A global field guide to design, (life)style and secret finds
est. 2007

  1. Shopping in London: A guide to buying mid-century modern. Part 1

    It's here, it's finally here! The modernist's guide to shopping for mid-century furniture and decor in London. First stop is The Midcentury Show at Lords on Sunday, where 50 vintage dealers from around the UK will be showcasing their wares to modern enthusiasts. Sign up to their mailing list for news about their excellent events, which are held several times a year. The Midcentury Show Sunday 27th May 2012 10am - 4pm North Gate Wellington Place Lord's Cricket Ground St John's Wood London NW8 8QN Entrance £7 on the day Early entry for trade 9am (£9) Children under 14 free (note that baby buggies are not permitted inside) Now, as many of you are aware, there are a great deal of vintage shops that stock mid 20th-century pieces, but I've tried to stick to places that deal almost exclusively with furniture and decor from this period. Here are my top picks, which I've also sorted by area. EAST LONDON Førest London Specialising in Scandinavian mid-century furniture, this relatively new shop also features exhibitions and collaborations with new artists. 115 Clerkenwell Rd London EC1R 5BY Chase & Sorensen This café-shop in East London specialises exclusively in mid-century Danish modern furniture, with new deliveries arriving direct from Denmark every few weeks. 238-B Dalston Lane London E8 1LQ Tel. 8533 5523 Osi Modern With a special focus on reupholstered chairs and lounges, this East London shop offers a variety of mid-century modern furniture, lighting and objects. 32 Seal Street London E8 2EE Tel. 7881 953 708 Two Columbia Road Featuring a well-considered collection of 20th century furniture, lighting, art and objects, Two Columbia Road stocks many original pieces by the likes of Hans Wegner, Finn Juhl, Arne Voder and Charles Eames. 2 Columbia Road London E2 7NN Tel. 7729 9933 Russell Roberts A carefully-edited selection of modernist 20th century furniture, art and collectables, with a touch of playfulness thanks to the addition of quirky retro toys and accessories. 8 Cheshire Street London E2 6EH Tel. 020 7613 3355 CENTRAL LONDON Bent Ply Specialising in furniture, lighting and décor from the 1930s to the 1960s, this shop is just the tip of the mid-century iceberg. More treasures can be found at Bent Ply’s stand at Alfies Antiques Market, which is just around the corner. 95 Lisson Grove London NW1 6UP Mob. 07711 940 931 Tel. 0207 725 9515 Antik Modern at Albam Clothing An unlikely source for mid-century furniture and décor is men’s fashion boutique Albam Clothing, which stocks select pieces from Antik Modern in their Soho, Spitalfields, Islington and Covent Garden stores. Alfies Antique Market Housed in a former Edwardian department store, Alfies is home to roughly 60 dealers with some really incredible stalls representing mid-century modern design. It’s one of my favourite London destinations for vintage, but the sheer size of the place can sometimes be overwhelming. It’s a bit of a bugger to get to in terms of public transport, but it’s worth the hike from Marylebone tube. 13-25 Church Street London NW8 8DT Tel. 020 7723 6066 The modern enthusiast should make a beeline for the Quad and Decoratum in the basement: Bent Ply The Quad, Basement. Stocks an impressive range of furniture by the likes of Alvar Aalto, Gerald Summers, Marcel Breuer, Ernest Race and Hans Wegner. There is also a stand-alone shop around the corner on Lisson Grove. Decoratum Basement Tel: 7724 6969 Boasting over 5,000 square feet dedicated to vintage mid-century furniture, lighting and accessories, Decoratum is a modernist’s dream. Purchases can be shipped worldwide. Here are my other picks for MCM at Alfies: Robinson Antiques Stand G077-78 and 91-92 Tel. 07955 085 723 20th century glass, pottery, chrome and stainless steel. Thirteen Interiors Stand G001-G005 and G050 Tel. 07811 008 144 20th century furniture, lighting and collectables. Francesca Martire Stand F131-F137 Mob. 07990 523891 20th century furniture, glass, ceramics lighting and jewellery. Modo Italia Stand F040-49 Tel. 07796061901 20th century Italian furniture, ceramics and décor including pieces by Gio Ponti, Paolo Buffa and Osvaldo Borsani. Stephen Lazarus Stand F017 Mob. 07981 374 909 Mid-century lighting and furniture mixed with industrial pieces. Ian Broughton Stand SO48-49, 59-60 Tel. 020 7723 6066 1930s to 1960s homewares, textiles, barware, furniture, ceramics, glassware, ephemera, collectables, kitsch, bakelite, record players, games and lighting. SOUTH LONDON Designs of Modernity Located in the basement of Crystal Palace Antiques and Modern, Designs of Modernity offers a good range of Scandinavian, British and American 20th century furniture, lighting and décor. Jasper Road London SE19 1SG Tel. 07966 285 694 NORTH LONDON Fandango 2 Cross Street London N1 2BL Tel. 07979 650805 With a line-up of 20th century furniture and décor, Fandango mixes classics by Arne Jacobsen with lesser-known pieces and objects. Peanut Vendor 133 Newington Green Road London N1 4RA Tel. 7226 5727 A warm and eclectic mix of classic ‘big names’ with an assortment of lesser known or anonymous ‘50s and ‘60s coffee tables, chairs and accessories. WEST LONDON Paere Dansk Specialising exclusively in Danish solid rosewood furniture, Paere Dansk sells both original vintage pieces by the likes of JL Moller alongside new editions of the original designs. 13 Stratford Road London W8 6RF Tel. +44 7771 861939 Some of the best mid-century modern dealers in London have warehouses and showrooms which are only open by appointment. I'll list my top picks in tomorrow's post, so please do check back in. Do you love mid-century modern furniture? Do you have a favourite shop in your area?  It’s (a rather extended) Week of Modern on Wee Birdy! Click here for more mid-century goodness. Want more Wee Birdy? You can find me most days hanging out on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook – come over and talk to me!
    Posted at 5:00 pm in Design, Mid-century modern, Modernism, Shopping in London, Vintage, Wee finds
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