Love Vintage Etc...
An introduction, one year of writing and more
Thank you for subscribing to Love Vintage Etc. and a very warm welcome to new followers. If you’ve been thinking of becoming part of my paid subscriber community I have a special offer, until 7 July - just £20 for a year’s subscription (normally £45). That’s full membership with access to content behind the paywall, all archive posts and a welcome gift when you sign up.
There is absolutely no expectation to upgrade to paid, I appreciate all my readers - free or paid - and I’m happy to see every one of you here, thank you. Michelle ♡
In the news
I was delighted to have had a mention in Collagerie’s (ex Vogue fashion director, Lucinda Chambers) Instagram feed this month and recently in the Mylands London newsletter, below, of a wall I painted in their soft mustard-yellow Haymarket. And if you’ve bagged a copy of Cabana’s London City Guide there’s a spread about my studio and how to get in touch if you’re on the hunt for vintage homewares.
On my radar this week…
Last week I met up with womenswear designer Natasha at her HQ Studio Wylder in London’s Columbia Road, where I got to see the new collection of organic linen blouses and cropped pants and fluid Kala cotton dresses. The blue and white combinations, above & below, are fresh, modern, mindfully made and perfect for this current (British) heatwave.
For readers with easy access to the John Derian stores, New York, you’re in for a treat if you’re looking to update your lampshades. Custom made from fabric collaborations there’s plenty of vintage-style patterns to choose from. And if NY is just a bit too far, no problem - they ship worldwide.
When I went looking for scalloped edged pillow slips I came across these square Oxford pillow cases with ruffled borders and smart stripes. They’re currently on sale at The White Company and available in three different sizes.
The pink linen blend bolster cushion, above left, is a design I’ve been working on to launch at London Design Week in September. The designs are based on tile patterns that were long since covered over and are no longer visible in London underground stations. A collection of three different colourways will be available from August.
Inspired by Cherry Red
I’ve been debating whether or not to paint the tongue and groove paneling in my studio a deep red. Mostly because I’ve fallen head over heels for this dark, sultry shade below. It’s Arts Club by Mylands and it really does make my heart sing. Also on my radar is the new collection of fabrics at Merchants & Mills. Available online or from their shop in Rye, Sussex. The upholstery fabric, like the soft milk-chocolatey red, paired with ticking, ticks every box.
LED lamps are genius. I constantly carry mine between the bedroom and the living room without the fuss of wires or reaching for plugs in out of the way corners. The Lacquer LED bobbin lamp, by Addison Ross, comes in ten colours including my favourite - Cherry, below.
Excited for what’s coming next
I started writing Love Vintage Etc. exactly a year ago to offer a much deeper dive into the subjects I love: vintage, design, interiors, travel and art and have shared free content for all of those glorious 12 months. Your enthusiasm has been tremendous and I love discovering new places and content for you. I’ve travelled to the Brontë Country in Yorkshire, reported back on vintage buying trips in France, I’ve posted interiors specials on Brutalist design, Elizabethan homes and gardens, Midcentury interiors, the Omega Workshops, the Arts & Crafts movement and given recommendations on weekend visits to Norfolk, Cambridge, the Cotswolds, Somerset and European cities, to name just a few.
Some of you may already follow me and my vintage adventures on Instagram @masonandpainter (thank you) and a few more may well have visited the vintage shop and chatted in person (thanks again). The exciting thing about these posts is a much wider look at subjects to include vintage style, interior design, fashion, interviews with artists and authors and interesting places to visit. I want you to feel excited about what you discover here and I’ve thought long and hard about continuing with free content versus putting some content behind the paywall. In all honesty these posts take a me great deal of time and research, and include special photography, so from July my most personal content will be for my paid subscribers.
There will still be a monthly newsletter for all subscribers, so please, don’t jump ship as there’s still lots to enjoy, I promise. And I’m currently compiling a special edition on the best places to shop for vintage in northern Spain and south of France - and lots more besides, in next month’s newsletter.
All features, interviews and design-led, vintage posts are researched and curated, especially for my Substack community and accompanied (mostly) by my photographs. I’d love you to join me.
Thank you, as always, for reading Love Vintage Etc. your support means a great deal. Until next time, love Michelle x
