A Victorian Vision

There's a magical, story-book feel to this 19th-century manor in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where much-loved antique and vintage collections and a sensitive restoration have brought it back to life

- AMANDER MEADE

A collector from childhood, Julie French is irresistibly drawn to anything she finds curious or beautiful.

Her hunting grounds include favourite antiques shops, physical and online auctions, car-boot sales and even skips (with permission).

'I've no idea where my collecting bug came from originally, but I remember enjoying car-boot sales with my family as a child. I loved seeking out things I knew I wouldn't find in shops,' she says. As an adult, I began collecting tableware mostly Art Deco or Victorian - but never had the room to display it properly.' Moving to this Victorian manor house in the Lincolnshire Wolds over 10 years ago with her partner, Martyn Hill, meant that Julie finally had the space to display and use her collection of antique and vintage pieces - and her items come into their own in the kitchen and dining room.

'I buy completely from the heart, disregarding chips or cracks, and am never too precious about my pieces.

I like them to be used and enjoyed, and welcome the mismatched look for dinner parties, rotating pieces all year round,' she says.