Hot and Fresh.
New in the shop! Two vintage Chinese Communist Party Propoganda posters – one from 1977 the other from the late 1950s/1960s. Get get ‘em. We think they are delicious.
New in the shop! Two vintage Chinese Communist Party Propoganda posters – one from 1977 the other from the late 1950s/1960s. Get get ‘em. We think they are delicious.
…new in the shop this week:
1. Vintage pair of male and female blackamoor busts
2. Vintage pair of blue foo dogs (these go quickly, so get a move on)
Camden Passage in Islington is one of my happy places. Here’s why:
This is my favourite stall – it’s where weird and wonderful get married. Luckily I managed a shot before the stall keeper told me no photos! I want that body sculpture on the right (so Kelly Wearstler). And the fab portrait with the skeleton in the background. I mean, don’t you?
Some puffers (daddy, mommy, big sister and baby), coral and shells. Sure.
A lobster plate and nuclear green cake stand. This season’s must-haves.
Tea anyone?
My favourite chinoiserie place, C. Tapsell Antique Oriental Works of Art (plug for letting me take loads of photos and volunteering to value our Chinoiserie goodies). Do those red vases look familiar?
Some foos going au naturel.
This foo was totally giving me puppy eyes… “take me home with you” he cried.
Some crackleware and ginger jars! So hot right now.
All photos copyright of The Colonies.
Chinoiserie….
….or silver….
The sideboard and several of the accessories are available for purchase here.
We have a very exciting treat available now in our Etsy shop.
The reclaimed 1970s Harrods sideboard as it arrived in our workshop:
The sideboard was finished in a white lacquer which had gone a bit yellow-y in its old age.
So, Jess and I worked our nails to the bone priming, sanding and re-painting this beauty to achieve….
Click here to have a look!
I am forever trying to find ways to make the relics of my husband’s bachelorhood disappear or at least re-work them into something interesting or useful.
Exhibit A: He had 3 of these Chinese style vase-lamps from John Lewis (a matching pair in his bedroom and a larger one which we gave to his mother).


Needless to say, they don’t really fit into my design aesthetic and I was planning to post them on eBay until I found these photos (sources unknown, if anyone knows where they are from, please let me know so I can give credit).
Feeling inspired, I decided to transform my lamps back into vases. Tools at the ready.
First, I ripped the fabric base cover to reveal the wiring.
I loosened the nut, clipped the wire and pulled it through the vase. I removed the wood base and light fixture and ended up with this!
You can see that when this was originally converted from a vase to a lamp (if that’s what happened rather than being designed as a lamp meant to look like it had been converted from a vase to a lamp), the little knob on top was discarded. I used a ceramic Zara Home knob I had lying around and secured it with a nut underneath. It’s a bit awkward but will suffice until I find a better replacement.
If you are into blue and white Chinoiserie, have a look at this tiny beauty on sale in our Etsy shop!
{click the photo}
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