2019 House Tours ... A look back at all the Fabulous Retro Homes.

Well, here we are at the end of another decade, as someone pointed out to me the other day. Here was I thinking it's goodbye to just another year, but hey, turns out it's a whole decade! ... I know, where does the time go?!? ...  And that means that Inkabilly will turn 10 in 2020! I can't quite believe it ... we've been through some quite big changes along the way and it's been fun, scary, frustrating, exhausting and thrilling, and sometimes all these things all at once! ... but I am so glad this is what we do and I am looking forward to what the next year (or ten) will bring.

I started The Inkabilly Blog (in it's current form) in May 2019 and since then we have gained a lot of new followers ( and been nominated for a Vintage blog award - woohoo!) ... So I thought it might be a good idea to have a look back at all the fabulous homes we have featured in 2019 from countries all over the world, and then if you missed any, you can go catch up on some gorgeous retro decor.

 We kicked off in May 2019 with an absolutely stunning Mid Century Palm Springs Condo. Built in 1957, full of original features and lovingly restored ...

Next up was Polly's Vintage Treasure Trove in the UK, a fabulous mix of 50s and 70s vintage decor ...

Then we 'travelled' to Norway to find Ingrid's Colourful Home and her wonderfully dynamic eclectic style full of bright colours ...

We stayed with bright colours and added in a fantastic mix of exuberant vintage prints, patterns and textures in a double location special belonging to Anna-Karin in Sweden. 

July saw us zooming back over to the States to find pure Mid Century goodness with  Vintage Revival Art Co and Jason's Ultimate Mid Century Getaway. Full of the best before and after shots of a series of amazing restoration projects.

Back to Europe next for Melanie's Eclectic Bohemian Inspired Apartment, full of thrifted finds and DIY restorations in Finland.

Back to the UK again (our home town of Bristol), and a vintage home with a keen sense of Humour. Hazel's collections of vintage, kitsch and handmade wonderments tell a story of a life lived unapologetically in awe of colour, with a passion for collecting ...

 In September we had a double bill from the wonderful ladies who run Instagram's #theretroroulette hashtag. We visited Harmony first and her Old Happy Home full of vintage collections and stories ...

Then we 'popped down the road' in Chicago to visit Harmony's co-host Vanessa and her Retro Rainbow Chic Home. Her love for colour and Christmas cannot be ignored! We also found out more about the retro community both ladies have created on Instagram and how it forged a fabulous friendship outside of the world of the internet ...

We were back in the UK again for The Pineapple Retro & Sophie's Colourful Home  A stunning vibrant home, and a love of happy orange and stories of vintage collecting and selling ....

Our last singular house tour belonged to 1970s mega fan Laura and her 70s Time Capsule Home. Every corner and surface is filled with original 70s pieces and her whole apartment is a riotous, joyful dedication to a fabulous decade!

And blimey, what a collection! ... looking back at all these wonderful homes and seeing the photos all in one place has reinforced just how much I have enjoyed writing the blog this year. I feel privileged to have been allowed to share these amazing spaces, not only the stunning decor, but also the thoughts and philosophies behind how people choose to live their lives ... living a retro life is about so much more than just the decor (even if it is fabulous, darling).  I have also met some really, really lovely people, whom I would like to thank once more for collaborating with me.

 Looking forward to 2020, I will be seeking out more gorgeous people and their fabulous homes ... plus more makers and restorers (Yes, we did feature some of those too - Kila Design, Pulp Paper Heaven and Copper Knobs). Plus I might even get round to writing some more posts on *design history if I can tear myself away from Instagram long enough ... 

I will be taking a tiny break at the beginning of January, and will be returning with my next post on 23rd January.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

*Here's a list of my design history posts if you fancy a read:

The Tiki Connection, The Atomic Era, Bauhaus & Mid Century Modern Design, Geometric Obsessions - Scandinavian Modern and Art Deco meeting in the Mid Century

Feeling inspired? ... Browse our retro homewares in The Inkabilly Emporium