News

See us on Channel4 George Clarke's 'Old House New Home' January 08 2020

We were thrilled to have a sideboard chosen to be included in George Clarke's new show on Channel4.  See our media page for more information.


Exciting Marketing News !! May 11 2018

We are excited to announce we have commissioned the creative talents of Neil A Dawson & Clive Pickering for our first marketing push! We are proud to be working with this multi award winning creative duo. In the past they have created breakthrough work for the likes of VW, Johnnie Walker, Philips and Diet Coke. Check out some of their work at neiladawson.com

 

 


WORLDWIDE SHIPPING March 22 2018

We organise shipping worldwide.. please contact sophie@vintagefrench.com for a quote.

AS SEEN ON BBC ONE May 08 2017

Much excitement here at Vintagefrench.com to be filmed as part of BBC ONE's series 'Put your money where your mouth is'  Sophie was filmed for two shows at our Depot in Milton Keynes in Agust 2016 and we aired May 2017.  Visit our Media Page to watch the clips of the show.   Vintagefrench.com #vintage #french #furniture #industrial

Spring has sprung and its time to think about organising the garden !! March 28 2017

Here at vintagefrench.com Fr. HQ we dusted down our garden table and chairs and ate our lunch outside for the first time this year. Admittedly we were wrapped up against the cold, but being out in the sunshine was fantastic. With this in mind, I have no doubt that this weekend we will be thinking about organising the garden. We have a lovely range of garden furniture and decoration here at VF.. from delicate, traditional, classic french to industrial, Tolix style tables and chairs. We have shutters to decorate patios, we have zinc buckets and concrete planters for your flowers, we have glass bottles into which you can place fairly lights, we have crates to organise toys/wood.. etc... we have wooden benches which are perfect for outside seating... oh !! the list goes on... and here is a lovely idea I saw recently walking past a house with a courtyard, under cover a Louis Phillippe Mirror, which would have bounced the light around a very dark space.. and looked so elegant and delightfully different. Not forgetting glassware.. we have these fantastic, sturdy absenthe glasses which would be perfect to use al fresco.

MIRROR SALE NOW ON November 04 2016

We have slashed the prices of a selection of our mirrors ahead of Christmas.. every room can take a mirror.. with our low low prices, you can customize these beautiful shaped mirrors to suit your scheme....

Beautiful Lines and Tantalizing Details February 09 2016

 

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Happy Christmas December 16 2015

As christmas gets closer I often take time to reflect on our year, which for vintagefrench.com has been simply wonderful. I would like to take the opportunity to thank so many people.. To each of you who have taken the trouble to follow us and who regularly take the time to comment, like and share our journey.. for those friends, family and 'industry' insiders who without fail continue to support us and present opportinuties, each and every one of which we appreciate more than you will know. To each and every client who shares the love of fine vintage pieces with us.. and to each of those clients who have taken the trouble to write and publish glowing references. Last but by no means least to our Vintage French team. Tiggy, Simon, Fred each being dedicated to providing the very best quality of service we can. I am so grateful, proud and lucky to work with each and every one of them. Vintage French continues to evolve into a business we are all so proud of being part of. Thank you all for your continued support. We all here at Vintage French wish you a very merry christmas, good health and happiness to you and your families for 2016.

Girls present ideas November 04 2015

Individual mirrors are a perfect gift for a girl.. large or small... a small mirror for a dressing table or a large mirror as a statement piece in her bedroom. Also birdcages, letters, picture frames, or howabout a beautiful chair or a cool desk chair with modern beds or desks these all look beautiful and individual

    

    

  


Christmas ideas and gift wrapping available November 02 2015

Offspring safely deposited back at school, tick, 6 weeks until they break up for christmas, tick... ARHHHH !!! Only 6 weeks left?!

Phew.. luckily I bought my first christmas present at the weekend.. and yes, its vintage. Don't know about you, but we swim around in plastic.. and no doubt the kids will be inundated with more plastic in 7 weeks time.. much of which will be lost or broken by boxing day. From experience, our own kids of course love the plastic.. but also, they seem to treasure the vintage pieces their indulging Mum buys them from time to time.. they look after them and take a little bit of pride in the uniquness. So for VF offspring no 1. I bought this very beautiful monoski to decorate his bedroom.. he water skiied for the first time this year and wants to be like his Papa, so what could be better than a ski made the year his Father was born inspiring him in the corner of his bedroom.

We have a huge selection of interesting and beautiful pieces that would provide you with many christmas present solutions, from your best friend, to your car mad son, to your princess, to the man who is impossible to buy for, we have options to suit all budgets..

So here we go for a month of ideas for you to help with your christmas shopping. We would be happy to wrap your gifts and send them directly to the recipient too.... It just doesn't get eny better than that !!

