Back to articles
THE DIGEST
One of One: Four Designers Reimagine Vintage Furniture for Second Hand September
For Second Hand September, we invited four creative voices to reinterpret vintage furniture from Vinterior. The result is One of One, a capsule collection of one-of-a-kind pieces where craftsmanship, imagination and history meet.
Vintage furniture carries a certain quiet romance. The softened edge of oak, the glow of walnut burnished by decades of use, the sense that an object has already lived a life before it reaches yours.
For Second Hand September, we wanted to explore that story from a new angle. Instead of simply celebrating vintage furniture as it is, we asked a group of designers and artists to imagine what it could become.
So we invited TOAST, Drake's, Madeleine Kemsley and Tess Newall to each choose a piece from the Vinterior marketplace and reinterpret it through their own creative language. No strict brief, no stylistic constraints. Just one vintage object and the freedom to respond to it.
The result is One of One, a capsule collection of four reimagined vintage furniture pieces that sit somewhere between furniture and artwork. Familiar forms remain intact, but each now carries the unmistakable imprint of the designer who transformed it.
TOAST began with a Swedish solid oak armchair by Bröderna Andersson, drawn to its calm proportions and honest craftsmanship. The chair’s clean lines and organic form offered a quietly confident starting point.
Rather than altering the structure, the transformation arrived through textile. Working with artist Hannah Rafeat, the seat was reimagined using a boro inspired fabric created from waste indigo generated during TOAST’s garment production. Pieces of cloth were layered and stitched together using traditional Japanese patchworking and sashiko techniques, creating a surface rich in texture and history.
“Boro, meaning ‘tattered rags’ in Japanese, is a craft of mending and reusing to give materials new life, it mirrors the spirit of vintage, recycling, reimagining, and preserving resources. We felt it was apt to bring these two cultural influences together in a piece that feels both modern and contemporary.”
Judith Harris, Head of Home at TOAST
Drake’s took a different approach, leaning into colour and character. Their starting point was an antique walnut and cane window seat, chosen for the warmth of its patina and the craftsmanship of its frame.
The intervention came in the form of a new cushion upholstered in a sunset red and off white awning stripe, woven in Huddersfield. The crisp stripe lifts the richness of the walnut, bringing a playful contrast that feels unmistakably Drake’s.
“I’ve always loved collecting objects from my travels, vintage pieces carry that same energy. Made with skill and intention, they hold the soul of something that’s lasted, with patina, stories, and the imprint of use.”
Junyin Gibson, Head of Brand Creative at Drakes
For illustrator and textile artist Madeleine Kemsley, the appeal lay in the familiar silhouette of an Ercol Windsor armchair, a classic piece of mid century British furniture known for its curved back and slender spindles.
Kemsley turned the seat into a canvas. Across the cushion she embroidered a tranquil scene of koi fish, crane like birds and delicate plants. The work took twelve days to complete, beginning with sketches and templates before the final design was stitched by hand.
“Working on a larger scale was a puzzle I loved, Balancing proportion and symmetry on stretched fabric. After sketching, refining, and testing templates for the koi, birds and plants, I transferred the design to fabric and embroidered it over 12 days, creating a piece that kept its classic charm with an unexpected twist. ”
Madeleine Kemsley, Textile Artist
Decorative artist Tess Newall was drawn to a very different starting point: a 19th century pine cupboard with a carved pediment, columned sides and bun feet. Architectural and slightly theatrical, it offered the perfect foundation for her decorative style.
Looking to 18th century Swedish armoires for inspiration, Newall introduced a hand painted dotted border that frames the cupboard’s structure. The palette draws from the blue and white kitchen at Tureholm Castle and the shifting tones of antique Delft tiles, a motif that often appears in her work.
“I'm drawn to its versatility. It could store pantry staples, crockery or linens, and would sit just as beautifully in a bedroom as in a kitchen or drawing room. I’d use the glazed section to display decorative plates or fabrics.”
Tess Newall, Artist
Together, the four pieces reveal something compelling about reimagined vintage furniture. Its value lies not only in preservation, but in possibility. With imagination and craft, a piece that has already lasted decades can begin an entirely new chapter. Which, perhaps, is the beauty of vintage. No two pieces share the same story. And sometimes the most interesting part is what happens next.
Feeling inspired?
This collection has now sold out but you can explore our new arrivals here
