Travel blog post: colours of Cyprus

I have just come back from Cyprus and had a great time. I wanted to share a few interesting photos of things that caught my eye while walking around in various places, especially of the rich colours and patterns on buildings and in textiles. Cyprus has a rich history of different cultures all putting their stamp on the island, and of course at present it is still divided in a Greek and a Turkish part. The Greek side is more modern and developed with many large hotels and plenty of activity along the many beaches, while the Turkish side is quieter with less of that going on and more strips of beach all to yourself, though there are lots of villas being built for foreigners wanting their own place in the sun. At times it can be hard to look through all the ugly building developments, noisy bars as well as rubbish left on beaches, which unfortunately you see, but if you venture away from the beaten track you'll soon come across the real beauty and authenticity that Cyprus has to offer - both in the South and the North. A great island all around.

Beautiful colours in this carpet in  the Halan Sultan Tekke mosque, Larnaca, South Cyprus

Some true vintage furniture in Bellapais, Kyrenia, North Cyprus

Glorious bougainvillea growing in an old plastic barrel, Kyrenia, North Cyprus

Various street scenes in Nicosia

fantastic handmade lace in Lefkara, South Cyprus

Rich colours, blue paint and red geranium in Lefkara, South Cyprus

Lace shop in Lefkara, South Cyprus

Striking blue wall at the local museum of Lefkara, South Cyprus

Sunlight and shadows on a beautiful yellow door in Bellapais, North Cyprus

Great selection of carpets in the Halan Sultna Tekke mosque in Larnaca, South Cyprus

Blue, blue blue....in Lefkara, South Cyprus

Bright yellow flower and blue furniture on the beach in Larnaca

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A vintage sewing box that turned out to be a treasure trove, full of retro fabrics

Recently I bought an old sewing box from a family clearing the house of an elderly lady who had passed away. I took the box without having a proper look what was inside as I was mainly interested in the vintage style box itself. A few weeks later as I rediscovered the box and opened it up, I found the most amazing stack of 1960s and 70s fabrics, all neatly folded and in the most vibrant colours and crazy patterns, some of them by 1960s textile designers Barbara Brown and Bernard Wardle.
It made me wonder what kind of lady she was, this woman who picked those fabulous fabrics all those years ago and used them for her own creative projects. She must have loved bold colours and graphic patterns as much as I do. She sure had great taste!

I can't wait to make them all into beautiful Summer cushions, which I'm sure the old lady would have liked very much if she she was still with us. Here are three cushions I have made so far;

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How I became the proud owner of five neglected Hans Wegner CH24 wishbone chairs

I always keep my eyes and ears open on the hunt for great vintage treasures. Last week I decided to randomly type in the words 'bentwood chair' in the search box of our local Gumtree and in the listings I found something that immediately caught my eye. I contacted the owner to arrange a viewing and in his back garden I found five battered, dirty, damaged chairs - but of an unmistakable design and the leftovers of the labels on the bottom made me smile from ear to ear: here I had no less than five original Hans Wegner wishbone chairs. He got them from a house-clearing somewhere, some time. I couldn't believe my eyes - nor the price: £60 for the lot! They do need complete re-lacquering and seat replacement at some point, but for now I am the proud owner of a beautiful set of salvaged Danish designer classics.

Looking good around our beech dining table!

I added cushions...to prevent my cats from getting their claws into those vintage paper cord seats!

Some more wishbone chair love (in much more grand and stylish homes than mine ;-) ...

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Travel post: Italian vintage in wonderful Tuscany

I was lucky enough to spend all of last week on holiday in beautiful Tuscany, Italy. If you've ever been there you will know how the area is steeped in history. Cities like Florence and Siena are like fabulous outdoor museums with churches and 'palazzos' around every corner (as well as gelaterias and equally mouth-watering bag and shoe shops).

I didn't have much time for treasure hunting (too busy eating, drinking and catching up with my mum and sister who joined us on the trip!), but did find a great little shop in sunny Siena I wanted to tell you about: Aloe & Wolf.

Hidden away in one of the charming side streets off Piazza del Campo, this little vintage shop is packed with the most fabulous treasures from the 50s, 60s and 70s - although mostly clothing rather than home decor. I am not a great vintage fashionista (I often find the clothes are sort of just not 'it'), but I tell you, Italian vintage clothing is something else! Glamourous, well fitting and great-looking.

