Xantippe Of Cowbridge

Devon, when I lived there about ten years ago, used to be awash with shops that sell the kind of stuff that Xantippe specialise in… but their prices were never quite so steep! I guess there’s been a fair few price hikes in the last ten years, but I’m still prone to a stiff intake of breath when I pick up a mug, albeit a very nice mug, and see that it costs somewhere around the £12 mark!
i am also astonished by the cost of butter dishes! Did you know that you can pay as much as £40 for a butter dish??? yes, that’s right, a butter dish! And that’s on eBay. My quest, whilst not being of the Holy Grail epic proportions quite yet, has seen me visit practically every interior design, kitchenware, and charity shop in Cardiff and surrounding area over the last six months, and so desperate am I to find one soon that I have resorted to looking on-​line. I peeled through in excess of twenty pages of dishes the other day, and didn’t find one that I was suitably impressed by… well, I did actually, but I am unwilling to pay £40 for it!
Sadly, Xantippe also didn’t offer me a solution to my perpetual search either! But it did provide me with a half hours worth of extremely contented browsing. This is a lovely shop, that sells a lot of rusticana… delightful!

This delightful shop sells French and painted furniture, as well as gifts for the home and garden, which are all French or French in style.
Xantippe has some beautiful furniture, I particularly liked a beautiful pine dresser and a painted kitchen cupboard. Aside from furniture they also had a large selection of accessories such as china, linen, mirrors, baskets etc…
Having recently redecorated my bedroom, and acquired a French ‘distressed’ style bed for my room at home, I was thrilled to find a hook for my bedroom door which was a perfect match!
I got chatting to the French owner, who was absolutely charming and very friendly. She said that if it was not suitable, there would be no problem returning it for a refund.
The garden part of the shop had some beautiful folding chairs and many quirky garden ornaments. This shop is a must for all Francophiles!

Xantippe (try saying that when you’ve had a few) is a boutique furniture and gift shop that specializes in all things French. Style wise I’d say this is a place for the ladies as I’m not sure how many men would be keen on the delicate hand painted book cases and pink garden chairs.
That aside, if the furniture isn’t to your taste then there is a huge selection of gifts for the women in your life. Expect beautiful little china tea cups, candles and hand woven baskets, (perfect for storing bottles of vin!)
It’s a little on the twee/​kitch side but that’s exactly my style so you won’t find me complaining. If you’re not into it then that’s a whole other kettle of poissons.