This is a piece I wrote a while ago but I wanted to make it free to read again because most of you won’t have seen it, and a couple of people recently told me - to my surprise - that it was their favourite thing I’d written on Substack.
fantastic. the flavour of the cat one is a favourite but the "this wasnt her house " line is absolutely exquisite. i imagine your deservedly self satisfied face when you wrote that beauty.
This triggered the thought that another claim to fame 😂😂😂 I can make is that of an ex-Habitat employee (Brighton). At that time a coveted position! It was a Saturday sales job that helped pay student (architecture & design) rent in Windsor Street.
I spend many happy hours on the shop floor dreaming and displaying the myriad of beautiful things that Habitat offered, always infuriated when customers insisted on picking exactly one of the items in my displays. During one such friendly point of sale discussion, the manager who was close by, informed me that he loved my inspired displays but did not think I would have a successful career in retail. Luckily he had a great sense of humour. And, to have received this career advice at the tender age of 19 was, for me, invaluable. I went on to design, build and display many beautiful houses, gardens and things.
Fascinating as I grew up in the 70’s in Denmark - with many popular furniture designers and quirky fashion! Thanks for posting- it brought back memories of my mom’s interior decorating (not necessarily good) with orange brown and avocado green 😂
Your brilliant interpretation of these old photos (again, my favorite era as well) has given me permission to do the same thing with vintage 1900’s photos I picked up at a flea market. You’ve made me realize I’m not insane for wanting to do it. I’ll give it a shot even if I fall short of the bar you set.
fantastic. the flavour of the cat one is a favourite but the "this wasnt her house " line is absolutely exquisite. i imagine your deservedly self satisfied face when you wrote that beauty.
Great work! 😎
This triggered the thought that another claim to fame 😂😂😂 I can make is that of an ex-Habitat employee (Brighton). At that time a coveted position! It was a Saturday sales job that helped pay student (architecture & design) rent in Windsor Street.
I spend many happy hours on the shop floor dreaming and displaying the myriad of beautiful things that Habitat offered, always infuriated when customers insisted on picking exactly one of the items in my displays. During one such friendly point of sale discussion, the manager who was close by, informed me that he loved my inspired displays but did not think I would have a successful career in retail. Luckily he had a great sense of humour. And, to have received this career advice at the tender age of 19 was, for me, invaluable. I went on to design, build and display many beautiful houses, gardens and things.
Thanks for the trigger, Tom!
Masterful expressions of the 70's Zeitgeist. You had me helpless with raucous laughter and then helpless with unnamed fear....
Thank you! Coincidentally ‘Helpless With Unnamed Fear’ is the title of my upcoming memoir.
I’ll be looking for it in the bookshops..
Absolutely loved this. I read it in a very quiet office and had to stifle my laughter. Poor Charles - he will never be free of that Edwardian child.
Thanks Carol!
Couldn’t stop snorting/laughing! Habitat catalogues used to be my dream space in the 90s. Happy to hear the real stories behind those pics! 😂
Thanks Kartik!
Your imagination literally knows no bounds Tom. Who would have thought Habitat catalogues from the 1970s could be so inspirational for a writer.
Sublime, even better reading it second time round
Thanks Catriona!
Wistful, hilarious, mournful, fetid and somehow comforting. How do you do it?
I know. You commune with yourself as a tiny child of the late 1970s. I've done the same with lesser results.
That’s it! Communicating!
Fascinating as I grew up in the 70’s in Denmark - with many popular furniture designers and quirky fashion! Thanks for posting- it brought back memories of my mom’s interior decorating (not necessarily good) with orange brown and avocado green 😂
Tom, you win the Internet, whatever that means.
Your brilliant interpretation of these old photos (again, my favorite era as well) has given me permission to do the same thing with vintage 1900’s photos I picked up at a flea market. You’ve made me realize I’m not insane for wanting to do it. I’ll give it a shot even if I fall short of the bar you set.
Brilliant 🥰🇨🇦
Thanks Cassandra!
I love any of your picture “stories”! Not sure if we have or had the equivalent of Habitat in the States. More’s the pity!
I have a 1970s interior design book with absolutely hilarious photos. I’ll try to remember to show pictures
Several people liked this comment, so FYI: I'm not able to show photos on here, but I posted them on Bluesky. https://bsky.app/profile/easternblot.bsky.social/post/3lmd4kycybs2f
Utterly 70s. The one of the couple in bed was particularly horrifying.
Apicella: I'm crying with laughter. Thanks for sharing this, Tom.
Thanks Suse!
Love it!
Thanks Francesca!