To celebrate to launch of Custodian Antiques' new collection of vintage furniture upholstered in Haines fabric, we sat down with Founders Rachel and Tom and talked about the beginnings of their brand, their most unique finds, and their favourite place to source vintage and antique homewares.
Rachel and Tom from Custodian Antiques
Tell us more about Custodian, where did it begin, and what was the
inspiration/motivation behind starting the brand?
The idea for Custodian started just over six years ago when we were furnishing our first home. We would spend our weekends visiting antique fairs and flea markets to look for pieces for our new house, and we loved the thrill of not knowing what we would find. When our house was furnished, we still found ourselves shopping for antiques, so we decided to create an Instagram page and online store where we could share all of our finds.
You mention that you furnished your first home together with antique pieces you
sourced from Flea markets and antiques fairs - what was your most memorable purchase and why?
We have a few favourite pieces that we still have now. One of them is an Art Deco cabinet that we have in our dining room, which is where we store our vintage crockery collection. We also love the Georgian desk in our office. It has such an elegant silhouette, and we know we will have it for many years to come, as it’s such a versatile piece.
What’s your personal favourite style of furniture? Is there a specific period you look out for when sourcing?
We are not necessarily dictated by era when we source pieces for the shop. Instead, we tend to choose pieces that are interesting in design and well-crafted, meaning our collection spans from as early as the 1600s and as late as the 1900s. At the moment, we are particularly enjoying sourcing pieces from the early 1700s, so the Queen Anne and George I era. We will also always have a soft spot for refined pieces from the Regency and early Victorian eras.
(If you don’t mind sharing!) Where is your favourite place/fair/market you like to source from and what are your 3 top tips for secondhand furniture sourcing?
Our favourite fair has to be Sunbury Antiques Market at Kempton racecourse, as the organisers and dealers are brilliant. Our top tips for sourcing are to check the item thoroughly, double-check measurements and act quickly if you think it’s the right piece. There is nothing worse than missing out, as you never know when you might find something else that you love as much.
What’s your advice to people who want to start sourcing pieces for their home with
antique finds?
Be open to mixing different eras, wood types and styles. It’s a common misconception that
everything in a room needs to match, but the most characterful homes are those that feel
collected over time. We love it when older pieces are mixed with more contemporary pieces, as it adds an interesting juxtaposition to a room. Trust your eye and choose what you love.
What’s the most obscure item you’ve found at a flea market/antiques fair?
We recently came across a very unusual brass table lamp in the shape of a seahorse that we purchased for our store. It immediately caught our eye as we’d never come across anything like it before. It had such lovely detailing and patina, and we could tell a lot of work had gone into crafting it. After some research, we discovered it’s likely a mid-century French design. We love finds like that as they are a little unexpected and different.
To shop the new collection, head to the Custodian Antiques website!
