Innholdsfortegnelse for Vintage Living 2025 i Homes & Antiques

THE WORLD OF INTERIORS is everchanging. Trends come and go, colours fluctuate in fashionability, and what once was cutting-edge can quickly become dated. Which is why, I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s so easy to be utterly charmed by the timeless relics of the past. Well-loved objects bring a sense of character that’s hard to replicate with modern pieces, telling a story that continues to unfold over time. Vintage Living boasts eight homes curated by those who share in our reverence for the past. Their spaces are infused with a sense of history, a dash of nostalgia, and cherished collections that make their homes unique. From Sheila Wallace’s airy period property (p30), filled with well-worn upcycled furniture, to Kaffe Fassett’s colour-filled home (p48), complete with glitzy gilt mirrors and dazzling murals,…

C1300s The meiping vase shape dates back to 10th-century China and was designed to hold branches of plum blossoms. C1690 Delftware tulip vases, designed for delicate individual stems, first appeared in the Netherlands in the 17th century. C1740 Flower bricks became very popular in the 18th century. English Delft flower brick, 1700s, £1,550, Spencer Swaffer. 1770 Bough pots, this one by Wedgwood, were made to display flowers in unused fireplaces over the warmer months. 1880 The Victorians’ love of posies led to the rise of posy holders. Derby Crown posy holder, sold for £165 at Graham Smith.…

INDUSTRIAL APPEAL A dark black shade sits atop a cage, which houses a mottled glass shade and lamp holder. £150 from LASSCO. CREATING DRAMA This vintage industrial spot lamp, c1950, has been restored, rewired and PAT tested. £275 from The Old Cinema. KEEPING IT REAL A 1950s Hungarian enamel factory light, now ideal for illuminating a kitchen island. £432 from Skinflint. DECO DESIGN This etched glass cinema light has an octagonal structure and a slightly domed bottom. £1,295 from English Salvage.…

‘Vintage chintzes have become highly sought-after recently, so can be difficult to come by. Lots of chintz is coming out of big townhouses in London and Bath as the interiors are updated. It means more people can afford the chintz look as it is so much cheaper second-hand. The price is reasonable compared to what you would pay for new chintz today. Famous vintage designs by firms such as Colefax and Fowler, GP & J Baker and Warner & Ramm can be found at auction. ‘As with anything second-hand, you should take a good look at it first before you commit to buying. Look for major damage or staining. It can sometimes be faded and holey, but the imperfections are part of its charm – worn and lived in. Curtains…

1 The key factors in identifying a jar’s value are its age, colour, rarity, condition – and a lid. ‘The original lid makes a real difference to the price,’ advises Kevin Page. 2 There are a few signs that suggest a ginger jar is of good quality: ‘It should be porcelain, complete, and have painting of good quality,’ says Kevin. ‘If you are not worried about restoration or damage, you may be able to get a very old jar for a great price.’ 3 And key signs that reveal the quality might not be so good? ‘The painting will be crude and rushed, with large brushstrokes,’ notes Kevin. Fakes are a problem – make sure your jar is genuine by buying from a reputable dealer or auction house. 4 Almost…

• Wash vintage enamel pieces with warm water and mild soap, then leave to dry thoroughly. • If grime remains, ‘give it a gentle rub with some kitchen towel and household metal polish. That will clean it up nicely,’ advises Nik Oakley of The Vintage Kitchen Store. • You can find a list of cleaning products that are safe for use on enamel surfaces at vea.org.uk/enamel-care • Don’t leave liquid in enamel items for too long, as this can encourage rust. ‘This is the problem with vintage enamel jugs,’ says Carole Smith of Vintage Treasures. ‘Because they were used for carrying water, they got very worn and thin on the bases and often rot through. Turn an antique enamel jug upside down before you buy, and hold it up to…

