Vintage-Filled Small Home Tour: Styling with Reclaimed and Repurposed pieces.
Interior Styling Blog for Real Homes: Ideas, Advice & Inspiration
Hi, I’m Sandra, this blog is about interior styling for real homes. If you love interiors and want your home to feel stylish, pulled together, yet still personal, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be sharing practical styling advice to help you edit, layer, and finish your home with confidence, alongside articles on what’s happening in the interiors world — from design events to colour stories - so you get the full picture.
I also take you on tours of beautifully styled homes from around the world, offering inspiration and styling ideas to steal for your own space. Ultimately, I’ll show you how a little bit of styling can be transformational and take your home to a whole new level.
Today’s post takes you on a tour of a small but truly unique abode, created by interior designer Helena Impett and built in place of a garage. The interior is filled with gorgeous vintage finds, salvaged materials and cleverly repurposed pieces. Read on to find out more.
Photo credit: Sandra van Aalst
In place of an old garage - swapped for the stunning vintage French shutters pictured here - The Little Gate House was created from the ground up by interior designer Helena Impett, who used a mix of vintage, reclaimed and pre-loved pieces to transform it into a truly unique abode. Her number one vintage feature is the shutters. These weren’t just decorative; they were so integral to Helena's vision that she had three sets of bi-fold doors made to match the exact size. Two sets of shutters sit alongside the living area, screening the windows that overlook her garden, giving both her guests and her own family privacy.
Helena put a huge amount of thought into the design and interior of The Little Gate House, and long before the building started, she was already sourcing special pieces to give the space that authentic feel. The trunk beneath the oars, for instance, was a thrift shop find, while the oars themselves are actually a family heirloom from Helena's great-grandfather - a world-renowned rower in his day. Rather than hanging a painting or mirror, Helena displayed the oars as wall art, adding interest and a sense of history to the space. Other special pieces include the elegant stool, which was a pre-loved treasure, reupholstered in a striped fabric, and the retro-inspired leather chair and footstool, which is the Narwana design, newly purchased from Nkuku.
Styling Takeaway
Along with vintage finds, you can also include retro-inspired pieces to add a nostalgic touch of mid-century style to your home. Check out my post on interior styling elements to elevate your home for more about introducing vintage finds to your interior.
Interior designer, Helena Impett, pictured here in the bedroom of her own project, The Little Gate House, has a clear design ethos: to create a connection between modern living and nature, where both must coexist. She brings organic elements into her interior design through materials like wood, linen, wool and jute, while embracing biophilic design - letting the outdoors in with natural light, earthy textures, and houseplants. But what really sets Helena apart is her talent for sourcing the perfect vintage or antique piece that finishes off a space in the most unique, meaningful and sustainable way.
Take this powder room in a New Forest cottage shown here, that Helena had already transformed with an exquisite wallpaper, striking green panelling and a gorgeous basin. She felt the room needed a focal point, and found it in the form of an unusual vintage mirror that fitted perfectly in between the two wall sconces and featured a bird which paired with the wallpaper design.
To unearth such pieces, Helena scours the antique and vintage markets, eBay, and online vintage stores such as 1st Dibs on the hunt for that perfect piece. From salvaged floorboards to vintage French shutters, it’s no surprise that The Little Gate House is filled with gems that bring authentic style to every corner.
OUT WITH THE OLD GARAGE AND IN WITH THE NEW LITTLE GATE HOUSE
Helena had a contact who, to her delight, was keen to take the garage off her hands. Even better, he offered to swap it for the three sets of vintage French shutters which were the exact style Helena had hoped she’d find for The Little Gate House. The garage was removed in a single piece by tractor, travelling from Helena’s property along roads, through fields and eventually to the sea where its new owner converted it into a boathouse.
