Welcome to Autumn @ Hoptroff & Lee!

What's on-trend this season?

Scroll down for the latest items of desire in the antiques and collectables market!

Candlesticks & Holders!

Candle holders of all types are still very much on-trend, with options

to suit every taste!

Traditionalists can opt for antique brass candlesticks which look stunning when paired on a mantlepiece. Single sticks can make a great decorative display when paired with the right accessories at the right heights & in the right light!!

For a captivating display, mix and match your single candlesticks or group together candleabras and adorn with soft white fairy lights for extra ambiance.

On-trend specialties this Autumn include wall-mounted brass

candle sconces!

Free-standing metal lanterns with intricate cut-out designs also add charm, casting playful shadows during autumn garden gatherings or enhancing the atmosphere on hearths at Hallowe'en.

Don't forget to explore retro candles in twisted wax designs and deep colours for a quirky effect.

Little chests
of drawers

Discover the charm of little stacks of drawers, a timeless trend that combines both style and practicality. Opt for a chest with a traditional design and rich autumnal hues to elevate seasonal home decor. These delightful organisers are perfect for storing vintage buttons, jewels, or even tea bags. Whether placed on a tabletop, dressing table or shelf, these miniature masterpieces offer both vintage beauty and functionality to any space.

STUDIO POTTERY

Take yourself all the way back to the 60s and 70s with some examples of the retro life of bygone days! Studio pottery was THE thing to have in your home...Aldo Londi, Briglin, Susie Cooper to name but a few. But the less expensive shops were filled with lower-priced lamps, animals, vases, paperweights, all manner of collectables, and these are what to look out for today!

The Louis
Philippe Mirror!

Decorate almost any room in your home with these French masterpieces: high arched, with carved top crests featuring flowers, shells & flaming torches

The true antique ones can be on the expensive side but there are many well-priced Louis-style alternatives...

go well with your candles!

Be creative with your own collectables!

Antique and vintage printers' trays are still very much the thing for displaying your favourite trinkets. But what to do with all those other little bits you have collected?

Try your hand at quirky jewellery-making. Anything goes! Mix and match beads, sea glass, toy components, mosaic tiles, old necklaces and broken earrings...the list is endless!
You can thread beads, drill shells and driftwood, glue bits together, but do get some proper elastic or cord thread for the purpose, and some jewellery "findings" (components) to do the
best job! All available online & in some local indie shops.

Autumn treats at Hoptroff & Lee!

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Autumn in the Garden

When planting and harvesting in the garden, more or less any old weathered pot or basket will act as an effective planter for autumn flowers! Some age-worn terracotta pots are a big favourite, retaining a bright orange glow among dark foliage.

Watch out for early frosts with your clay pots.

Old buckets, bowls, & crates make a great display and are ideal containers for autumn bulbs. Vintage trugs, wire & wicker baskets are a delightful way to collect fallen fruit & the last tomatoes, and to display dried grasses

and flowers.

Group baskets and pots in the garden on seats and patio tables with your gnomes and stone squirrels for the best

end-of-year display in the street!

Pets & Wildlife in the Garden

Encouraging and protecting wildlife in your garden is especially important in Autumn. Find lots of vintage bowls for water so that birds can drink and bathe. Mealworms are a great source of food for all birds and these can be scattered at ground level or placed in easy-to-reach containers. Bug hotels are a great family project, utilising vintage wooden boxes and crates and filling them with natural materials for insects to over-winter.

Vintage nature books are a great place to learn about how to care for our more common garden inhabitants. These books always have such nice illustrations helping you to identify creatures, and become more knowledgable about them.

PETS

Domestic pets can be the love of our lives but helping them to live side by side with wildlife in our gardens is a challenge. For many people, next door's cat is a no-no near their bird table, and an inquisitive dog can wreck your carefully designed bug hotel!

All animals are curious and all need to eat so we have to be a little understanding.

Site bird tables on high close to thick bushes to ensure birds can escape a predator. Set aside a small area where the last of the butterflies can settle and feed in peace. Create a hide-out, using an upturned pot or box, with a small entrance that only the tiniest of woodmice can fit through.

All you can do is your best and then hope for

the best!