Exercising my magpie eye

I love treasure hunting, using my magpie eye to complete a room with the perfect picture or piece of furniture that I know will be just right and will give us a lead for other items in the room - it gives me the same frisson every time.

I spied this fantastic octagonal oak dining table by Robert "Mouseman" Thompson in a London dealer's showroom. Can you spot the little mouse on the base? I took our clients to see it and it was love at first sight for them too. It works well with the dining chairs that they already had. Here the table is set with antique candle sticks and coloured glass that has been handed down through the family. I found the unusual wall lights at Retrouvius in Harrow Road and again, no arm twisting required, as I was fully aligned with our clients about the atmosphere they wanted to create.

If you like a room that feels like it has evolved naturally over time, then a key ingredient is finding antique and vintage items to sit alongside existing things and any new additions. Combining 'the new' with 'the found' results in a more relaxed and layered look which feels like home (as opposed to 'a show home' which can be the result when everything is brand new.) 

So mix things up and buy what you love.