About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Embracing a long-standing love for vintage style, I transformed my first flat’s lack of a kitchen into an opportunity for creativity. Discovering a charming 1950s pantry unit and a matching cupboard for sale online, I found the perfect storage solution for a small space to balance my portable hob.
What began as a practical solution quickly turned into a passion, as I fell in love with the beauty of old treasures like my little kitchen, once cherished by an elderly lady from Croydon and now continuing to serve a purpose 60 years later in Hertfordshire.
Many years and addresses on, I have amassed a large and eclectic mixture of mid-century furniture, making my home, whether you love it or hate it, inarguably unique - where each piece tells a story.
Snap shots of a home-style evolution
60s Bungalow Master Bedroom
In our master bedroom, the eclectic side of my vintage style really comes out to play, all wrapped in calming shades of blue and green. The space is anchored by classic G Plan pieces, teamed with an old chest of drawers I found in a vintage emporium years ago and still absolutely love. On the bed, layered textiles add softness and character: most of the cushions are homemade from vintage fabric finds, and the throw was discovered online as a limited‑edition piece by a textiles and print artist. Around the room I’ve added the smaller details that make it feel personal – thrifted ceramics, little knick‑knacks collected on past travels and an onyx lamp inherited from my husband’s aunt, which adds a soft, moody glow at night. On the walls, music‑inspired art celebrates the soundtrack of my life – from Talking Heads, Elvis and Bowie through to my all‑time favourite band, Aerosmith. It’s a bedroom that feels lived‑in, loved and a little bit rock ’n’ roll, with every piece telling its own part of the story against a tranquil blue‑and‑green backdrop.
60s Bungalow Living room
Step inside my living room – the place where my love of vintage and retro design really comes to life, and the inspiration behind Retro Potential.
Here, vintage isn’t a trend – it’s how I live. My living room is a love letter to mid‑century style and retro finds, many of which inspire the pieces I share and source for others.
The working radiogram is the heart of the room, filling it with crackly favourites and setting the mood. In the corner, an illuminated cocktail buffet casts a warm, nostalgic glow that makes every evening feel like a little occasion.
I sink into my G Plan armchair with its matching footstool after a day of treasure‑hunting, surrounded by details only fellow vintage lovers truly appreciate: a vintage display cabinet reborn as a home bar, styled like a scene from an old movie, and a humble étagère that I literally saved from a skip. Painted bold red, it now proudly shows off a growing collection of thrifted vintage ceramics.
On the walls, art inspired by music legends – David Bowie, Queen, The Clash and more – ties everything together and reflects the soundtrack behind my style.
If you’re drawn to pieces with patina, personality and a story to tell, you’re in the right place. This is the vibe I live with every day, and the spirit behind everything I share through Retro Potential.
Bungalow - Early Living Room
Not long finished yet another refurb, this was our living room once the dust had been swept away and the steel beams finally in place - that GORGEOUS vintage French dresser, red in this picture, has had many facelifts since I first commandeered her...
Bungalow - Snug No.1
Experimenting with dark walls and indulging a love of Bowie - this was the first room completed in the bungalow so an ex-display comfy sofa and a selection of vintage prints for cushions was something worth celebrating!
Bungalow - Snug 2
This room has been used as a living room, a bedroom, a spare room, a storage room, an office and now, a snug / music room. Having been painted a multitude of colours in the four years we've lived here, I am currently channeling khaki green and olive shades at the moment, but this is liable to change any time soon!
House no. 1 Living room
This sofa survived all sorts of building site strife to make it into our first house living room with s peachy-pink music theme
House no. 1 kitchen
After a long and arduous refurb, chair upholstering and a stripped kitchen splay-leg table keeping me busy during Lock-Down summer 2020
House 1 - Final bathroom
Post extension and the bathroom was moved into the little upstairs addition with vaulted ceiling and yellow theme. Cast iron wall baskets for the sink, a yellow cupboard my dad made many years before with vintage knobs, a view of Elvis whilst on the throne and wash your hands in soap housed in an old gin container. Loved this room.
House 1 - Early bathroom
Pre-extension, the bathroom was wedged into a little room upstairs in this two up-two down semi in the centre of town. Though the resolution o this picture isn't great, you can clearly see I was going through a lilac phase!
Flat 3 bathroom
Soe 50's style cowboy inspired decor - and spot our old friend in a re-purposed kitchen-now-bathroom unit (Bakelites too!)
Flat no. 3
An exploration of tropical prints and a skint girl's take on 1950s Palm Springs!
Flat no. 2
Vintage kitchen units and original Bakelite handles that have come with me every move - where the sick unit was integral to the flat and got left behind, the yellow pieces have followed me everywhere. You might spot the cabinet on the left repurposed elsewhere...