The Winter Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair 2016, Battersea Park

2016 Winter Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair

Tucked away in a marquee by the river in the lovely Battersea Park is the winter extravaganza of the family-owned Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair. The prestigious fair kicked off in 1985 with serious interior decorators and trade buyers crowding to see big name contemporary taste-makers alongside well a gorgeous antiques. It was a huge hit, and the three annual fairs remain staples of London's design calendar.

This winter edition has a special focus: Take A Seat: Three Hundred Years of Chair Design. From high-back Louis XIII dining chairs to Georgian Chippendales, through mid-century modern to post-modern and über-industrial designs, you can cast your discerning eye over three centuries of seating.

There's so much more to this fair than chairs, however. We love this design event for the rare decorative antiques, mid-century modern classics and quirky twentieth century finds, from rustic 18th century painted dressers to salvaged 20th industrial tables. You'll also find glittering celebrities enjoying the proceedings, with previous sightings of Eddie Redmayne, Bob Geldof and even Sir David Attenborough reported. With inspiration at every turn, in the know dealers take the time to recommend how to bring a burst of life to your decorating, whether it's with a pop of colour or statement textiles.