The September Edit
Fresh vintage finds, an introduction & vintage home inspiration
Hello & welcome to Love Vintage Etc. In this week’s edition fashion designer Justine Tabak interviewed me for her newsletter and asked me to describe the essence of my style and the inspiration behind Mason & Painter Vintage. Here’s what we got to talk about. Plus tips on decorating a vintage home and fresh vintage finds.
Justine Tabak What inspired you to create Mason & Painter Vintage? And how would you describe the essence of your style?
Michelle Mason I studied graphic design at Central St Martins and worked in digital media, building websites and freelancing as an illustrator and surface pattern designer. But I felt disillusioned with the design industry and wanted to try something totally different. An opportunity came up to rent a shop on Columbia Road (East London) with a short lease, and I took a leap of faith. I filled the shop with vintage furniture, books, paintings, and decorative antiques - anything that caught my eye. I styled it with flowers and plants from the Sunday Flower Market, and it struck a chord with people looking for vintage and reclaimed objects for their homes.
JT Why are you are drawn to the pieces you buy?
MM I love the history and the stories that each piece carries with it. I’m drawn to ceramics, small pieces of furniture - anything with patina, craftsmanship and colour. I buy a lot of paintings and tend to go for seascapes, landscapes and midcentury pieces. As well as florals - my customers love paintings of flowers.
JT What do you look for in clothes and why did you like wearing the pieces from the Justine Tabak collection?
MM My job often entails wandering around muddy fields at dawn, looking for vintage treasure in old jeans and boots so I enjoy dressing up whenever I get the chance. I like pattern clashes, quirky pieces and vintage and if I buy new it's usually from a small independent label. I loved wearing the JT collection because I rarely wear skirts and I fell in love with the stripy linen fabric - it was great to get to try on pieces that I don't have in my wardrobe and I think the new JT collection is so wearable - even with my muddy boots.
Vintage Style at Home
Creating a stylish, comfortable home can seem daunting whatever life-stage you’re at - let alone moving house and starting from scratch. Whether you live in student accommodation, a rental, a flat or a restored period property the best part of putting a look together is exploring those initial, exciting ideas, and sourcing vintage and pre-loved items for your home.
Reinventing with what you already have
Let’s start by looking at what we already have. Think about what you can’t afford to replace. It might be the sofa, a dining table, armchairs or mirrors. All of these are easy to update with a little ingenuity. I recently updated my kitchen by painting the existing cupboard doors, replacing the handles and adding new, handcrafted tiles, and it totally transformed the space.
Vintage fabrics and throws can transform old sofas and if you’re in the market for something different altogether think about buying a second-hand sofa or re-upholstering your existing one.
If your dining table is past its best, a vintage tablecloth may be all it needs for a refresh. Vintage dealer Sydney Piercey has launched a new website and has a good selection of vintage French linen here.
Give tired looking mirrors a new lease of life by repainting the frame or rubbing back an unpleasant paint job to reveal the natural wood. Secondhand mirrors can be bought reasonably cheaply at antique fairs such as Ardingly. If you’re looking for an investment piece, you could try the large selection of antique mirrors at Lorfords.
Bedroom & bathroom furniture
A recycled bath tub can instantly add timeless appeal, though it’s not always easy to find one with the enamel surface intact. With expert resurfacing (around £600), and reclaimed tap fittings, the total cost is probably less than you’d pay for a brand new suite. The pretty, turn-of-the-century-inspired bathroom, below, decorated with patterned wallpaper, tongue and groove panelling, and vintage details has all the charm of a Victorian cottage.
Antique bed frames, like the copper bed below, look super stylish teamed with vintage prints, bedding and lighting. Do remember to check your measurements before making a purchase. Victorian bed frames tend to come up small - will your existing mattress fit the bed dimensions?
Buying second hand furniture isn’t always the cheapest option - antiques shops and salvage yards are often off-budget for many people. But there are lots of options when it comes to sourcing. Antique emporiums, car boot sales, and vintage markets are great places to start, especially the larger venues with multiple dealers under one roof. Some favourites around the UK are: Lewes Antiques, in East Sussex, Sheffield Antiques Centre, in Yorkshire, Unicorn Antiques in Edinburgh, Spitalfields Market and Crystal Palace Antiques in London, which I visited last weekend. The relatively new Peckham Salvage Yard and the popular Judy’s Vintage both have an impressive calendar events for the autumn and winter. And all offer a wide variety of furniture, homewares and art from different eras and to suit all budgets.
One of my flea market favourites is the twice yearly Réderie d’Amiens, in northern France. Every April and October, fifty-one streets in the town centre are closed off to traffic and stalls line the pavements choc full of vintage, antiques and pre-loved. The Amiens ‘flea’ has been welcoming guests since 1909 and the next one takes place on 5 October 2025.
For a selection of my favourite vintage platforms online you can read more here.
September’s wishlist
It’s starting to get dark at around 7pm, here in the UK, and noticeably cooler. And with September already past the halfway mark I’m starting to think about lighting - especially task lights. The golden, opaque orange, Verner Panton lamp, above, is a classic design from 1971 and one I’ve had my eye on for ages, especially the LED version. It comes in 15 different colours here, and it’s glare-free and portable. Bang on budget these sustainable mango wood chopping boards, from H&M Home, combine practicality with character.
For a drop of eternal sunshine the sun inspired antique mirror is from a selection at Lorfords and my pal Louise Roe, at Sharland England, has just launched the perfect blankets for chilly evenings. Made from buttery-soft blended cashmere, and hand sewn in Italy, these sumptuous blankets are inspired by Classical Grecian designs.
Vintage Finds - Homewares
I’m always on the hunt for unusual paintings and this week’s finds include the French oil on canvas, above. Depicting a pair of shop fronts with a colourful display of straw hats, brooms and brushes, the painting measures 47cm x 36cm, dates to the mid-century and is signed Rosen Atelier. The super-sized, enamel French coffee pot, below, is decorated with striking red dots and hand-painted black detailing, on a dark cream background. Measures 32cm tall. It dates to around the late 1940s and is perfect for flowers. Both items are available at Mason & Painter online.
Thank you so much for reading and if you’re new here thank you for joining Love Vintage Etc. a twice monthly newsletter with a blend of design, vintage, interiors, art, travel and anything else I think you’ll enjoy. Until next time, lots of love Michelle x
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You can also find me on Instagram @masonandpainter
Just brilliant pictures! I thoroughly enjoy reading through your posts and notes. The light, the arrangements, the back and foregrounds are always immaculate. Simply stunning.