Retro Luxe

Julia and Paul’s home gives vintage a new twist, mixed with rock ’n’ roll photography, iconic movie poster prints and quirky collectables.

- Jo Leevers

I’m drawn to objects that tell a story,’ says Julia Thompson. And true to her word, she has plenty of tales about the vintage finds dotted around her family home. There’s a great story of how she haggled over a pair of orange Seventies swivel chairs in the blazing heat of Provence. And then there’s the one about rummaging her way around Amsterdam’s flea markets in search of her favourite amber glassware. With Julia, even the more contemporary pieces come with a backstory, such as the portraits of Jarvis Cocker that remind her of her Nineties partying days. Or the risqué Ellen von Unwerth print in the master bedroom. ‘It was the first piece of art Paul and I bought together,’ she says. ‘Not every woman would fancy that over her bed, but I love it.’

Julia has always had an eye for the uncommon beauty of vintage pieces and the home she shares with her husband Paul and their son Frank brings out the glamorous side of all things aged. ‘Some people assume that vintage style equals fusty and dusty and I get that nobody wants to live in a granny house,’ she says. ‘But who wouldn’t want to live in a home that feels individual?’

For Julia, creating a look that’s fresh – and 100 per cent granny-free – is all about how she puts old and new pieces together. ‘The beauty of using vintage items is that it stirs you into being creative, as you’ve got to give them a different character,’ she says. ‘You have to add your own twist.’