Inspiration from France

40s motorbike propped up in Saint Pompon Village

Van Gough chairs in the abbey

Worn cobbled floor

Vintage enamel kitchenware found in St Pompon attic sale

 Pretty candles from gorgeous Monpazier boutique Lilly Mary

Handmade pottery found at Monpazier market

 Cute cup from Lilly Mary

Milo loved his bunting

French Fancies

I'm afraid moving house and a holiday in wifi-less rural France has put paid to my blogging of late - and I now have a backlog of lovely things to post. The Dordogne provided plenty of vintage inspiration - flea markets, faded antiques, medieval market towns and some suitably chic boutiques.

 La Petite Minoche in the picture-perfect village of Daglan is a lovely hat shop where the young milliner creates vintage-style panamas and cloches, as well as contemporary looks from her atelier within the shop. Her wares are displayed on vintage hat stands, with framed antique fabrics and pressed flowers on the walls. Milo loved the little play area set up for mini hat lovers (although, he only likes his bike helmet at the moment.)

Pretty windows

I keep passing by the second-hand bookshop Richard Way on my road and marvelling at the gorgeous window displays - this one is Jubilee / boat race-inspired. I love the bunting made out of old music sheets - handmade by the owner herself.

The antiques shop with no name

The antiques shop across the road from my house always has a treasure or two in its window or on the pavement outside, and I've been meaning to take some pictures for too long to mention.

So I popped in the other day and told the owner (a very charming silver-haired gent) about my blog. He  was delighted for me to take some pictures, with the understanding that I don't include the name of the shop. But, I ventured, don't you want the publicity? Oh no, he said, we don't like any kind of publicity, we only do word of mouth!

So here you have it - some anonymous pictures from the antiques shop with no name (on Friday Street, Henley) - shhhh!

Readers' Homes: Rowan's place

We made a weekend trip back to the East End recently and stayed with our super stylish friend Rowan in her gorgeous Hoxton flat. The kind of space that feels calm and immaculately tidy yet cosy and quirky, with plenty of vintage finds to admire. A crochet cot blanket from her own childhood now covering a sofa arm, a vintage floral quilt on the bed, old Bunty annuals stacked up by the fireplace - and lots and lots of perfectly placed books (and they're not just for show - I guarantee she has read them all!)