David Gandy

Antiques Anonymous

Readers, I have a "problem" and I think it's better if I come clean to you all on VOGUE.COM before it's too late and it seriously gets out of hand. So, here goes...

My name is David Gandy, and I am addicted to...antiques and interiors.

To explain how bad this addiction has got, I think it may have overtaken my obsession with cars and, if you've been reading this blog and GQ.com, you might realise what a problem this is.

On a serious note, I do adore design and I'm not alone - many photographers, designers and stylists I work with have huge interests outside of fashion. Their eye for detail, composition, and colour/structure makes an easy transition over to interiors. Ralph Lauren, for example, says he takes design ideas such as shapes and materials etc from his astonishing car collection, to his fashion designs.

When I say antiques, I really mean vintage. I cannot pretend I have much knowledge or interest in, for example, Art Deco or Louis XVI periods. I much prefer taking vintage objects and changing their original use into something more useful in today's world. I often help my friends and family with their houses now, as when I ask what they want a regular response is "we want it to look just like yours". Very flattering! The obsessive side comes from constantly being on vintage furniture and antique dealer websites and, of course, at antique fairs when I have a spare minute and, with the internet, it is something I can pursue whilst I am travelling.

This week I thought I would do something very different and post some photos of pieces that I really like and have added my own personal touch to. (Image at the opening of blog) 1. The industrial trolley is made from reclaimed wood and metal. Now used as a shoe rack and bookshelf. 2. The industrial clamp light is actually a re-creation of a vintage piece. 3. My leather chair is original, the cushions are re-upholstered. 4 I found the ladder in a skip and I asked the owner if I could have it. She looked at me as if I was mad. I stripped and cleaned it, then sanded it and stained it dark brown, polished up the metal hooks and it is now used to hang bags, coats and umbrellas. 5. I have many old leather suitcases. I found these in Suffolk.

  1. 1

    The breakfast bar is probably one of my favorite pieces. It's an original French carpenter's console. The draws still have the screws, nails etc fixed to each one to remind the carpenter where everything was. The top was in bad shape, so I had it finished with a metal top. 2. The chairs are easily made bespoke from new using an old brown leather. 3. The little drinks cabinet is an old workman's tool box I found in Notting Hill for £10. 4. The lamp in the corner is an old medical lamp that again I got for £10, this time from Sunbury Antiques Fair.
  1. 1

    This clock is from the late 1800s. It's a Brille French factory clock. I had it wired and lights added behind the glass. 2. The old skis and poles were from an antiques fair. They were in a terrible state, but again I sanded them and the metal bindings.
  1. 1

    This is an old box which has something to do with the old grain industry. I never really found out what it is (would love to know if anybody has ideas). It now performs the important role of holding my latest car magazines.
  1. 1

    Old tea chest that I took from an old skip (what I had to take out of the tea chest I would rather not say and try to forget), but now it can be used as a side table. 2. To give the chest a top, it's actually a picture frame. I've used this technique a few times, the frame is holding a favourite photo from Uganda when I went gorilla trekking.) 3. The old vintage America toy jeep, I actually found in my parent's loft (not sure they've noticed it's gone, so let's hope they don't read the blog this week). It's now used to hold remote controls. 4. The large lamp in the background was originally an old photographer's tripod. I had it wired and made with a light bulb fitting to be used as a lamp. 5. Old industrial metal hinged lamp. 6. The picture frames were from eBay. Again, I had to really clean them up and the pictures are original racing pics from Notting Hill.
  1. 1

    I found this old trolley on Lillie Rd in Fulham. It was very cheap and still needs more work, but now it's used as a footstool.


Vogue Recommends


Hailey Bieber Returns Home

Beauty Secrets

Camille Rowe’s Guide to Effortless French Girl Beauty


Jourdan Dunn Reveals the Secret Behind Her Model Glow