'Modern heirloom'. Much like 'new nostalgia', it's a buzzword that's been milling its way around the interiors industry for the last couple of years, but what does it actually mean?
More than an 'investment buy' – which might denote a classic, durable sofa design – or a 'splurge' – which might look like an original artwork by your favourite artist – modern heirlooms look forward and beyond ourselves, aiming to predict the pieces even our grandchildren's grandchildren might covet in time.
Certainly, there's a special pleasure found in choosing pieces that grow more beautiful with time; objects shaped by skilled hands with natural materials and traditional methods reimagined through thoughtful design.
Treasures such as these are the modern heirlooms: future classics that bring character to everyday life, blending convention with a fresh, contemporary ease. Chosen well and conscientiously cared for, they may well become a member of the family – part of the story of a home, ready to be used, loved and passed on for generations to enjoy and cherish.
Inspired by a new generation of small makers, our round-up is the foolproof guide to modern finds truly worth the investment – and certified 'heirloom' status.
The woven basket
Studio Amos’s small batch willow baskets (above), from £355 for a gathering basket, will soften and patinate over time, earning their keep as practical panniers for anything from foraging produce to storing linens.
The floor lamp
Beauvamp’s Traditionalist brass floor lamp, £2,200, earns its name for all the right reasons. In solid brass with Georgian-inspired pineapple finials and a subtle, braided gold cable, it’s an immediate showstopper when paired with a fringed Scallop Bell lampshade, for £495.
The sofa
With scrolled arms, turned wooden feet and a generous cushion back, the Arundel four-seater sofa (shown here in elegant Thyme Stripe), £1,749 from the Country Living Collection at DFS, is a British design classic.
The desk
The Big Rufus, £1,650, is a folksy take on the writing desk. With smart built-in storage and a wee caddy, this characterful WFH companion with its playful scalloping will work hard for years to come
The painted furniture
Uniting folk tradition with the Arts and Crafts movement, Dingley Dell Creative’s hand-painted furniture brings whimsical florals to solid, architectural forms, softening functional design into a decorative heirloom. This wardrobe is £1,495.
The sconce
In Jess Wheeler Studio’s workshop in Shropshire, the ivy candle sconce, £480, is hand-cut from brass then wrapped around a solid frame. Casting its flickering, botanical shadows, this natural beauty offers a rustic update to vintage European toleware, designed to be used, admired and kept.
The blanket
All hail the Welsh blanket! With a rich history going back to the 12th century, these woven styles have evolved into a lasting status symbol championing Welsh craft. Dinefwr Blankets’ heritage patterns preserve the tradition of their ancestors in tantalisingly contemporary palettes, from £255 for a standard size.
The decorative plate
Beautiful and personal, decorative plates sing when adhered to walls or propped on shelving. Sasha Compton hand builds then paints her striking ceramic dishes and platters with the folkloric motifs of Yorkshire and the Isle of Mull where she grew up – this one is £470.
The stool
Using traditional hand tools, Jim Parsons carves the Suffolk stool, £275 from The Merchant’s Table, from sustainably sourced local woods of ancient oak, walnut and coppiced ash. Each piece is individually finished with paintwork and carved detailing, that ages beautifully over time.
The fabric
Hand-printed in small runs by Rapture & Wright, the brand-new Cybele’s Reverie, £176.50 per metre, reimagines historic florals in rich, contemporary colourways. Whether upholstering an armchair or hung as curtains, it’s a pattern designed to age as finely as wine.
The artwork
An enduring Country Living favourite, Mark Hearld’s vibrant hand-cut collages, £1,850, transform common British fauna into Matisse-style countryside muses.
The quilt
A revival of the ancient folk craft, The Noah patchwork quilt, £328, is stitched from pure linen. In dusky sunset hues, it offers a lightweight, contemporary update to a heritage icon.
The chair
The Ledbury chair by The Marchmont Workshop, from £625, reworks an 18th-century spindle-back using local woods and river rush. Finished to order in any colour, it’s made to be lived with and loved for decades.
Not every item in your home needs to be an investment, but the beauty and charm to these pieces is in their versatility and functionality: these are not to be saved for best, but to be woven into daily life. With every use, they gather stories and patina – the heirlooms of tomorrow, made to be cherished for years to come.
Maddy is the Homes Writer at House Beautiful UK and Country Living UK, where she can be found writing about the latest interiors news and collating inspiring trend edits. She has previously worked for Good Housekeeping, Prima and Red, and has an MA in Classics and Ancient History from the University of Manchester and a BA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia, where she was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.