LAYERED LIGHTING WITH VINTAGE AND PRE-LOVED PIECES
As an interior designer, Helena sees lighting as a crucial feature, and it’s apparent in every room in The Little Gate House. She mixes modern light fixtures with vintage pieces, including a vintage floor lamp and, handed down from her mother, the soft green glass chandelier, pictured here, suspended from the vaulted ceiling. Her approach to layered lighting ensures that illumination is at different levels throughout the room, especially important in homes with high or vaulted ceilings.
The custom-made kitchen complete with a breakfast bar is another great example of Helena’s styling, where she has also mixed old with new. The gorgeous bar stools were pre-loved, given to her by clients, while the windowpane mirror was a new purchase chosen to reflect light back into the kitchen.
Styling Takeaway
Layer your lighting - mixing wall sconces, floor lamps, hanging pendants, as well as task lights in rooms like kitchens and bathrooms, to create a well-balanced lighting scheme.
SALVAGED WOODEN FLOORS FOR THAT TIME-WORN LOOK
Keen to give the interior that authentic feel, Helena knew from the start she wanted to use timber salvaged from an old barn or period property. She eventually sourced these rough-hewn floorboards from a door and floor reclamation yard. Originally from a period property from the Georgian era, with their aged patina, this was precisely the look Helana wanted, adding a warmth, character and lived-in feel to the space that a new floor simply can’t replicate.
Styling Takeaway
Rather than opt for new flooring, explore reclamation yards for salvaged floor boards, often reclaimed from period houses, farms or old barns.
RUSTIC MEETS REFINED WITH REUPHOLSTERED PIECES
When it comes to upholstery, Helena likes to work with different textures and isn’t afraid of adding pops of colour. She’s also keen to use well-designed old furniture and reupholster it rather than let it end up in landfill. For the living area, Helena sourced a second-hand kilim on eBay and used it to upholster an old ottoman, turning it into an eye-catching focal point in the room. She’s also given a new lease of life to a worn sofa by reupholstering it in a high-quality blue linen. With a mix of fabrics in velvet and linen, the effect is chic and sophisticated. This look is all about mixing rustic with refined. The original floors are rugged and characterful, and the jute rug anchors the furniture, while allowing the rich textiles and colours to stand out.
Styling Takeaways
Look in reclamation yards, markets, vintage shops and thrift stores for old furniture you can reupholster.
Think outside the box, like Helena did, using a kilim rug as upholstery for a unique one-of-a-kind ottoman.
VINTAGE PAIRS WITH CONTEMPORARY IN THE KITCHEN
This wood and glass-fronted cabinet, pictured here, is one of Helena’s standout vintage finds. It brings something original to the contemporary style kitchen, teaming old with new beautifully. An open cabinet, like this, is perfect for displaying attractive glassware and ceramics, offering the benefits of open shelving without the dusting. What also makes this area more special are the trailing plants hanging from the mezzanine balcony above, created from an old ladder she found in the garage. It’s another vintage touch and a natural material that blends effortlessly into the scheme.
Styling Takeaways
Glass cabinets and shelves displaying glassware, chopping boards, plants, as well as other kitchen and home decor pieces, can be a more stylish alternative to long runs of solid cabinetry.
ROMANTIC COCOONING CUPBOARD BED
I have always loved a cupboard bed - I even built one in the guest room of my last house. There’s something about that cocoon-like feel that transports guests into a dreamy, cosy experience. Framed by two sets of curtains - pure linen with delicate sheers in front, Helena has styled the bed with sumptuous velvet cushions paired with crisp white linen, taking a cupboard bed to a whole new level.
Opulent touches, like the brass reading lights, perfectly complement the vintage brass rail. But what makes this space so special is the juxtaposition of materials - plush velvet contrasting against the rugged floor, delicate sheers softening the space, and metallic pieces adding sheen. The whole look is one of understated elegance.
Styling Takeaways
Mix textures, combining rough with smooth.
Add some form of metallic to each setting for a touch of luxurious sheen.
For more bedroom inspiration, check out my post on Stylish Bedroom Ideas for your Bedroom refresh.
