We like old stuff. Jay has collected antiques ever since he was a teenager, and I got on board after we got married a little over a million years ago. I think the first piece we ever bought together was a beautiful stained glass window, not long before we got married, way back when Yorkdale Mall used to host an Antique Show!! It still hangs in our home today. We’ve always loved living with the old and the new, mixing them up altogether to create a curated story within our home unique to us.
There have been some misses along the way… A piece that’s way too big that looked smaller in a field, something that looked a different colour in a photo than in real life… But there’s nothing like the hunt. The joy of coming across the most spectacular piece you never knew you always wanted, visiting a favourite Antique Show, or hopping around little towns to walk through the shops; we do love it.
Jay has become quite the Picker over the years, always pretty proud of what he comes home with after a Saturday of gallivanting, especially the past few years that we’ve had Halliday House & Co. As many of you know, however, some of what he brings in takes up permanent residence here at the store. I can be a little selfish. Sometimes a piece is just too perfect for display that I can’t let it go. (I apologize for being a tease). He’s found so many fantastic things, big and small, that have made their way into many of your homes. He also tries to find out their story whenever he can so he can pass it along to you, its newest owner.
Whether it’s a large piece of furniture, a crock, or a painting, we love to merchandise and display these things within the store alongside all the new bits. We love to show how well something old can be incorporated, and can actually be useful and practical within a new space. If you’re a new collector starting out with a little piece here and there, or a seasoned pro that’s enjoyed the hunt for years, we hope you find inspiration (and perhaps a trinket or two) here at HH&Co.