So to start with.. how about a vintage school map of Brasil for your football mad son/nephew/grandson/godson? A geniune vintage metal letter to decorate a child's bedroom? How about a vintage school desk that could be used as a creative table for a small child that will go onto be their homework desk when they are older.. Lots more ideas.. we will keep them coming !! available at vintagefrench.com


Promotional Youtube Video September 22 2015

Aly from  www.facebook.com/mediaseedmarketing and www.facebook.com/alpsonmedia has put together a lovely promotional video for us on youtube.. click here to view https://youtu.be/cedImB4IpZY

Vintage Leather Chairs September 16 2015

A lovely couple came to visit our showroom to view a leather armchair recently.  They had warned me in advance that they never agreed on interior design so I didn’t expect that they would drive away with the chairs carefully squeezed into the boot of their car, rushing home in excitement to install their new purchase.  I had expected them to walk away empty handed.

The wife loves vintage, and was excited to visit the Vintage French showroom whilst the husband is the lover of all things new.  They strolled in happily, and her eyes lit up.. his didn’t.  And much to my surprise these few, startling words fell from his lips: “But they are used.”  I was gobsmacked for a few seconds. I regained composure.. they wouldn’t even have seen my eyelids flicker.  Needless to say they didn't buy the chair !!

 When I started my first company way back in the day, as a celebratory ‘well done me’ present, I bought myself a beautiful bag from an English bastion of leather-ware. This leather bag went to every one of my London business meetings containing pitch documents, project dossiers and occasionally the kitchen sink.  To this day, decades later, the bag still accompanies me to business meetings and with a clutch of children now in tow. Sometimes the kitchen sink still finds its way in there too!

 This bag is to me the fashion comparison to the vintage leather club chair, for two simple reasons.  First, the design is a classic.  There won’t be any outfit that it won’t go with nor any event where it’s not appropriate.  Likewise, vintage leather chairs are design classics.  The various shapes never fall out of fashion.  Secondly the leather becomes better and better with age.  Mellower, more comfortable, smoother, shinier, softer, more beautiful.

The club chair doesn’t lend itself to only one look of design scheme.. it will slip effortlessly into many roles.. from a bachelor flat with a crate as a coffee table.. to a newly weds flat with an ikea sofa or Grandma’s cast off..  to a Dad’s chair in a family house surrounded by velvet sofas.. to a ‘man cave’ with a second leather chair, a sterio, a tv.  An altogether more masculine setting.  The club chair will always be the family favorite.

The chairs we stock at vintagefrench.com are often over 100 years old and have wonderful stories to tell.  Where the leather has become too damaged we reupholster  them, taking advantage of the beautiful shaped frame and quality internal upholstery.  We give them the new life expectancy of another 100+ years… these chairs are just such amazing value.

So I have had to readjust my mind frame.  Vintage leather chairs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea perhaps initially, but given the chance to savor their warm embrace, their soft touch.. you may soon discover why we here at vintagefrench.com completely love them !!  http://vintagefrench.com/collections/seating

Sophie Warren

vintagefrench.com

 

    


Market Day !! September 01 2015

It strikes me that those in the Vintage World are so because of a genuine passion.  A passion for glamor, a passion for classic style, a passion for quality workmanship, a passion for a security that essence of the past brings to our lives.

Vintagefrench.com was built on these passions.  Arriving at a market stirs these emotions;  the pulse quickens and my tummy flips in anticipation.

I arrive at market early… just like all the traders.. you can spot them a mile away !!  They will home into unpromising looking boxes, huddle in corners doing deals, with large wedges of cash stowed about themselves.  They all have eagle eyes.. everywhere.. not missing a trick.

After 18 months of sourcing for vintagefrench.com.. I feel that my eyes are also now over everything.. I scan every nook and cranny of the market stall, trying to be nonchalant, trying to go unnoticed... sometimes I buy there and then, knowing my find is an underpriced treasure, interesting to a whole raft of clients.. sometimes however I walk away, work out the sale price, transport costs, commissions etc and think very carefully about how the piece would work in a modern setting.  Its brutal out there.. the criteria is high for each piece… not all pass the rigorous selection process.

But who am I kidding.. some of the market holders know exactly who I am.. and from time to time, save me an item them think I would love.. I sometimes see them looking out for me.. smiles cracking and a beckoning hand excited to show me their most exciting find.

There are occasions that I am lucky enough to see a piece that I know would be perfect for a client.  On these occasions, I may even take a picture and send it to them immediately.  There is an overwhelming thrill to the hunt !!

And just sometimes… I fall upon a piece that I just know I have to have and won’t give up.  Our Finance Director (read Husband) isn’t so keen on these transactions, despite reaping the aesthetic benefits of them.

Sophie x

 


Can't teach a dog new tricks.. or can you ?! July 20 2015

I am not naturally a details girl.  There, I have said it.. I like to keep things simple, straight forward.  Having said that.. perhaps it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks.  I am now learning that a little attention to detail goes such a very long way.

So please forgive this startling admission from the lady who conceived the idea of vintagefrench.com.  I am learning on the job.

