Demand for ‘vintage touches’ continues for home and garden makeovers
Aspal Antiques at Stonham Barns Park – Suffolk’s premier leisure, retail and holiday destination in Suffolk – is preparing to stage its fourth antiques fair on 15 March to showcase antiques, collectables for the home and garden including retro, vintage and other historical items.
The Aspal Antiques Fair – which built on the success of its debut show three years ago – features a huge range of established and start up traders from the antiques sector in the region. It’s free entry to the public and attracts hundreds of buyers from across Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.
Aspal Antiques – which also operates Aspal Emporium Antiques Centre as well as Aspal Reclamations – is run by two enterprising couples Alan Knight and Henrietta Lewis, and Wendy and Alf Faulkner who have developed the business because of the resurgence of interest in antique collecting. The business has played host to Drew Pritchard from the TV Series Salvage Hunters who described Aspal Antiques as a ‘real breath of fresh air with products of undeniable quality which are highly affordable’ and the retailer has also had two visits from presenters from the Antiques Road Trip.
Says Wendy Faulkner, ‘After the success of the Aspal Antiques Fair in the Spring of last year we decided to put on another one for 2025. The atmosphere at the fairs is one of much anticipation as people buy and sell some of the finest antiques in the East of England in a spacious setting. It really is a must visit for anyone with an interest in historic and collectable pieces. Whether your interest is in militaria, furniture or statuary, there really is something for everyone.’
‘Stonham Barns Park is now well established as an antiques hub for the region and so we are confident that these fairs are good for both traders and the antique buying public. The last spring Antiques Fair was a resounding success with many traders not only selling but also making new contacts for the future.’
‘We have seen interest in everything from Bo-Ho to Victoriana and people do want quality for sustainability purposes. Reuse and recycle is becoming a new way of life. Something with history will keep its looks and outlast many of its modern counterpart home décor items. Antiques were built to last and so vintage means long lasting, and of course it comes with the flare and style that the master crafters included in their work.’
‘We look forward to welcoming traders and visitors to Stonham Barns Park for this event again this year.’
Antique pieces are often re-used or up cycled to become a new item of furniture. It might be that they are incorporated into a table or lampshade or simply painted in a new earthy or bold and vibrant colour. Antiques are hugely flexible, and items made from oak, cotton, rattan, wicker and metal, sit comfortably side by side in many homes up and down the country.
For further info on Aspal Antiques call 01449 797175 or visit www.aspalantiques.co.uk
