The woman
behind the pieces.
Restored furniture, handmade lampshades and distinctive mid-century, Art Deco and vintage pieces chosen for their character, history and the stories they carry.
Karin Marchant
Karin has always had an eye for the things other people might walk past. For years, she visited auction rooms, vintage fairs and markets, always looking for beautifully made pieces that still had something to say.
Furniture, homeware, jewellery and unexpected vintage finds all caught her attention particularly Mid-Century, Art Deco and Vintage pieces with beautiful materials, interesting shapes and a little history behind them.
Learning by doing
Karin is self-taught in furniture upholstery and lampshade making. What started as a fascination with old furniture has gradually become a hands-on part of what she does every day.
She loves taking a piece that has been overlooked and working out what makes it special. The aim isn’t to make everything look new. It’s about respecting the original shape, materials and character while giving the piece another life.
Each restoration brings its own challenges, and that’s part of what Karin enjoys about it.
A place for the unexpected
In March, Karin opened Eklectable & Co. in Torquay with her partner, Kelvin, bringing years of searching, collecting and making into one place.
The shop brings together restored mid-century and Art Deco furniture, vintage homeware, jewellery, decorative pieces and other finds with personality.
Alongside the vintage pieces are Karin’s own restored and upholstered furniture and handmade lampshades.
Every piece has a story.
What makes Karin happiest is being in the shop talking to customers about the history of a piece, explaining how something was made, or sharing the story behind furniture she has restored herself.
For Karin, Eklectable & Co. is more than somewhere to buy mid-century, Art Deco furniture or vintage. It’s a place to come across something unexpected, learn a little about its history and perhaps find a piece that you will love for years to come.
