A new adventure for H is for Home

The finished set up of the H is for Home pitch in Valley Antiques, Hebden Bridge

A new venture/adventure has begun for H is for Home this week. We’ve spent the last couple of days moving into the recently-opened Valley Antiques Centre in Hebden Bridge.

Arriving with stock for Valley Antiques Centre, Hebden Bridge

Arriving with stock for Valley Antiques, Hebden Bridge

We’ve long-fancied having a retail space in Hebden. It’s a lovely little town full of small independent shops; cafés & coffee shops, pubs & bars and art galleries. It’s a great place to spend the day mooching around. We actually lived here when we first moved to Yorkshire from Brighton back in 2000.

Hanging the H is for Home banner in our new pitch

Arriving with stock for Valley Antiques, Hebden Bridge

Despite recently moving to Wales, it will be nice to maintain an ongoing relationship with the town, Todmorden and the Calder Valley, in general.

Hanging vintage fabric in our new pitch

Hanging vintage fabric in our new pitch

We’ve secured a decent-sized space, big enough for furniture and smaller vintage items such as fabric, lighting, artwork and kitchenalia – and all manner of decorative things for the home.

Corner of our new pitch Corner of our new pitch

Vintage trestle table in our new pitch

Valley Antiques Centre has only been open a couple of months, it’s looking great and is packed full of interesting and quirky stuff from a number of dealers. It’s well run, and you’ll receive a warm welcome from Jan, who has launched the centre – or one of the other dealers on hand.

Vintage wooden printers blocks

Antique brass candle holders

We’ve included these photos to show you how we’re getting on – and to showcase the kind of stock you’ll find on our pitch. In future posts, we’ll highlight other dealers and their wares.

Vintage Husman's potato chip tin

Corner of our new pitch in Valley Antiques Centre

Valley Antiques Centre is situated at the end of Valley Road – just past the Doctors’ Surgery, on the opposite side of the road. It’s open 10am-4pm, Monday to Sunday.

Corner of our new pitch with a vintage kitchenette

Corner of our new pitch in Valley Antiques Centre

We hope that you can pay us a visit sometime soon!

We’ve moved!

Exterior view of Troed Rhiw Haidd

You may have noticed that we’ve been a little quiet of late – that’s because we’ve moved house and business! After twenty happy years in Yorkshire, we’ve upped sticks from Todmorden and relocated to rural Wales. It seemed like a good time in life to have a bit of a shake up.

Having spent holidays here in Ceredigion, we came to thinking that we’d love to live here permanently. It’s been quite hard work – lots of sorting, packing and logistics, but we’re settled in now. We’re very happy to be in our little old cottage. It’s surrounded by woodland, rolling hills & lush river valleys… and a 15-minute drive from the Cardiganshire coast.

Adelle & Justin outside Troed Rhiw Haidd

The house is full of character and interesting features. We’re going to give it a bit of sympathetic TLC – if you’re interested in following our renovation escapades, we’ve set up a dedicated Instagram account.

Our ever-changing spaces

Collection of vintage Criddle's Old Fashioned Black Treacle tins | H is for Home

Today’s post is very photo orientated. We just thought that we’d share a few images of how our two ever-changing spaces are looking at the moment. We’ve had some quite serious illness in the family over the last few months – both human and canine – which really has required lots of our attention and time. We’ve managed to keep on top of the blog, but we’d be the first to admit that our internet shop has suffered a bit. We’ve relied on these ‘physical worlds’ for selling most of our stuff of late.

Shelves of vintage pagkaging and cleaning products in Picture House Antiques, Todmorden

Our original pitch still has its vintage feel. In fact, one wall looks like an old grocery store at the moment with its brushes, soap, polish and old tins!

Shelves of vintage pagkaging and cleaning products in Picture House Antiques, Todmorden

Collection of new old stock boxes of Belvoir leather and saddle soap | H is for Home

New old stock tins of Day & Martin's wax shoe polish | H is for Home

New sold stock - various vintage cleaning brushes | H is for Home

New old stock - various vintage cleaning brushes in a wicker basket | H is for Home

New old stock - vintage Fox laces | H is for Home

There’s a nice Ladderax unit to another wall. We actually had seven of these! We’ve kept one for our house and have sold five in a few weeks – this being the last one remaining. It’s not surprising, as they’re such a fabulous design. They look great with their simple, mid century modern styling – and are so flexible in terms of where you position the shelves and cupboards – they’re easy to erect or move too.

Vintage Ladderax shelving unit | H is for Home

Vintage 'We Deliver Anywhere' glass shop sign | H is for Home

Elsewhere is the usual mix of furniture, crockery, artwork, fabric, lamps and so on.

