Independent Interiors Show

blog post banner

Overhead projection of designer/makers at the Independent Interiors Show, 2022NQ, Manchester

We went along to the inaugural Independent Interiors Show this Saturday and judging by this event, it certainly won’t be the last. Rachel and Victoria of The Social Butterfly who organised the event will be very pleased with the huge success of the day.

Entranceway to 2022NQ, Manchester

It was held at 2022NQ in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The choice of venue and quality of exhibitors were excellent.

view of the Independent Interiors Show, 2022NQ, Manchester

A wide variety of independent designer/makers & shops were present. Their stands looked great set against the industrial fabric of the building and Justin really enjoyed photographing them. Here’s a run-down of those present.

Eclectic Chair at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Eclectic Chair – upholstery & cushions using vintage fabrics.

Scandi Nord at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

ScandiNord – Scandinavian lighting and neon installations.

Jamie B Edwards at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Jamie B. Edwards – distinctive contemporary artwork.

Caslon & Co at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Caslon & Co – vintage inspired textiles using antique wooden printing blocks.

Jorja Wilkinson at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Jorja Wilkinson Design – contemporary and quirky fabrics and interior products.

Elisabeth Jane Winstanley at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Elizabeth Jane Winstanley – acrylic, wood and metal sculpture & design.

Liz Foster at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Liz Foster Design – handmade appliqué cushions.

Helaina Sharpley at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Helaina Sharpley – exquisite sculptural wire work.

Northern Letters at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Northern Letters – prints, posters & tiles using vintage fonts sourced from Northern quarter signage.

Lisa Watson at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Lisa Watson – sumptuous quilts & throws.

Hannah Nunn at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Hannah Nunn – paper cut lighting and a brand new wallpaper range.

Amanda McCrann at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Amanda McCrann – contemporary mosaicist & artist.

Annabel Perrin at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Annabel Perrin – surface pattern design & homewares.

Lisa Southern at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Lisa Southern – contemporary furniture.

Flitty Bird at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Flitty Bird – decorative homewares & furniture.

Memo Illustration at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Memo – hand printed products including stationery, coasters, tote bags etc.

Claire Murray at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Claire Murray Designs – hand crafted surface pattern for wallpaper & textiles.

Lomas and Lomas at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Lomas & Lomas – handmade light shades, cushions & artwork.

May Wild at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

May Wild – ceramics.

Inspirit at the Independent Interiors Show, Manchester

Inspirit – bespoke industrial furniture & shelving.

Demonstration by Sian Astley of Morgeous

There was also an up-cycling demo run by Sian Astley of Morgeous and a big screen situated in the atmospheric café/bar area showcasing each of the exhibitors. Nice coffee there too!

We highly recommend this show – it’s already in our diary for next year! Justin took tons of photographs, so here’s a slide show of further shots if you fancy a leisurely browse.

Bookmarks: Style your Modern Vintage Home: A guide to buying, restoring and styling from the 1920s to 1990s

"Bookmarks" blog post banner

'Modern Vintage Home' book cover

 

Today’s Bookmarks review post has a slight twist – and quite exciting to be honest. Well,  it’s not everyday that your own home stares back at you as you turn the pages!

Sarah's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

We’re one of a few houses to be featured in  Style your Modern Vintage Home: A guide to buying, restoring and styling from the 1920s to 1990s.

Our home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

It was written by fellow vintage dealer & blogger, Kate Beavis of Your Vintage Life – and of course we’re very flattered.

Our home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

We’d been looking forward to our copy arriving for weeks and not just because we’re in it. We were also very keen to see how other people style their homes using vintage finds.

Paloma Faith into page in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

Kate managed to bag the chic & stylish Paloma Faith to write the intro – and following it is 150 pages of interior eye candy!

mosaic of vintage homewares in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

It’s packed full of wonderfully decorated homes with vintage pieces from the 1930s all the way through to contemporary retro designs.

Annie's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

Kate features seven different homes across the UK and interviews each of the owners…

Carla's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

…including little snippets on how we achieved our ‘looks’ (ooooh listen to us!! 🙂 ).

Heather Linnitt's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

Another of our online vintage chums, Heather from Eclectic Chair, is one of the others featured. We’ve long admired the bold & individual decor of her home.

Heather Linnitt's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

We shouldn’t really single one house out though, as they all look great.

60s and 70s chapter

The chapters are broken up into decades with a short introduction about the social history of the time.

vintage kitchenware

Then further sub-divided by room covering topics such as ‘cooking utensils’, ‘furniture’, ‘lighting’ and ‘storage’.

