Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler

From its beginnings in the 1930s, the renowned decorating firm Colefax and Fowler has always sold antiques (typically, in the early days, pretty Regency chairs and painted furniture). Although the company has since expanded hugely and is perhaps now best known for the fabrics and wall papers it sells internationally, its decorating and antiques business continues to flourish at Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler in London. The stock is large and constantly changing and as varied as the clientele: everything from large cabinet pieces to small items of china, including pictures, mirrors and lamps. The emphasis remains decorative: pieces that are unusual, pretty and different, whether they are painted, lacquer or in polished wood.