When buying a Welsh blanket, it’s important to search closely for damage. ‘Look for little moth holes,’ advises Jen. ‘Don’t be shy. When I’m buying them, I get underneath them like a ghost and look at them in the light, so I can see everything. People don’t mind a small repair, but they don’t like stains because they’re almost impossible to remove.’ To care for a Welsh blanket, it must be stored somewhere dry and moth free. ‘Never wash a Welsh blanket in hot water or it will shrink,’ Jen warns. ‘You can use a machine on a delicate, wool (cold water) setting, or wash it in a bathtub by hand, using lukewarm or cold water. I use a gentle supermarket wool wash product – a Woolite® equivalent. Some say…

Bumpy walls and uneven floorboards may not be up there at the top of everyone’s wish list, but it was the imperfections that drew acclaimed florist and founder of Wild at Heart, Nikki Tibbles, to her home in West Sussex. ‘I wanted a rambling old house. I don’t like anything in the country that’s perfect and straight, and I was looking for something that hadn’t been done up,’ she explains. Nikki nurtured her flair for floristry after leaving her first career in advertising. More than three decades on, with her international reputation firmly established, clients commission her for high-profile events as far afield as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Santorini and Barcelona. ‘I’m lucky that I love what I do, and travel is always inspiring, but I do love it here,’ she says…

1 MASS APPEAL A collection of vases in a similar hue look fabulous displayed on a painted dresser. Combine classic mantel designs with novelty shapes such as swans and cornucopia, adding height where necessary with stacks of vintage books. 2 NEW HEIGHTS ‘The signature style of Constance Spry is visually extravagant, yet thrifty,’ says interior stylist Amanda Russell, whose foraged, twiggy display perfectly follows suit. Visit @amandarusselldesign and soulfoodstudio.com for more inspiration. 3 NATURAL FINISH Contemporary society florist Nikki Tibbles is a collector of Spry’s pieces -here she has used a collection of mantel vases, some planted with lily of the valley, to create a fresh arrangement atop a rustic painted cabinet.…

Almost anything can turn up in a reclamation yard, from benches to washbasins, staircases to statues, with flooring, doors and fireplaces especially popular. There are two reasons that people usually buy salvage. One is primarily for the history, and the other is an appreciation of the materials and craftsmanship involved. I’ve noticed a move away from the industrial look to a more eclectic, decorative feel – Czech glass light fittings, for example, and interesting textiles from around the world. We’re selling a lot of kilim-style rugs. A great way to use reclaimed pieces is as a substitute for paint or wallpaper: wood panelling, a mercury glass mirror, bookended veneer panels or a slab of marble. It can become a work of art on the wall. Have confidence when buying and…

Antiques dealer Will Fisher can’t pinpoint the exact moment his passion for antique chimney pieces began, but by the age of 12, he had bought, restored and resold his first fireplace. ‘I must have been a pyromaniac,’ he says, describing how at around the same age he also restored the fireplace in his bedroom, installing a grate and regularly lighting the fire. And in a lovely role-reversal that any child of antiques-loving parents will appreciate, Will frequently begged his parents – both of whom were Marxist teachers – to take him to visit stately homes. Ragley Hall in Warwickshire was a favourite, and is the source of his abiding passion for all things Palladian. Antiques-related jobs filled his teenage years, including a brief stint at Christie’s, which led to the…

For Jennifer Bristow-Smith, an antique textiles dealer who originally studied sculpture and textiles, it is the history of printed wares that intrigues her the most. ‘I’m a hunter-gatherer, not a collector. I like finding things and then researching their story. Textiles offer a tangible link with past lives. We all live with fabric – be it a rug, or bed cover – so we can all relate to it.’ Jennifer’s provenanced wares are not cheap. ‘Although some dealers buy from me, my main clients are collectors, historians and designers, who know their stuff.’ Some buy the rarer pieces to reproduce the designs; others for upcycling or to make cushions. A set of 18th-century panels block-printed in Coromandel, a former Dutch colony in southern India, recently found its way to an…

