Whitstable Living
Whitstable is more than a place on the map. It is the heart of The LRM Studio and the spirit behind everything we create.
A small seaside town on the north Kent coast, Whitstable is known for its working harbour, open skies, oyster shacks, weathered beach huts, and a creative community that has grown quietly over the years. Life here moves differently. The days are shaped by the tide, the light, and the rhythm of the sea rather than the pace of the city. Mornings begin with coastal walks along the shingle, afternoons drift between cafés, galleries, and independent shops, and evenings soften into golden light over the water.
For artist Lauren Rogers-Martin, Whitstable became a place of clarity. After years living and working in London, the town offered something the city could not: space to breathe, time to think, and the freedom to create without noise or pressure. What began as a personal escape slowly became the foundation of a new way of living and working.
Living beautifully by the sea.
The colours of the beach, the softness of the sky, the faded paint of old seaside buildings, and the warmth of local interiors all began to influence her work. Whitstable was not just a backdrop — it became part of the visual language of the studio. Its light, textures, and atmosphere found their way into paintings, illustrations, fragrances, and objects designed to live quietly in people’s homes.
In November 2023, Lauren opened The LRM Studio on Whitstable High Street. It was planned as a three-month pop-up, but through the support and affection of visitors, collectors, and the town itself, the studio remained open for nearly two years. It became a creative sanctuary where art, fragrance, and colour came together, and where customers felt an emotional connection to the work and the place it came from.
People travelled from London, across the UK, and from abroad to visit the space. Some came for a candle, some for a painting, and others simply to experience the atmosphere. The studio became known not just as a shop, but as a feeling — a place where the idea of living beautifully by the sea felt real and possible.
Although the physical space has now closed, Whitstable remains at the centre of the studio’s identity. The collections continue to be inspired by coastal light, salt-air mornings, beach walks, harbour views, local cafés, and the quiet luxury of seaside living. The spirit of the studio now lives on through new collections, pop-ups, collaborations, and stockists across Whitstable, London, and beautiful spaces around the world.
Today, The LRM Studio’s work can be found in homes, boutiques, and interiors far beyond the Kent coast. Yet every piece still carries a sense of the seaside with it — a memory of open skies, fresh air, and slower days.
This is not just about location. It is about a way of living.
A slower pace.
A softer light.
Rooms filled with objects that mean something.
Moments that feel intentional rather than rushed.
It is, simply, a movement of people choosing to live beautifully by the sea — wherever they are.