Vintage wicker hanging chair with pair of vintage cushions | H is for Home

We’ve had some interesting chairs this month such as this lovely 1960s wicker hanging model.

Stack of vintage leather luggage cases, midcentury modern desk chair and large West German vase | H is for Home

Also, this 1950s red leatherette tilt back armchair. We’ve not established the designer as yet, but it really does have the look of Ernest Race about it.

Purple & white vintage dandycord chair | H is for Home

And how about this fabulous plastic weave chair in purple? It’s in great condition and the first time we’ve had one in this colourway.

Shelf of vintage toys | H is for Home

In fact, there’s no shortage of eye-popping colour wherever you look at the moment!

Vintage black & red GPO telephone | H is for Home

Our second shop space across the road has a slightly different look. Traditional antiques rub shoulders with mid century modern. It’s a bit more edited and pieces are given a bit more space to breathe.

Pair of antique miniatures | H is for Home

We love these much earlier pieces and have objects that date from the 16th to the 19th century. They have such character and history.

Corner of our 2nd Picturehouse Antiques space | H is for Home

It’s not always easy mixing such divergent periods and styles, but we have a very eclectic mix in our own house – so a shop space offering the same range of items was irresistible. There’s only one thing left for the customer to do – decide what fits in their own home – and what works well together for them!

Corner of our 2nd Picturehouse Antiques space | H is for Home

You’ll spy another one of those Ladderax units – a very dinky, cute little one this time (just sold). It’s currently displaying an assortment of lovely sculptural glass and the classic Cylinda Line tea set designed by Arme Jacobsen.

Corner of our 2nd Picturehouse Antiques space | H is for Home

And just to prove that this place really does span eras, sitting against the same wall is an oak gate-leg table dating from about 1680. Vintage industrial storage rack and printing blocks atop. Also, a very sweet 18th century oak spoon rack on the wall – and a couple of framed silhouettes which we love. They look great against dark grey walls! The original vintage TWA travel poster dates from the 1960s and was designed by David Klein.

Corner of our 2nd Picturehouse Antiques space | H is for Home

Here are a few more images so that you can have your own little virtual browse. Any questions, feel free to ask. And of course, if you’re ever near Todmorden – drop in!

Corner of our 2nd Picturehouse Antiques space | H is for Home

Detail from an antique iron candle holder | H is for Home

Collection of vintage printers block letters

Vintage Stelton stainless steel tea set | H is for Home

Trio of vintage art glass objects | H is for Home

…and fear not internet browsers – we’re back on the case now and will be photographing & listing some lovely postable items for the web shop this week.

Our new shop space

Shopfront of our new shop space | H is for Home

In a recent blog post about a Blomus tea set, we mentioned our new shop space.

Empty shopfront of our new shop space | H is for Home

Well, here it is! It’s an attractive corner plot directly opposite the antiques centre from where we currently sell. This was a good opportunity to spread things out a bit. We’re sharing the shop with a couple of other dealers.

Looking out into the street from our new shop space | H is for Home

Our space has got a lovely, big display window.

Neglected window box outside our new shop space | H is for Home

…and a neglected window box which had potential to look very pretty.

Justin standing in the street outside our new shop space | H is for Home

So, what to do next!  Mmmm… let’s mull this over.

Bringing stock into our new shop space | H is for Home

We moved into the space over a couple of days. We wanted to combine our twin loves of mid century modern and rustic country styles.

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

And here are the results. We hope it looks like the kind of shop in which you’d like to browse. If you ever get the chance to visit, we’re right next to the library in Todmorden – at the junction of Hall Street and Rochdale Road. Picturehouse Antiques, where we also sell from, is directly across the road – and there are loads of good places to get coffee and cake close by!

Collection of wooden vintage bobbins in the window of our new shop space | H is for Home

Justin took lots of snaps which we’ve included below to give you a good feel of the new place. We hope to see you there one day!

New H is for Home shop space | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Detail of an antique miniature chest of drawers for sale in our new shop space | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Display of antique wooden items for sale in our new shop space | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Detail of spindles from an antique country chair | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Trio of blue vintage objects for sale in our new shop space | H is for Home

Setting up our new shop space | H is for Home

Chemist fittings in the new shop space next to ours | H is for Home

Chemist fittings in the new shop space next to ours | H is for Home

Chemist fittings in the new shop space next to ours | H is for Home

Anatomical figure of a cow in the new shop space next to ours | H is for Home

Anatomical figure of a pig in the new shop space next to ours | H is for Home

Detail from a Frogman piece in the new shop space next to ours | H is for Home

New H is for Home shop space | H is for Home