Little Black Book: Kelly Vittengl & Heather Kane

Ceramics 

“There are so many great things happening in ceramics right now. I love Simone Bodmer Turner – I just bought a new piece she made in black, which I can’t wait to receive. I also love an Instagram account called 1690works; she makes amazing pieces that are sold in Cutterbrooks, including some wall sconces that I’m obsessed with. Ruan Hoffmann plates are on my wish list too.” – Heather

Antiques 

“Heather and I are both major collectors of antiques. I would say that probably 60% of the items in my home are antique. Of course, we love to shop at the markets. London has a lot of little markets like Spitalfields or Camden Passage, but if you want a bigger option, try Sunbury Antiques Fair just outside town. If you want to venture a bit farther, there’s Ardingly. You have to get up and go early, and you will be absolutely knackered by the end of day, but it’s so worth it. If you’re looking for something specific, we always love a good eBay hunt. You can also try Vinterior – another favourite if you don’t want to leave your sofa. Alternatively, there are lots of little antique shops around England. One of my favourite shops, where I bought the antique leather club chair in my living room, is called Vintage Boathouse. It’s a must visit!” – Kelly 

Rugs & Textiles

“Our business Frances Loom was born out of our love for rugs. We both crave spaces that feel cosy and that come down to layers. So we layer rugs: vintage on top of plain wool or jute. For textiles, our favourites are linen – we are just starting to carry a new line that is so lush and soft. I have a polar bear faux fur from The White Company that you want to roll up naked in, and another super-luxe pure cashmere throw from Bemboka that I got at Becker & Minty in Sydney, but they’re available in London too.” – Heather

Mirrors

“I had a great tall mirror made for my last flat by The Antique Mirror Company, which is great when you need something very specific. But both of us have very old wood-frame mirrors above our respective fireplaces. Kelly sourced hers at Sunbury and I bought mine from a shop called The House of Antiques. In truth, I use Google by just typing in “UK tall gilded French floor mirror” or whatever it is I’m looking for, then move to images and crawl through there to source so many of the things I have found.” – Heather 

Glassware

“If I’m not buying vintage or antique, I love to find something that feels old. When I first saw the Barwell crystal from Soho Home, I fell in love. I bought the full set! I especially love the crystal decanter. It makes me feel like I’m in Peaky Blinders. When Heather saw mine, she bought a set too!” – Kelly

Lighting 

“Lighting is my favourite part of decorating, mixing and matching from eras and decades – it’s the jewellery on an outfit. I use Pamono and Vinterior mostly. You can find everything there and it’s mostly European dealers, so no additional import taxes.” – Heather

Decorative Items 

“I love to find quirky items that speak to me. They pop up everywhere, especially in the markets, but Le Couilles du Chien on Golborne Road and M Charpentier on Lillie Road always have great, unique items.” – Heather

Furniture 

“We vary a bit here. Kelly goes for antique club chairs and classic roll-arm sofas. These come from great dealers like ones on Church Street and Lillie Road in London (Cubbit Antiques and Puckhaber, to name two). We both like rustic wood pieces and classic shapes like Thonet and Wishbone chairs. I go for that and some more funky modern pieces thrown in  I love Béton Brut in Hackney and The Peanut Vendor for mid-century pieces.” – Heather

Art

“Both of us layer – vintage, new, stuff we’ve made ourselves. We have used Sulis Art for vintage and new art. They release new art every week. We also both pick up antique frames at markets or vintage shops, including the great ones around Columbia Road flower market like Pure White Lines or Mason & Painter, and find creative ways to fill them.” – Heather

Shopping Abroad

“I’m such a sucker for an antique market. It’s honestly the only shopping I do. I’ve mentioned a few UK markets, but the US has some to rival them – seeing as I’m American, I’ll let you in on some of the best. On the east coast, in Massachusetts, you have Brimfield Market. This market runs three times a year and is massively popular. Down south there’s Round Top Antiques Fair in Texas. This one also runs three times a year and pulls people in from all over the country – it’s huge, just like Texas. Lastly, you have the markets all around Los Angeles. These are my forte as these are the markets I was hunting in when I first started Frances Loom. We have Rose Bowl Market, Santa Monica Airport Market and Long Beach Market. They’re each once a month and all truly worth going to. Rose Bowl is the most popular for good reason – it’s my favourite, but you have to go early before the crowds!” – Kelly

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