Vintage, second hand, antique. Pre-loved. Even well-worn, perhaps. Call it what you may, but there is a charm that comes with welcoming a piece into your home that has a history all of its own. A patina that nods to a past-life or scuffs that sing of times gone by, all adding a sentence to the story of the place we call home.
There are a wealth of reasons to choose adored pre-loved pieces rather than new. Sustainability is one of them, breathing new life into items otherwise bound for landfill. Shunning the mass market in favour of preserving pieces heavy with heritage will never be the easiest option, but oh how it is the most rewarding way to build a home.
With love, vintage and pre-loved pieces can last many a lifetime, poised to make memories in new places and spaces. Here are some of the best places to find them, online, at market and on roads that have come to be known as veritable treasure troves for those with a penchant for the peculiar, the coveted and the exquisite.
Vinterior
“Out with the new, in with the old” is the Vinterior ethos, bringing together a curated and covetable catalogue of wares from 2,000 independent vintage and antique sellers in over 30 countries (and counting). The vintage marketplace has pieces spanning all prices and style sensibilities. Leaving empty handed is near impossible.
Selency
Selency brings the French treasures of Côte d’Azur ‘brocante’ flea markets to the comfort of your sofa. Founded by stylish French couple Charlotte and Maxime, the site’s hundreds of thousands of pieces see new additions daily.
eBay
Long before vintage marketplaces were even a spark of an idea, it was eBay to which we all headed in search of pre-loved pieces in which to breathe new life. The auction site may have lost some ground and sparkle, but it is still full of hidden treasures. Seek – and perhaps dig a little – and you shall find.
Sunbury Antiques Market
In 1979, with a love of antiques and £100 in her pocket, the late Sue Cruttenden approached Kempton Park Racecourse to host the first Sunbury Antiques Market. Today, Sue’s son Edward and his wife Jennie are at the helm of a market described by The Economist as “A true rummagers paradise, the stallholders are an attraction in themselves, with more characters than you can shake an ormolu candlestick at.” The original market at Kempton continues to be a bi-monthly must visit for lovers of all things vintage and antique, while more weekend dates and the addition of a Sandown location brings more opportunities to shop.
Pimlico Road
Some of the most esteemed names in art, antiques, interiors and collectibles rub shoulders on Pimlico Road. Anthony Outred is as known for his exquisite furniture as he is antique door hardware, while Christopher Howe celebrates British craftsmanship with a combination of beautiful antiques and MADE by Howe contemporary pieces designed to emulate the craftsmanship of the eighteenth century. Ebury Trading courts the attention of those who favour bold colours – a contrast to Bentleys, where rich smoking room-esque interiors house a collection of finely-aged pieces “derived from adventurers, artists and aristocrats.”