The shop also sells handmade, 'upcycled' designer bags by 2Periodico, a lady in Rome, and guess what: I bought one. Re-using pages out of vintage fashion magazines, covering them with plastic and combining them with recycled pieces of soft Italian leather, these funky bags were just to much of a temptation...

If you need a great place to stay in Tuscany, I can thoroughly recommend Borgo San Benedetto, a country resort, hidden away to ensure rest and relaxation, but well placed between all the big and small tourist spots too. Lovely apartments, bed and breakfast, pool and a fabulous restaurant on site too. And yes, that cute guy on their homepage is real - I've seen him with my own two eyes ;-).

Borgo San Benedetto, apartments

Here are some other impressions of my lovely week.

Duomo, Siena

Piazza del Campo, Siena

Picturesque street in Siena

The yummy 'Panforte' cake

Palazzo del Campo, Siena

Me doing the relaxation part

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Turning a page... Nina's Apartment will soon be selling vintage furniture and homeware at Yeadons Bookshop, Elgin

 

I am so excited to share this news with you all... Not just a little bit... but UBER excited! I will be partnering up very soon with one of the best booksellers in the UK; Yeadons Booksellers in Elgin, north Scotland. This shop, one of the oldest continuously trading bookshops in Scotland - already established in 1887 - will be the perfect environment for my eclectic mix of vintage, handmade and upcycled homeware. It is a beautiful 1930s building, tastefully decorated with custom made shelving and vintage furniture and stocked with a carefully chosen, eclectic selection of books.

Recently Yeadons started selling vintage homeware alongside their books, which went down a treat with the customers, complimenting the great mix of books and stationary and the friendly shopping atmosphere. From next month Nina's Apartment will be 'moving in' with them adding to the selection of wares with vintage treasures, handmade cushions and revamped furniture. I can't wait!

In the meantime, have a look at this Vintage Inspiration board on Pinterest, to get you in the mood for for what's to come...

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Time for a coffee break! A collection of vintage and retro coffee and teapots now in store

I have been doing some treasure hunting for my little Etsy business lately and have gathered a wonderful collection of coffeepots and teapots on the way. Some didn't even make it to the shop and got snapped up by friends already! Here's the beauties that are now available and ready to go to a good home. They're all in superb condition, clean and sound. If you buy any of them I'll of course make sure they are securely packaged so they'll arrive safely at your door, wherever in the world you live.  Thanks for looking! Nx

J & G Meakin Studio England coffeepot Buy here

J & G Meakin Studio England coffeepot Buy here

Japanese inspired teapot Buy here

Retro coffeepot Buy here

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Treasure hunting! A mid-century chair at the auction

I went to an auction yesterday at the village hall in lovely Tarland, Aberdeenshire, and guess what - I came back with a chair. The room was full of Edwardian chairs, big mahogany chests, sideboards, hideous pictures and lots of bric-a-brac but this chair caught my eye as it's mid-century and very elegant. Couple of chips in the varnish and a hideous stained seat must have put people off bidding for it, because I snapped it up for £12. Bargain!

Not sure whether to completely strip and revarnish it or to repair it (need to have a closer look at it tomorrow). I do quite like the idea of lightening the wood somehow, as it's a bit too mahogany-like for me (I think the frame is a mixture of maple and teak). I can already picture the end result though: a beautiful modern chair with a nice, new seat. I am thinking black and white fabric, something with a graphic pattern. What do you think? (fabric images Marimekko)

Here's some more images of the auction. Almost bought the leather suitcase (I love those!), but didn't want to bid over £10 for one with a broken lid.

This always happens to me: I end up buying stuff without realizing the size of my car. Amazing how much DOES fit in though. Friends helped me push it in (having to zip open the roof to accommodate a chair leg) and I was still able to drive ;-)

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Treasure of the day: my old 'poesiealbum'

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Treasure hunting doesn't always have to be done outside the house... I was tidying up this morning and came across a little book from my childhood. Any Dutch girl over 25 will remember it: the 'poesiealbum', a book you would carry around with you and ask family, friends, neighbours and teachers to write a poem in. Most poems were standard 'I wish you well in life' ones but some were written especially for you. I am so happy I still have it, as it holds the hand written poems of my grandparents who have now all passed away. No value to anyone, but worth more than gold to me.

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