Inspiration is everywhere, especially if you’re away from home. Whether it’s a beach holiday, a city break or a few days in the countryside, there’s nothing like the thrill of exploring somewhere new. That’s especially true when you’re in a creative slump; craving a reset and a change of scenery. If you’re an aesthete whose mood is impacted by their surroundings, arguably, the best thing about a holiday (besides the general shirking of responsibilities) is the unbridled joy of being surrounded by architecture, colours, planting, decoration and shops that you don’t see everyday. Sure, a Greek salad eaten by the sea is good, but stumbling into a hidden flea market and unearthing the mid-century sculpture of your dreams, or buying a stack of antique linens that just happen to be monogrammed with your initials, now that is a great feeling.
From concept stores in New York to French antiques sold in Ibiza, we asked interior designers, tastemakers and creatives; where do they love to shop for homeware, anywhere in the world?
Matilda Goad, homeware designer and creative consultant
"La Grande Braderie de Lille in France is amazing – it’s held annually and it’s the largest flea market in Europe. The whole city is pedestrianised for the weekend and streets are lined with stalls in the day and parties at night. Some streets are filled with established antiques dealers while others are locals selling their bric a brac. Bring a van but be aware that you can’t drive around to collect your purchases, so take a pull-along trolley and if you buy chunky items, you’ll need to be strong!"
Suzie de Rohan Willner, CEO of TOAST
“Brooklyn is one of my favourite shopping destinations. Stretching from Boerum Hill to Brooklyn Heights, Atlantic Avenue – otherwise known as ‘Antiques Row’ – is where I find the most inspiration. During my last visit, I picked up a tube of nourishing Goē Oil from the wonderful Gale Mayron at Joa Social Club. The independent shopping scene is thriving – from the beautiful clothing store and floral studio, Outline, and the carefully curated collections of furniture and lighting at Assembly Line to the craft pieces at The Primary Essentials and Porta, where local artisans are championed. The area felt like a fitting destination for our first TOAST store in the US, which opened in Brooklyn earlier this summer.”
Anna Haines, interior designer
“I love Atelier Vime in Vallabrègues, Provence. It’s a showcase for the owners’ line of contemporary rattan designs but when I’ve been, it’s their vintage pieces that are the real lure – rattan daybeds and Audoux Minet rope chandeliers and lamps, all in the most magical setting.”
Tatjana von Stein, interior designer and founder of Tatjana von Stein
"The French and Italian markets are fantastic for interiors shopping, such as Clignancourt in Paris, where you'll find the likes of Max Keys. I’d also recommend visiting the small ateliers and workshops that can make bespoke pieces unique to you. Fabric shopping in Paris’s 3rd is a wonderful experience as all the shops are in beautiful streets very close to each other.
In Spain, Barcelona has some wonderful antiques markets and stores such as Brutus de Gaper. And in Mallorca, I love the glass from Gordiola and third-generation artisanal textiles from Textil Bujosa, who can make anything for you."
Joanna Plant, interior designer
“I’ve bought some properly good things at a tiny shop in the north of Ibiza called Mon Château en Espagne. A French couple runs it and they source furniture, glass, vintage linens, Hermès scarves and jewellery and some wonderful antiques from all over France. Some of my very favourite things at home came from there and I always manage to find something wonderful – our ‘70s coffee table, a very good lamp and on one occasion, a heavy linen sheet with a fancy monogram of my initials. Although it might seem a bit odd buying French antiques in Ibiza, it’s the best holiday shopping I’ve ever done.”
Jacu Strauss, creative director of the Lore Group of hotels
“Amsterdam is one of my favourite cities with a culture where locals really embrace vintage. I recently bought a hundred vintage paintings for a new suite we’ve created at the Pulitzer Amsterdam and I got them all from young local sellers in the Nine Streets area of the city. It’s refreshing to see young people getting into the antiques and vintage trade. A special mention goes to Anouk Beerents, who specialises in the sensitive restoration and sale of the most exquisite mirrors in an amazingly well-curated space in the heart of Amsterdam. I can also recommend Van Trommelen, another young dealer trading in antiques in the Netherlands.”
Gemma Moulton, founder of CC Moulton
"I recently discovered Mario Luca Giusti on a trip to Florence. The brightly coloured cut glassware immediately caught my eye and when I discovered it was synthetic crystal and therefore not going to break in transit, I filled my suitcase with as much as I could squeeze in.
The vintage and antique shops in Florence are all incredible, I found the most beautiful embroidered curtains and linens, and there's one particular vintage clothing store in which everything is 10 euros. It goes without saying that the Santa Maria Novella shop is unmissable for home fragrance and I also booked a tour of the famous silk mill, Antico Setificio Fiorentino. They have a small shoppable range, which I visited after the tour."
Alice Wawrik, interiors and brand consultant
“Some places can look so wonderful in photos online and then when you finally visit the shop or showroom, it can be underwhelming. Thankfully, John Derian’s row of three shops in New York were the most impressive retail spaces I’ve seen and they were worth the wait. His stores are full of creativity, joy and delight – every corner had something that set my imagination running wild with ideas of where I could use it. While I was in New York, I also loved KRB on Lexington Avenue – it was so inspiring. Again, it was such a pleasure that a place I’ve admired from afar for so long exceeded my expectations with its gloriously colourful showroom.”