VISTA THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS
Other details, such as a chest of drawers and an ornate mirror, are unique finds Helena included to add even more charm to the bedroom. The pendant light, as shown here, is from Pooky and plays a key role in the look, introducing print to the bedroom. Although I was surprised to find it was new, the ornate mirror, which is particularly stunning, could easily be mistaken for another vintage piece.
Styling Takeaway
Add a vintage mirror to a room and it instantly makes it charming. If you have scoured the vintage markets and stores with no luck, you can buy a new model designed to look old.
SALVAGED LADDER TO MEZZANINE SEATING AREA
With its vaulted ceiling, the design of the building allowed room for a small mezzanine above the bedroom, pictured here. With vistas over the kitchen and living room, as well as out to the terrace, it serves as a cosy reading nook, reachable by a ladder. Along with the one used above the kitchen, this ladder had also been sitting in the garage under cobwebs for years and was the perfect height to reach the mezzanine. There are two other original pieces in the bedroom that bring in character - an original window from the main house, now an internal window and architectural feature, and an old luggage holder from a railway carriage, which Helena has repurposed as a clothes rack.
Styling Takeaway
Repurposed pieces bring a sense of history to a room and really give a space a unique feel.
VINTAGE BATHROOM MIRROR FOR ADDED STYLE
So many areas in Helena’s interior feel like you are stepping back in time, like the Art Deco tiles and the traditional pedestal basin, pictured here. As a finishing touch, Helena has added a vintage mirror to the bathroom. A vintage-style mirror can work even in the most contemporary bathrooms. If you are unable to source an original, there are excellent replicas that have antique-effect glass which has been distressed to give that time-worn look.
Styling Takeaway
An attractive product bottle instantly elevates a basin, making it feel styled, not purely functional. And if you can, add a small vase with a single flower, like Helena has here, to make it look even more special.
CLASSIC BATHROOM WITH ORIGINAL CISTERN
The bathroom is no exception when it comes to using reclaimed pieces. In an outside toilet, Helena salvaged the original high-level toilet cistern and turned it into an interesting feature, pictured here, in the bathroom. To contrast with the toilet and traditional basin, she chose black and white geometric-style tiles on the floor and soft green glazed tiles in the shower.
Styling Takeaway
In a bathroom, don’t be afraid to mix traditional-style basins and toilets with modern showers and tiles.
OUTDOOR COURTYARD WITH SEATING AREA
The connection to nature is always central to Helena’s design, so it was important to include an outside space and, luckily, there was just enough room at the back of the kitchen to create one. She designed a small courtyard with timber decking as a perfect spot for friends and guests staying to have an outside space separate from her own garden. Just like indoors, Helena chose not to buy brand new furniture and, instead, she found an old wrought iron table from a vintage store and paired this with two simple outdoor wooden chairs. She brought the space to life with attractive planters filled with olive trees and other outdoor greenery.
Styling Takeaway
Vintage outdoor furniture not only brings character to your outside space, it was also made to last and has stood the test of time.
THE LITTLE GATE HOUSE EXTERIOR
From the front of the property, the new building nestles next to the main house in place of the old garage, but it extends further at the back. As it is situated in a seaside village in the South of England and close to the New Forest, Helena has many guests to stay and also lets it out as a romantic getaway. Architecturally, the new building has the same shaped roof to echo the look of the house and replicate the original garage. The building was clad with black timber and terracotta roof tiles to match the style of the house. Helena has also added exterior lights as another stylish element and to complete the overall look of the exterior.
LET’S SUM UP
I hope you enjoyed taking the tour around this small but very special space, and that it’s inspired you to repurpose pieces and include more vintage finds in your own home. To view more of Helena’s beautiful interiors, visit her website at Helena Impett Interior Design.
Other home tours you may enjoy:
Inside the Vintage-Styled Captain’s Rest by Interior Stylist Sarah Andrews
A 17th Century Manor Styled with Quintessential English Charm and a Scandi Twist
