StyleNest interviews mum, businesswoman and Sweatpea founder, Louise Atkinson. 

Since discovering online childrenswear shop, shopatsweetpea.com earlier this year, it’s never been easier to find affordable and practical kid’s clothes that don’t compromise on style. Stocking quirky brands from Beau Loves and Nice Things Millie, to classic childrenswear from the likes of Weekend a la Mer and Little Barn, Sweetpea’s virtual shelves are stocked with the cream of the crop. 

So, we caught up with founder of the brand, Louise Atkinson to talk about online shopping, the seaside and scarves.

We love your online childrenswear shop, Sweetpea, tell us, where did the idea come from?

The real inspiration started when I became a mother, and entered the world of kids fashion. I found the high street offer of good quality, well designed, stylish and age appropriate fashion for children very limited, and independent local childrenswear shops are few and far between. I had also started to discover lovely niche brands that did not have a designer price tag but offered great quality, style and practicality. I want people to think of Sweetpea as their local childrenswear shop no matter where they are.

What are your favourite childrenswear brands?

I have recently fallen in love with FUB a fabulous knitwear brand that I will start stocking this Autumn/Winter. It’s a wonderfully simple yet stylish Scandinavian brand and I’m delighted to say they are launching an adult collection soon too. For boys I love Tappa Nakki, for babies Toffee Moon and for fun, Beau Loves.

Did you find your style changed when you entered motherhood?

Yes, thank goodness for ballet pumps, leather trainers and scarves.

Who are your top three designer brands and high street stores?

For designer; Rebecca Taylor, Crumpet and J Brand. And my favourite high street stores are Whistles, All Saints and Topshop.

What’s your fail-safe look when you only have moments to get ready?

Skinny jeans, blouse, ballet pumps, leather jacket and of course a scarf.

Do you have a beauty hero product?

Estée Lauder’s Night Repair Serum. I have adopted it from my mother and she is a great example that it does what it says on the bottle.

Did you skin and beauty regime change after being pregnant? Which product did you swear buy during pregnancy and then which after? 

I used Clarins’ Body Treatment Oil when I was first pregnant and fell in love with it. Fearing the worst was going to happen to my body, I never dared stop using it and smells gorgeous too.

What could you never travel without?

I never leave the house without wet wipes and lip balm.

What’s your all time favourite read? 

I love reading, it’s how I relax.  A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown is my current book, an amazing true story of strength of the human spirit. And my other favourite books include Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger and When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman.

Did you and the family have a chance to go on holiday this year? 

We are huge fans of Cornwall – the light, the beaches, the scenery and the food. The last two visits to Cornwall have been to the Roseland Peninsula and this year we visited The Driftwood, which we will definitely be returning to. It’s in such an amazing location with private access to the beach and simple services for children like playrooms, DVDs, as well as an early dinner services and babysitting. On arrival the girls’ beds were made alongside some lovely storybooks and a packet of smarties.

Describe your home and interiors style. 

I love simple style with classic contemporary feel, like neutral, natural shades that are calming and welcoming. I am lucky as my husband is an architect so I have expert advice at hand and luckily we also have the same taste.

Has your taste in interiors changed at all since having kids, how do you manage with kid’s toys everywhere? 

I’ve definitely acquired an obsession with storage but I like having toys about the house as it reminds me that my house is now a home.  My bedside table is often shared with a collection of soft toys and storybooks.

We are always looking for new recipes on StyleNest, do you have a failsafe family dish you swear by? 

One of my favourites is called ‘Flash’ as that is the time it takes to cook:  Mix in a bowl chicken breast pieces with olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes, cook , and then stir in some double cream and a splash of white wine, cook for a few more minutes and serve with tagliatelle.

Do you have a particular restaurant that you love going to but is also family friendly? 

We are great fans of the pub and we’re lucky to have lots of lovely family friendly pubs nearby. An early tea in a pub on a Sunday is a great way to end the weekend – especially now we can all sit and play games together.

You have two gorgeous little girls, can you see them following in your footsteps, business-wise or creatively?

I think as long as they enjoy what they do I will be happy. They are certainly enjoying having their own personal shop and have lots of great marketing ideas. My eldest daughter Eva said, ‘Mummy, why don’t you put some notices on the trees about your shop as we only ever see posters for lost cats on the trees?’.

For more information about Sweetpea visit the StyleNest Treasure Chest here.