In the beginning vintagefrench.com was about the mix of old furniture with new.  Of creating warmth and soul to a room, about not consigning beautifully hand crafted items made from stunning materials to the tip, about looking at a piece and seeing beyond its current condition and infusing a new look to it, to give it new life or a new chapter to its life.

Of course sound thinking in our current day and age… and perhaps reminiscent of the ‘make do and mend’ times gone by.

An inspired recent gift from a Lady I am learning such a great deal from in the interiors world, has lead me to examine interior details and the balance that can be achieved whilst still keeping things simple.

Hans Blomquist has written some stunning books regarding his view on interior decoration in a natural way.  Whilst not every leafy English home would be suitable to house concrete floors (which I love in the right place), I simply adore how he mixes so many different styles to create a layered look and one which celebrates design and craftsmanship of days gone by.

‘The neutral colour scheme makes the perfect backdrop for some things that are very old and some things that are brand new, some that are patterned and others that are plain.  The most creative spaces are fluid, whereas homes that are over styled, where too much thought has gone into the process and where everything is matching to perfection, can feel strangely sterile and boring.  Mixing styles, materials, furniture and other pieces from various eras makes a home much more personal and interesting.’  Hans Blomquist

 Vintagefrench.com has begun to introduce into its collections more of these smaller items that offer us the chance to ‘play’ with our schemes.  A beautifully curated branch in a vintage wine bottle, a selection of miss matched stools at a kitchen island, a vintage letter or toy on the shelf of a child’s bedroom.  I am learning that these touches, gives a soothing feeling to a room.. not so ordered, not so predictable.. much more interesting.

          

 

            

  

 Sophie Warren Vintagefrench.com

          

 

 


Latest look from Malin our inhouse designer July 16 2015

Our in house stylist/designer Malin creates wonderful looks using Vintagefrench.com products.. obviously with a little 'help' from Iris... her latest creation is this beautiful grey/green scheme... this one we LOVE !!


The winner of our competition is... June 16 2015

Cecilia Rosendal who lives in Denmark.. She has chosen the 19th Century Picture frame to house a picture of her entire family taken at her Grandmother's 100th Birthday celebration.  Many thanks to all who participated.

COMPETITION TIME June 08 2015

Win either a 19th Century Picture Frame or an Industrial Stool with our new competition.  Either on Facebook: Like our Vintage French Page AND then Share the competition post OR on Twitter: Follow @vintagefrenchfr AND RT and next monday we will put all those who have done so into a vintage pickling jar and pull out the name of our winner. The winner can choose either this 19th century picture frame or this 1950's industrial stool as their prize (we will include delivery within mainland UK, Geneva and Haute Savoire, a winner from the Rest of the World, will have to cover shipping costs). We will also be asking the winner which was their friend who shared this post originally, so we can send them a prize too.  Good Luck !!

Find us on RocoMag Online Interior Design Guide May 12 2015

Find us in the Vintage Section of this online Interior Design Guide

http://www.rocomag.com/directory/vintage-french/


Living France Magazine May, 'A good vintage' April 09 2015

We are thrilled to have a feature article in Living France Magazine May 2015 edition.  Visit our Media page to view !!

Reupholstered chair features in House and Garden Magazine April 02 2015

Our Beautiful Reupholstered Gold chair is featured in this months House and Garden Magazine.

     


Vogue Vintage Hunter March 23 2015

We took a little space in April's Vogue 'Vintage Hunter' edition...that's right up our street !!


Vintage French in Period Living Magazine April Edition March 04 2015

We are thrilled to have our Red Bridge Chair included in Period Living Magazine April 2015, Past to Present.  Visit page 21 !!

Whats New at Vintage French? February 26 2015

We have lots of new things happening at Vintage French, we will share as and when we are allowed to, in the mean time, please visit our New Arrivals page for lots of fresh, new stock.

Vintage French Christmas Countdown: For Her November 21 2014

So our recommendations for Vintage French presents are not so secretly my wish list for this festive season.. I wonder if my husband will read this!!

So here goes...please Father Christmas may I have…

Our beautiful, stunning reupholstered Berry Coloured Canape. I imagine the girls around after a meal out, heals and sequins, dancing to cheesy 70’s classics around this canape drinking vodka.

This breathtaking Italian Chandelier would look amazing in just about any room in our house.

I would love a vintage mannequin on which I could display my favorite vintage pieces, or indulge my dress making/designing ambitions.

A Vintage fur coat would keep me so warm and toasty through our cold winter days and nights.

Any mirror at all would be on my wish list.. they are just beautiful and look amazing in all styles of room.

Our metal bird cage would look so beautiful as a central table decoration on our Christmas dining table, and would look fab in the summer outside with candles inside. Also, our candelabras would be the perfect table decoration that would be used again and again throughout the year… from dinner parties, to candle lit dinners for two.. inside or outside.

I love love love our vintage picture frames. I would love to make a corner of our house with these mounted on the wall and our blue retro chair underneath.. a cool girly reading corner.