The Vintage Store St Ives

If you saw Friday's post, you'll know I was St Ives, Cornwall, for the weekend. 

I've been going there since I was tiny, as my grandma lives still there and my great grandmother grew up there (some cousins also used to run Hart's Ice Cream parlour, on the harbour, which looked like this – visiting the factory as a kid with one of them was possibly the most exciting moment of my entire childhood. I can still smell the intoxicating vanilla-y Cornish cream vats). But I digress. St Ives is a spectacularly beautiful part of the UK and although there are the obvious downsides of the place being gentrified and rammed with tourists year-round, the town's reinvention is a great improvement on the rather dismal seaside town of the 1980s, when there were about three, not very good, places to eat and only the tacky amusement arcade to play in when it was raining. And this weekend was the first time I'd seen this new shop, The Vintage Store St Ives...

That Depeche Mode poster, £265 (framed – I think) looks fantastic. I love how the 1980s are creeping into fashion again (minus the dodgier elements – you can keep your black leather sofas and red/blue/yellow/monochrome mix duvet covers). You could also try 55 Max, which sells a range of originals in a similar price bracket: I love this King Tubby one.

This gorgeous Ercol love seat is £650. Nest do some interesting variations – unusual paint effects and different colours as well as original plain wooden ones. They are out of my current price range at £665-700. But they are worth a look for inspiration and general awe.  Even eBay isn't giving them up for under £600, but it is a beautifully compact and unique design and a classic that won't lose value.

The 1983 Max Bill lithographic print costs £160, framed.

Solid granite characterises the architecture of much of this part of Cornwall (and the town has strict building restrictions to protect the uniformity of the buildings, including a rule banning anyone from deviating from traditional grey slate roofs – which makes the place ridiculously pretty). And, here, the stone looks just as good raw on the inside. If you fancy faking the effect, check out Dreamwalls.


Loved the excellent bathroom door sign. And a big bathroom clock is an unusual touch that really works, especially with the gentle railway theme.

What a satisfying alcove – a great idea to turn it into a little seat as well as shelving, rather than – more obviously – just the latter. A little clamp-on lamp attached to one shelf and an extra cushion and you'd get the perfect cosy evening reading nook.

Old exhibition promo posters like this lovely 1988 Joan Brossa one look best and most authentic framed without a border or a mount – as they would have been displayed at the time they were in use. There are lots of places to find original posters of this ilk, if you have £100+ to spend. Otherwise, eBay is worth a punt for the odd bargain. There's currently a good 1978 Miro poster for under £40. With a little sifting, you might also find some affordable gems here, too.

Oh Lloyd Cole. How nice to see you. And what excellent use of album covers as decor. A super cheap idea to copy if you are still in possession of some retro vinyl.

We nearly snapped up the print shown here, which is not listed on the shop's website but is for sale for £45.

He has a great collection of industrial clocks for sale, which you can see better in the very top image. London Timepiece, which I discovered at last year's Tent, part of the London Design Festival, is a rich source of similar styles – very well priced, too.

The fantastic beer advertisingsign/light is not listed on the website – so contact the shop if you are interested. The spectacular view of St Ives harbour is free.