I went for an afternoon mooch in Brixton Market at the weekend. Jill went eons ago and reported back. What took me so long? You don’t need me to describe the ins and outs, pros and cons of the covered market’s hipster-ification in recent years I’m sure. However the market was buzzing, and the mix of luxe-burger joints and oyster bars, and the old stalls selling Afro-Caribbean veg, fish, meat and homewares side-by-side was refreshing, if a little unusual. Hopefully this delicate balance between the old and new businesses can hold without one swamping the other.

Anyhoo, on my listless ramble I ran into a number of shops selling African pots, rugs, brooms and other household bits, and was immediately revivified by the colours and patterns on show – even the washing-up bowls are kaleidoscopes of plastic colour. There was so much to tempt me, but the main thing I wanted to buy by the armful were these plastic woven mats. 

The colour mixes were spot on – bright green with hot pink, royal blue with pale pink, red with purple. I thought – being plastic – they’d actually make great rugs for a bathroom, but the larger ones would look equally cool on bare boards in a bedroom. And for about £25 for the biggest size, you can’t really go wrong.

The other thing I really liked was the African print fabrics. This trend for these colourful prints has been coming in and out for years. I’ve got a 60s-style pencil dress I made out of an African batik fabric I bought in Peckham around 12 years ago – never worn it cos I did the darts wrong and there’s no space for even the smallest boobs, but that’s another story. These prints are back again, for clothes and home furnishings, and Brixton market has a number of shops selling these fabrics and nothing else.

If you’re handy with a sewing machine then knocking out some cushions in this is a great update for any sofa (although be warned, the fabric is very good quality and not cheap). But if you’re a bit more fingers-and-thumbs then what about buying off-the-peg? The cushions above are by Lilie Design, a company specialising in contemporary global home decor, run by Gabon-born Lisiane Ndong. No sewing necessary.