Ignore trends, ask for more photos and haggle: how to buy vintage like a pro

There was a time when finding the perfect vintage chair was an insider's art - something only for those with a keen eye and time to scour flea markets and halls. auction. But today there is a huge online market for vintage furniture and homewares, much of which is sold by small independents who have access to a global audience via Instagram and social media. Buying used is better for the planet; it's easier and less stressful than shopping at Ikea; and it's a more creative - and often more affordable - way to furnish our homes. We all know the environmental impact of overproduction in the fashion industry, and the lessons are the same when it comes to furniture and interiors too.

So that previous generations furnished their homes with quality wooden tables and chairs that will outlive them – Victorian pine, 20s oak, 60s teak – we have grown accustomed to MDF chests of drawers that fall apart after a few years . They're so cheap that it's easier to buy new parts than repair them, so the streets are littered with broken, poorly constructed furniture made from chemically coated composite materials.

>

But the backlash against throwaway culture is changing people's shopping habits, says Nina Hertig, founder of mid-century Scandinavian furniture showroom Aelfred, which opened the last year in London. It's only a physical store at the moment, but an Instagram store is in the works. Hertig's online store, Sigmar, is the more expensive big sister. Anyone who's moved in with a rotting piece of furniture that won't survive will buy something better next time, she says. "With this comes a change in understanding that the cost of a piece of furniture works much better over many years if you buy something that will last longer."

It's all about "thoughtful shopping," as stylist and florist Jemma Cox recently posted on her Instagram. "I was guilty of buying 'quick household items' - impulsive, fashionable purchases that are now in my loft," she wrote. She speaks to many of us.

Georgia McGivern launched The Antik Store online and on Instagram in 2019, selling second-hand homewares from floral plates to decorative items, which she sources from antiques fairs in the UK such as Ardingly, Shepton Mallet and Sunbury, as well as small rural car shoe sales. She also scours flea markets in France and is heading to Puglia in Italy in May.

At 31, McGivern is part of a generation of young online retailers for whom Instagram is the showcase. She launched her store on the platform just before the first lockdown and would sell exclusively through direct messaging. She has since created a website and launched an Etsy shop. Among the bestsellers are storage baskets, Italian fruit platters and still lifes.

According to a February report by research and design lab Space10 in copenhagen, 'slow' is becoming a driving force in the way we furnish our homes as we look for pieces that will last for generations. If we turn down the thermostat and turn off our lights, it doesn't make sense to then contribute to a fast-paced furnishing business model that encourages overconsumption. The report says nearly 50% of Britons are more likely to buy second-hand items today than five years ago, and 62% of Gen Z and Millennials say they seek out a second-hand item. used before buying a new one.