Mads Montagu-Andrews, founder of Studio Bust
“I love an antiques emporium where there are stalls from multiple sellers under one roof, as the choice is always brilliant and it’s very difficult to walk away empty handed! Near where I live, I love The Hungerford Arcade and The Emporium (which is opposite) or Fisherton Warehouse in Salisbury. Similar emporiums a little further afield – but worth making a diversion to visit – include: Dairy House Antiques in Shaftesbury, East Street Antiques in Ashburton (just one of many excellent shops in the town) and Station Mill Antiques in Chipping Norton.”
Lucy Williams, digital creative and brand consultant
“I always make sure to stop by Merci when I’m in Paris – I love browsing their ceramics and glassware collections. Likewise the HAY flagship store in Copenhagen. One of my favourites in New York is called November 19 on Orchard Street – they always have fun little things you can fit in your suitcase, from candles and incense holders to ceramics and textiles. I love their curation and feel like a child in a sweet shop as soon as I walk through the door.
Closer to home, I always find something I like at The Old Cinema in Chiswick and I’ve picked up some great treasures in the past at the Lewes Flea Market in Sussex.”
Hollie Bowden, interior designer
"Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris isn’t exactly a secret source for interiors shopping, but it’s definitely one of the best. What sets it apart from other similar mega-markets around the world is the range and depth of what you can find. Highly specialist dealers in the Marché Paul Bert Serpette who sell museum-quality design classics, sit alongside small stalls where runners display charming but anonymous pieces. There’s something to suit every budget. I love going there with clients to share the excitement of hunting for something unexpected and introducing them to the dealers I’ve built relationships with over the years. The less of a plan you have when going in, the better. Go with an open mind and allow yourself to discover the amazing pieces on offer."
Natalie Sytner, founder of Bettina Ceramica
“Allo Robert in Menton, France, is one of my favourite brocante/antique shops. It’s perfectly situated en route between my dad’s house in Bordighera in Italy and his closest airport, which happens to be in Nice, France. It’s a haven for all things weird and wonderful and it’s a great place to find the unexpected; vintage Italian film posters, old theatre props from all over Europe, pieces from grand old hotel dining rooms – there’s always something interesting!
The first Sunday of every month is the antiques market along the seafront (lungomare) in the small town where my dad lives, Bordighera. Not only does it have the most beautiful backdrop of the Med, plus the hectic addition of the beachgoers, but the chatter between all the stallholders is something to behold. There are nonnas selling vintage Italian lace tablecloths and throws, plus the odd Murano vase, Cinzano ashtray and cool ‘70s lighting. The last time I went, I managed to get a great deal on a perfect condition vintage Alessi kettle.”
Victoria Barker, interior designer and founder of Studio Faeger
“I love Marin Montagut in Paris for decorative homeware, plaster mouldings and notebooks. I love its playful charm – it feels like you've stepped into a fairytale book with all your favourite things from your childhood. Also in Paris, AXS Design is great for decorative antiques. It’s tucked away down a little mews and is an absolute hidden gem, with shelves and stacks of creamware and antique ceramics from all around the world. Close to AXS – on the same mews in fact – Antoinette Poisson is a fascinating traditional print studio and shop with fabrics and papers sold by the metre, plus a collection of handmade lampshades, notebooks and domino papers from their own print collection. It feels like one of the few remaining print studios around that still practises traditional cotton rag and hand-painted printing techniques for the modern day – it’s a true inspiration.
My very favourite secret spot for buying beautiful antique chairs, sofas and the occasional tilt-top table is Mille Chairs in Strasbourg. Owner Christian clears chateaus and country estates across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, collecting a really interesting mix of antiques. He travels all over to sell in French markets and also closer to home at Sunbury Antiques Market in Kempton, England. He has a large lock-up that you can visit by appointment over in Strasbourg.
Beyond France, I love the Nickey Kehoe stores in Los Angeles and (more recently) New York for homewares, lighting and soft furnishings. I adore this beautifully curated shop by interior designers Todd Nickey and Amy Keyhoe. They strike the perfect balance of old and new and it’s done so perfectly.”
Sophie Rowell, interior designer and founder at Côte de Folk
“I love Puckharbour’s sunny store in Rye, it’s family-run and the owners have an amazing eye, with a brilliant curation of outstanding art, larger antiques and mirrors. They also offer bespoke upholstery that I’ve used in my projects before.
For something contemporary, I always take a look at Margaret Howell. Their stores are so carefully considered, with the minimalist design allowing each object to have its own space without feeling crammed in. They currently have a Japanese stainless steel kettle that I have my eye on!
Some of my other favourites for homeware include 8 Holland Street in London, Coast & Country Home in Cape Town, Soap and Salvation in Rye and Dean Antiques in the Cotswolds.”
Victoria Ceraudo, co-founder at Ceraudo
“If you’ve been to Marrakech you’ll know that the medina can be somewhat overwhelming and it’s easy to get exhausted by the invitations to stop and view the stallholders’ wares. For a very different experience, we love to visit the serene LRNCE store and shop their handmade designs. They have a brilliant selection of unique ceramics and accessories – all crafted with their abstract, painterly aesthetic. They’ve also opened their own hotel in the Old Town called Rosemary.”
