family and that there is a big wide world out there to be enjoyed.
L: I love Marrakech,
especially its understated streets and the wow of walking through a door into an unexpected, patterned, romantic and visually stimulating world.
J: People always ask us where we source the things we sell.
I’m inspired by so many things: fashion, restaurants, hotels, social media, magazines, travel, history, art, travel… oh, and did I mention
travel?! We’re both real treasure hunters, always on the lookout for new items and one-offs. We visit lots of trade shows, go around the world and now we design our own unique products, too. Looking back, we had no idea if Rockett St George would work – it was a wild gamble, a leap of faith and trust in a great friendship.