This Blogger’s Eye for Vintage Finds is Anything But Shabby

By Marni Elyse Katz
January 20, 2012

Pretty Shabby Sairer, the British blogger behind Pretty Shabby, estimates that 90 percent of her family's home is furnished with eBay finds, including the dress form in her bedroom that we featured in a trend story about mannequins last month. Then there’s the new but old looking crochet blanket handmade by an eBay seller called 'fishoseven,' the secondhand Cath Kidston bedding and the set of four framed vintage Redoute prints.

Sairer, who lives with her husband and two teenage sons in a charming English village, says, “Funnily enough, just about everything in the photo of our bedroom is from eBay!” And there’s more outside the bedroom: the clock on the mantle came from eBay and a glass wall light is from French eBay.

Sairer buys online because it’s faster and less expensive than sifting through items in increasingly pricey thrift shops and antique markets. As for her methodology, she says, “I keep a list of items I'm searching for and set searches for them so I get emailed daily if one turns up. I recently found a 1960s tin chicken sign from the USA on eBay for £11 [about US $17]. Obviously, I had to pay international postage, but Pedlars [a British homewares shop that sells new and vintage goods] wanted £95 [about US $147] for the exact same vintage sign!”

Pretty Shabby

Sairer provided snapshots of her home, complete with eBay finds. Pictured, clockwise from top left: a vintage souvenir tablecloth on the dining room table, the bedroom with bedding and framed prints purchased on eBay, a 1955 Avery scale and the kitchen.

We chatted with this very vintage blogger for an eye into her style, background, and collection habits.

The Inside Source: Given the name of your blog, are we correct in thinking you consider Rachel Ashwell a design goddess?

Sairer: Ahhh, as much as I admire, Rachel Ashwell, the 'shabby chic' queen, I'm a Cath Kidston fan and have been for donkeys’ years. It’s the mix of the everyday, quirky 1950s, cruffy, pretty, and old that I like—hence the blog name!

Pretty Shabby

A tin sign (top) and nesting dolls (bottom) Sairer purchased on eBay.

The Inside Source: You used to be a window dresser; that sounds really fun. What department store did you work for? What display did you have the most fun designing?

Sairer: I used to work for a chain called Beatties, which has since been bought by the House of Fraser empire. I was half of a team of two and we won a few awards in our time for department displays and window competitions. Without a doubt, the Christmas Grottos were the best. Peter Pan, a fairy castle, and Alice in Wonderland were some of the creations we came up with, painting, making, and sourcing props from huge warehouses crammed to the ceiling with all sorts of everything. Fabulous fun.

The leather chairs in the lounge in Sairer's house came from eBay. "A hotel that was refurbishing sold off the chairs in pairs," she says. "I got to for under US $500. The floral vintage fabric was also from eBay; I made several cushions from it."

The Inside Source: It sounds like you changed your life to become a country gal. What do you do to keep your creative juices flowing these days?

Sairer: We live in a small town at the bottom of a large range of hills called The Malverns. The hills inspired the composer Elgar, so a walk along the ridge and its breathtaking views is enough to inspire anyone! I visit open gardens when I can and that inspires me with my gardening. I always carry a notebook with me to doodle in or jot down ideas. I'm really inspired by Flickr and Pinterest. I often see things on there and then hunt for something similar on eBay. Certain shops inspire me too, like Philadelphia-based Three Potato Four (I'm awaiting the arrival of one of their large wooden 'library' signs at the moment) and Pedlars in the UK.

Pretty Shabby

This is 'Florence,' the vintage caravan (trailer) that Sairer won on eBay for a mere £132. When she realized she couldn't keep it, Sairer put it straight back on eBay and sold it for £500.

The Inside Source: What kinds of things do you collect?

Sairer: I collect anything that catches my eye, really. At the moment I have a thing for birds, so swallows seem to be everywhere in our house. I like tacky ‘50s souvenirs from British holiday camps. I met my husband in Skegness (a British seaside town), whilst swimming in the North Sea at midnight dressed in a 1950s swimsuit, so if I see anything from 'Skeggy,' as it's affectionately known, like a tablecloth or tin, I have to buy it. Then there are the feather eiderdowns and vintage fabrics, and swimsuits from the ‘40s and ‘50s. I could go on and on!

The Inside Source: Tell us about your best eBay find.

Sairer: It was a painted wooden Edwardian clothes airer I got for 99p (about US $1.55). I'd been after one for ages and couldn't believe my luck when I won. Then there was a 1969 vintage caravan I got for £132 (about US $104.50). It was gorgeous. I had big plans for her, but unfortunately I couldn't keep her so I sold her again on eBay and made a nice profit.

left: a vintage '50s swimsuit Sairer purchased on eBay.

The Inside Source: Since you are a true vintage lover, can you offer any tips on incorporating vintage pieces into the decor? Any do’s or don'ts?

Sairer: I am a true vintage lover, but I'm not averse to a bit of repro if it's practical or more likely, cost effective. Buy what you love and enjoy it. You can always add a touch of the latest fad to your decor without being a slave to it. I recently bought a trendy little pointy-legged stool from eBay and it fits in great with my mishmash of old and new styles. My son's room is quite modern at the moment—all grey and white— but there’s a bit of retro Orla Kiely and a ‘70s style plastic lampshade. I don't think he realizes that he sleeps in an original Victorian bed, though!

The Inside Source: Are you currently on the lookout for specific items?

Sairer: I would love a huge colorful fairground sign. Vintage graphics are a passion of mine.

Sairer shops (again) on eBay:

Vintage 1967 Souvenir Tablecloth

“I seem to hoard these tablecloths; I love them. I use them on the table in my summer house and on my dining table over a spotty cloth for a splash of nostalgic colour. This one is particularly unusual, featuring the now retired QE2, the Queen's favorite ship.”
Hand Knitted Fair Isle Merino Wool Beret

“I've already bought one of these berets from this seller. They’re beautifully handmade in lovely colors! I live in berets in the winter, and I just love Fair Isle patterns.”
Antique Steel Industrial Lockers

“I adore industrial style furniture. It works with so many other styles, adding a touch of quirkiness. I would love this for my eldest son's room.”
Genny Brand Stockings Display Leg

(buy it now price, $20.29)

“It’s the window dresser in me that's drawn to quirky items like this, a 1950's stocking display leg! How cool would this look in your boudoir! A real talking point, too.”
Cath Kidston Britannia Carry All Bag

“I already have far too many bags, but I do like this rarer one with its British landmarks!”
Vintage Walls Ice Cream Tin Sign

“I'd like something similar to this to go with the sign collection attached to the garage of our summer house. They really brighten up the wall.”
George Smith Mohair Velvet Sofa

“'The most comfortable sofa in the world,' the subtitle tells me. Oh how I long to be able to afford a squishy velvety sofa by Mr. Smith. eBay, it seems, would be my best bet.”