Midcentury Modern

For me Dulwich College conjures up snatches of my childhood (wet hair after swimming lessons, attacks by swarms of daddy-long-legs, awkward first kisses). But for most other interiors obsessives with an unhealthy interest in Danish furniture from the 50s it means something quite different...The Midcentury Modern show!This great stalwart to London's independent design shows returned to this scene from my childhood today. As always the show brought along a brilliant, diverse set of stalls - from the obligatory mid-century furniture, smaller vintage accessories and fabrics...including
Shopfront lettering...
Fabulously assorted accessories...
Tea and a curl up in a 60s style chair?...
Colourful china...
Historical tabletops...
Handily set up sitting rooms (can I have all of it please? Thank you)...
and a selection of industrial furniture and lighting to put any factory to shame...

To a perfectly chosen selection of modern brands, that work with the mid-century modern look or use innovative upcycling skills...
Clever upcycled cubbiholes...
Handmade cosies...
Not to be missed bargains from People Will Always Need Plates...
And even glasstopped tables with history included...
I really enjoyed the show, I think the mixture of old and new works really well, meaning even happy browsers like myself can buy the smaller and new pieces while admiring the 'wish list' furniture.

Hopefully buyers left with pieces to make their own history...rather than anything daddy-long-legs related at least...

Portabello Road et al, W10

Crush. Squash. Stamp. Is pretty much what I experienced visiting Portabello Road on the first sunny Saturday of the year. Very tourist heavy, this famous market street certainly had a lot of antique shops and vintage clothes stalls, if you don't mind a bit of a squeeze.

I did find a couple of great stalls with original china, tiles and glassware on the busiest part of the street.
But my advice is to wander off the main drag, enjoy the architecture...


independent shops...

and random rogue street stalls in the residential streets.
Then head further north to the Golborne Road area..
where the smell of the foody street stalls will make anyone salivate, there is a lot more interiors fun to be had (giant lions and carousel horses anyone?) and plenty more room to enjoy it all!

The North Laine Antiques & Flea Market, BN1

Every time I visit the Laines, Brighton's eclectic shopping district, I find another diamond of a shop...this time I found a whole market! How I managed to miss a flea market (queen flea that I am) I just don't know?! Especially as it has a bleeding great arrow pointing to it...
The North Laine Antiques & Flea Market is on Upper Gardner Street just parallel to the main Laines and it is well worth a little diversion. Over its three floors the market offers everything you need from a good flea market - stacks of knitting patterns, a mountain of pine furniture, a really pretty selection of prints...

A little bit of kitsch...

Old furniture pieces given a makeover with colourful wallpapers

This Ercol style 1960s mirror (a bargain at £20!) which I wanted so badly but unfortunately, try as I might, just wouldn't fit in my handbag.
You can tell that they have a crafty upholsterer at this flea...
This market did do something to me...I blame the top floor...crammed full of vintage kitchenware and beautifully renewed entire kitchen suites - it's made me go retro kitchen crazy. I now really need to be a 1950s domestic goddess, I need me that breadbin, cabinet, salt & pepper shaker and the whole kit and kaboodle!
All I have to do is convince my fella that replacing everything in the kitchen with vintage or retro copies...hmm that might be easier said than done...but I'll know where to go at least!