The Good Taste Guide With… Ceramicist Deborah Brett

She has recently collaborated with knitwear brand Chinti & Parker (@chintiandparker), who’ve taken the prints from her ceramics and incorporated them into a series of knitted t shirts and jumpers. Everything Deborah turns her hand to – be it baking her children’s birthday cakes or planning a family holiday – is exquisite. For snapshots of her domestic life, check out @deborahbrett. Here, she tells us what makes for a life well-lived.

Where do you call home?

I live in west London with my husband and three kids, a miniature schnauzer called Winnifred and our two kittens, Apfel and Strudel. We’ve lived in this beautiful 1930s mock Georgian home for over 20 years.

Where do you make your beautiful ceramics?

During lockdown, I made my ceramics in my kitchen as my studio had to close its doors due to the pandemic. My husband was rather overwhelmed by all my mess (working with clay is never the cleanest) so he took about designing me my own garden studio. It’s an absolute joy to be alone in there, working happily on my newest pieces.

How did your collaboration with knitwear brand Chinti & Parker come about?

I was a fashion editor for over 20 years and have known the founders of Chinti & Parker since they started. I had been working with them on content creation and I’m such a huge fan of their knitwear – they always do great colours and styles and are really innovative when it comes to their digital printing. So, when they suggested we move my ceramic designs onto cashmere, I jumped at the chance.

You have an unexpected afternoon on your hands — how do you spend it?

Always in my studio, for sure! Carving out enough time in my studio to just enjoy the process of making is hard. There are so many other things that pull me away from the joy of making. Whether it be running my website and social media to hosting events and being a full-time mum. So, any free time in my studio is an added bonus. It’s where I go to switch off and have some me time.

What is your favourite hotel in the world?

I’ve just come back from the private island of Fanjove off the coast of Tanzania and it has captured my heart. Laba Laba Fanjove’s small open-air beach huts made from seagrass and decorated with shells are so beautiful, surrounded by white sand and turquoise sea. It’s an utterly idyllic Crusoe hideaway.

Do you prefer a date night in or a date night out?

I go out so much for work, a date night in is a real treat!

What is the last item of clothing you bought?

I’m obsessed with Nordic knits, and I bought Loewe’s (loewe.com) emerald green and chartreuse sweater in the sale. I’ve been wearing it non-stop before the weather warms up.

Do you have a signature scent?

Carnal Flower by Fredrick Malle. It’s a heady dose of tuberose but I love it.

Which is your favourite season of the year?

I love autumn. Thick woolly jumpers and warm coats, lazing by the fire, reading and playing board games with my girls. Brisk walks on crisp cold days, with the bright autumn leaves. Then, when the weather turns, you have the perfect excuse to stay in all day.

What is your most prized possession?

A piece of my mother’s jewellery that I inherited when she passed away. It is a raised gold lattice ring that I never take off, so I can feel her close to me, always.