Lucky for us, Lowe recently branched out from her brick and mortar business to open an e-commerce site as well. Customers can now shop her quirky, curated selection of wire egg-collecting baskets and elegant English lunch plates from across the globe.

So how did you move from photography to styling and then to opening a shop?

I switched from being a photographer to being a stylist seven years ago. I wasn’t interested in the the technical aspects of being a photographer, but I was interested in what you put into the picture. The shop came about because I’m constantly looking for things to put in photographs: beautiful objects. I started to amass a collection of things and found that you have to root through a lot of rubbish to find them. I made a comment to my boyfriend that I should have my own shop, and then I didn’t think about it. I just did it. Opening the shop was a natural progression and augmentation of my business as a stylist. Food, objects and the look of them combined are completely alluring to me.

How much of the merchandise came from your own collection versus pieces you picked up specifically to sell?

I started with maybe a third of the stuff from my own collection. I shopped and shopped and shopped. I did a road trip to Texas and back and filled the car until I couldn’t get any more in it. I would also go to and from Chicago to my house in Michigan, to antique malls, thrift stores, estate sales.

How often are you on the hunt?

Any free time I have, I am always looking. I find it to be the most relaxing thing to do. It calms me.

Were you raised hunting for antiques?

Throughout my childhood, my mother worked voluntarily at the local charity shop, which is the equivalent to thrift stores in the U.S. They sold anything from clothing to housewares before the days when vintage was cool. I spent my life in there sifting through bags and boxes, learning how to search with my mother who has a very discerning eye.

Do you attempt to inspire that hunting instinct at Martyn George?

Part of me wishes I could have a minimalist shop with everything stamped in its own glory, but I just can't do it. I feel happier with a sense of discovery around me. The way I display things provides a bit of that searching feeling. I gather things together in little vignettes. People have often commented that every time they walk around the room, they see something different. They can linger for a while and have a discovery the fourth time around.

What qualities do you look for in your products?

Good quality and condition, a certain charm, an element of curiosity.

How do you decide what to keep for yourself and what to put in the shop?

I don’t need to keep anything for my home. I try not to have too much décor around because I would be constantly rearranging it! Also, I have so many props at hand in my storage room that I can pull them out and use them at whim.

Do you to try to inspire creativity by virtue of the way you display items in the shop?

Well, a bowl doesn’t have to be used just like a bowl. For instance, a colander can be used to plant herbs or pansies in, or turned upside down into a light shade. A champagne coupe can be used for a chocolate mousse. I like the Magritte approach, "c'est n'est pas une pipe".

Can you ever just casually serve a meal at home without putting much thought into the presentation?

There’s always an element of presentation. It brings me joy to arrange food on the plate much like the way I am calm when shopping. I don’t know how or why I’m like that, but it’s partly because I can really focus in on something and the world goes away. Whatever is troubling you, that all disappears. Plus, when you’re cooking for friends or partners or family, it’s a lovely thing to present something delightful.

Appears In

Q&A with Johanna Lowe of Martyn George