Treasure Seekers

Michelle and Brett Farmer have filled an elegant apartment on the outskirts of Bath with their most cherished collections - acquired over a lifetime, from all corners of the world

- CLAIR WAYΜΑΝ

From a very young age, Michelle Farmer can remember being enthralled by her family’s many collections acquired during their voyages around the globe.

‘Travelling is in my blood: my parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have all travelled and brought back fascinating artefacts from tropical climes,’ she says. ‘I always seek out interesting, unusual, historical finds so that I can learn about the culture of a country. I love getting to know the local people, going to their homes and listening to their stories. This is something I’ve done since the early 1980s, when certain places were only just opening up to tourism.’

Michelle was introduced to Art Deco by her father, who worked on ocean liners The Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. ‘When I was eight or nine years old, I went on the big liners, which were beautiful examples of Art Deco design. These places were like nothing you could see on land at the time. It was a magical world,’ she says.

Together with her husband Brett, a former merchant navy captain, Michelle has renovated an impressive 22 properties over the years. Two years ago, with further plans to travel, the couple moved to a low-maintenance Grade II-listed apartment in a beautiful Victorian villa, built in 1864, on the outskirts of Bath.