50s tableware

The distinctive looks, shapes & materials of each decade are described & classic pieces from the various eras are highlighted.

50s kitchen

 There are also useful styling tips, cleaning & restoration advice and cautionary notes on avoiding pitfalls.

Heather Linnitt's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

Some of the houses completely recreate the atmosphere of a certain decade…

Anna's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

…others use vintage pieces from various eras for an eclectic look.

Annie's home featured in Style Your Modern Vintage Home

Being vintage lovers, it goes without saying that even Kate & Adam’s kids’ rooms are given the treatment!

child's play room with shelves of vintage toys and games

The vintage exterior isn’t ignored either – how to furnish, use and improve gardens and outdoor areas is also covered.

Our garden

At the back of the book you’ll find a directory of places to go to buy vintage homewares in the UK, US and online – and books, magazines and websites to read up on vintage. Great for both old hands or if  you’re just setting out on your vintage journey.

Get Kate’s book on Amazon or Hive

Eclectic Chair

"Sponsor Spotlight" blog post banner

vintage footstool reupholstered by Eclectic Chair using recycled coffee sack

We’ve got a fabulous range of sponsors at the moment – lovely products, lovely people – perfect for a short series of blog posts throwing the spotlight on them & their businesses.

We’re kicking off with Leeds-based Eclectic Chair – aka Heather.

green dotted horizontal rule

Hi, I’m Heather of Eclectic Chair which is a small upholstery studio in Headingley, Leeds. I’m 48, and didn’t start to study upholstery until I was 36, proof that it’s never to late to change career, or learn how to do something that you have always fancied doing!

portrait of Heather Linnitt

I started to study upholstery in the year 2000, as I had an untapped creative side itching to get out, and I was looking for a way out of the restaurant industry, in which I have enjoyed working for 25 years, but knew that I didn’t want to continue to. For those of you who know South Manchester, I was the manager of the lovely Lime Tree restaurant in West Didsbury for 10 years.
I studied upholstery at the Traditional Upholstery Workshop, in Ceredigion, Wales.

vintage armchair reupholstered in plush bronze coloured velvet fabric

I absolutely loved upholstery from day one. It’s not easy, it’s very physical, messy and dirty, and there are a lot of skills to learn, as chairs have been made in many different ways over the years. I’ve become a better upholsterer as time has gone by. I’ve made mistakes, had to unpick my work completely and do it again, sought advice from more experienced upholsterers, and I have loads of books on the subject. There are tough days, when jobs don’t go the way you expect, and I’m lying on my back on a dirty floor supporting a huge sofa above me with one arm, but the good times when I create something amazing, make up for them.

vintage Art Deco club chair reupholstered by Eclectic Chair

I called my business Eclectic Chair, because I am a big fan of an eclectic mix of periods, and styles. People are attracted to a whole host of styles, and it’s very difficult to restrict yourself to one. We all pick up a collection of personal possessions from our travels, before we settle down, and I think vintage, modern, ethnic and antique, can all work together, if you style it well. Here’s an example of that from my house, with a 1960s couch upholstered by myself!

Teal upholstered studio couch in Heather Linnitt's sitting room

My trademark style is colourful, patterned, vintage and recycled, I particularly love furniture from the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

vintage wing-back armchair reupholsetered in vintage Welsh wool tapestry fabric by Eclectic Chair

And I like to mix it up a bit, for example reupholstering a 1970s Parker Knoll armchair using vintage Welsh tapestry fabric, or recovering some 1950s diner chairs with traditional African waxed fabric.

set of four vintage 1950s diner chairs recovered in vintage African fabric by Eclectic Chair

I have recently been upholstering furniture with recycled coffee and grain sacks. I really like the printing on them and the industrial, and rustic feel that the jute gives. The coffee sacks are recycled by Taylors of Harrogate, they are big on sustainability, they donate them to a place called Scrap in Leeds which recycles waste materials from business, and that is where I buy them! I love the fact that I’m reupholstering a chair with sacks that have come from Honduras, Kenya, India and Brazil, via Harrogate to me in Leeds, and re-using them, but making something beautiful in the process.

vintage armchair reupholstered by Eclectic Chair using recycled coffee sacks vintage armchair reupholstered by Eclectic Chair using recycled coffee sacks

For more examples of Heather’s work, or to contact her if you have a piece of furniture that you would like her to upholster, go to her website Eclectic Chair.

If you’re interested in becoming one of our sponsors just get in touch and we’ll send you our stats & rates!