CONTEMPORARY VINTAGE
This title is contradictory, but I think it's the perfect marriage in interior styling.
I recently had quite an interesting experience with a potential client and one which I've never had before. The brief was absolutely perfect for me, which is why, I'm sure, I was approached for the job in the first place. It was a commercial project in a very old building, but they wanted the interior to have a more contemporary feel. My actual dream job, until I had a meeting with the boss. A lesson learnt. Don't spend a week on a project, until you have a meeting with the boss! The first thing she said was ...
"I hate vintage!"
I do understand that the word 'vintage' can have very different connotations to some, but to me it adds personality to a space. It's as simple as that. You could buy a new Ercol sideboard from John Lewis or you could buy vintage Ercol. You could buy a vintage buttoned back Chesterfield or purchase a replica from Sofa.com. Which do you think is likely to last longer? Buying vintage gives you the opportunity to create a unique and stylish interior with an individual look and of course it's good for you and the environment. 
The Modern House
I've seen the most stunning modern houses with touches of vintage and hope to replicate that same in our 60's home. We are just about to embark on our kitchen extension and the first thing I've bought for it, is an industrial metal workbench from a factory in Holland which I want to use for our kitchen island unit. I'm planning to grind some of the blue off (I wasn't planning to introduce blue) and add a large piece of white Quartz on top which we'll oversail. It may not work, we will see, but it will be about a third cheaper than a standard island unit and we'll have something original. And that is the key and ethos I've always stuck to. Selling individual pieces that you can't find elsewhere and no-one else will have in their home.
In most houses, the majority of the furniture and homeware will be contemporary. We're not talking super modern minimalism here, but things from Ikea and other homeware stores. The remaining 20% can be vintage accents, not necessarily a dramatic piece like a sofa. It could include small details such as a globe, a large preserve jar or a family heirloom.
For our new kitchen, I'm planning a modern white kitchen with no eye level units, but shelves filled with interesting collections. Paintings from my trip to Australia, objects from brocantes in France, a collage print by Michelle Thompson, typography by Anthony Burrill and a Desert House Party photography print above our dining table by American photographer Slim Aarons.
Hate is such a horrible word, I don’t know how anyone can hate anything. Although maybe Gammon & Pineapple!?
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