CLASSIC OF THE FORM Constance Spry’s mantel vases may not be, on the surface at least, revolutionary. Before her designs there were svelte flowerpots made for the purpose of sitting neatly over a fireplace, but hers are undeniably classics of the form, setting the mould for all that followed. Designed by Spry in the 1930s, the full set of vases consists of around a dozen main shapes. Some replicate shell patterns, while others mimic flowers, but the long, lean form of the example below makes it the most iconic of Spry’s styles. Deceptively simple in design, and available in a limited choice of colours, it feels quite of the Art Deco era, while also exuding a timeless appeal thanks to serpentine curves and twin-handled sides, inspired by ancient Greek forms.…

This shallow-style vessel does require some internal structure in order to hold flower stems in place. I try to use ecofriendly methods and keep plastic waste low, so I start by placing a reusable floral frog into the base of the vase (a floral frog is an object with either metal pins, which stems can be secured onto, or with holes so that stems can be submerged into it). If you don’t have one of these, you could use some chicken wire, scrunched up slightly to fit the vessel. Next, fill the vase with water up to a few inches from the top. Here I wanted to create a scented arrangement, so I have mixed garden roses with pink peonies and blossom from a mock orange shrub. Start with the…

I can’t think of anything more appealing than a handsome antique or vintage globe, and pricewise, they suit all pockets. Although the finest, rarest examples – often of historical importance – can change hands for many thousands of pounds, 20th-century ‘vintage’ globes are still incredibly affordable. Lacking that crucial rarity factor, perhaps, but still decorative objects in their own right. Globes come in two forms: terrestrial (covering the Earth) and celestial (representing the constellations of the night sky). The word ‘globe’ comes from the Latin globus, meaning ‘sphere’. Traditionally, globes are made from strips of paper – either printed or painted – glued onto a sphere, which is usually made of wood. The globe is raised on a stand, and the brass meridian holds the globe in position. The meridian…

‘I really love chintz fabric and, since moving to the countryside, I’ve used more chintz in our home. I really love finding old chintz. I’m sourcing a lot on eBay, especially 1980s and 1990s designs by Laura Ashley, Sanderson, and Colefax and Fowler. I use it mostly for curtains. I found a 15m roll of vintage chintz on eBay that I’m using for the spare bedroom. It’s a pale blue stripe with huge dahlias and I’ve designed the room around it. I’ve used it for blinds and lampshades. I’ve always loved the oldfashioned fabrics. When we had a flat in London, the chintz never really worked, but it really does in countryside interiors. It feels informal and traditionally linked to the country. You can echo the flowers growing in your…

IN FINE FORM ‘The earliest ginger jars as we know them date from the Ming period (1368–1644), and they were made for exporting salt, spices, oil, and so on, to the West,’ says BADA dealer Kevin Page. The Europeans couldn’t help but be impressed by these cargo containers – the jars were far more refined than any porcelain being produced in the West at the time. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, the jars became highly coveted as luxurious accessories for the home, not only for their fine quality, but also their aesthetic appeal. ‘The variety of designs is wide but always very decorative,’ says Kevin. ‘You often see cherry blossoms, as well as figures, landscapes and animals.’ With such a range of patterns and colours (there are far more…

MAJEDA CLARKE majedaclarke.com This London-based designer uses traditional Welsh patterns in modern colourways. Her blankets are woven in a Welsh mill. HUNANT hunant.co.uk Cardiff-based couple Myfanwy and Tom Shorey sell cotton sheets inspired by Welsh tapestry blankets. ‘Hunant’ means ‘they slumber’ in Welsh. ADRA adrahome.com Head here for Welsh blanketinspired oilcloths, lampshades, throws, snoods and more.…

What inspires the displays in your home? I studied Fine Art and have worked as an artist/exhibition curator and interior designer for most of my life, so curating and displaying items is second nature to me. I like grouping items that converse with one another in some way. I only collect items for particular projects or interior spaces – I am not a collector at heart. I am inspired by travel, reading, music, colour and history. Can you talk us through the displays in your kitchen? The collection of breadboards displayed in the kitchen eating area started with a board that I inherited from my grandmother in Scotland. Inspired by this, I began collecting more carved wooden breadboards to fit specifically into this area as a co-ordinated display. The Victorian…