Jessie Cutts, winner of Best Vintage Finds in House Beautiful's Real Style Awards 2026, has a knack for spotting vintage pieces that will make a room sing. It's precisely why we're following artist Jessie (author of Free-Form Quilts + Patchwork, out on 14th May) as she restores her Georgian terrace house in Kent, filling it with secondhand treasures.
What's your decorating style in three words?
Collected, personal and warm
What's the best lesson you've learnt about buying vintage?
Any time you need to buy something for home (or yourself!), you can almost always buy it secondhand. This applies to kettles, toasters, wood, fabric, plates.... whatever. There is so much already out there in the world, so both environmentally and economically it makes sense. And of course, aesthetically, vintage brings so much more character and warmth to your space.
What advice can you share about buying vintage?
Keep going and cast the net wide. Find your local places and visit regularly. And if looking online, also keep going back and trying different search terms.
What is the biggest challenge about shopping secondhand?
Even buying larger items online when they're located far away can be solved. Finding an independent courier whom we trust has been great, especially as we're renovating our kitchen and bought a few larger, freestanding things on Facebook Marketplace and Ebay. Even with the cost of the courier, they were still cheaper (and infinitely better) than new.
Have you had any vintage buying disasters?
We bought the wrong fuel type of cooker, not once but twice, and it was pretty annoying getting them back to the sellers, but we did. It still didn't stop us buying a third (correct!) one secondhand – for about a quarter of the price it would be new.
What stage of decorating do you dread? Which makes you do a happy dance?
Plastering is the worst stage, especially as we are renovating while living in the house. There is so much dust and it gets everywhere. And the part that makes me happiest is getting the paint on the woodwork as that means we are almost done.
What's one type of item that's almost always better secondhand – and why?
Pretty much all furniture, especially anything made from wood. Older pieces are made from much better quality materials, using generally better building techniques. Unless you have the money to employ a master carpenter to make something bespoke, you are better off buying secondhand. Most new furniture is made cheaply and not designed to last.
How do you avoid overpaying for vintage pieces?
Keep looking! If you compare your vintage piece to buying the same thing new, you'll never feel you have overpaid.
What does 'home' mean to you?
Home is the place I want to feel comfortable and happy, where my family feels the same and visitors feel welcomed and at ease. We have a lot of what some might see as decorative or precious things, but it's never too manicured or tight. The house is often in some state of renovation chaos or change, so there is usually a small pile of tools or half-built something dotted about, but there are also parts that are pleasing and calm.
