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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Antony Thrower

'Vintage-obsessed' woman spends thousands transforming home into 1970s time capsule

A vintage-obsessed woman has spent more than £7,000 turning her home into a 1970s “time capsule”.

Toni Carran, 41, bought the house in 2019 and was amazed as it still had its appliances from nearly 50 years ago including a stove and a fridge.

Now the mum of one has filled the home with items she has found in antique stores with her personal collection standing at around 200 original pieces.

Toni, a customer support specialist, said: “I walked into the house, and I saw the appliances, and I just knew that I had found my place.

“As soon as I saw this stove, as ridiculous as this sounds, I had to have the house.

“It was the showstopper; I have the original advertisement and the original owner’s manual. The appliances are from 1970 and they are in pristine condition, they work and operate as good as anything you can buy today.

The ranch already appliances from the 1970s, including a fridge (Toni Carran / CATERS NEWS)
Toni Carran spent £7,000 on her 1970s inspired collection (Toni Carran / CATERS NEWS)

“The entire house was untouched, they never painted the house, the floors were the same. It was just this untouched time capsule house, it was perfect for me.

“This was the only house I looked at and I knew I was going to buy it.”

Despite her wallet-busting hobby, Toni’s favourite item is a decorated wooden, spherical ottoman- a Franco Albini first edition Rattan Pouf- which cost just £18.

Toni, who bought the ranch in Halifax, Pennsylvania, US, added: “I began collecting vintage antiques in 2015 and I think it was the nostalgia that drew me in.

Toni's collection is at around 200 pieces and filled with finds form antique shops (Toni Carran / CATERS NEWS)

“Not because I lived in that time, because I was born in 1980, but it just gave me the feeling of seeing my grandmother’s house. It’s the comfort of those things that have withstood the time.

“I don’t think people realise the value of what they have. That’s what I had a lot of luck with, is finding things that people would give away, they wouldn’t think of it.

“I have an eye for this, I found items at an antique store that look like they have no monetary value.

“And then I get them and do research on the objects and I’m like ‘wow I made a score’. “They’re cared for, they’re displayed, some people might think it’s trash but it’s my greatest pleasure, collecting and taking care of things.”

Toni says her house could not be a better place for her incredible collection (Toni Carran / CATERS NEWS)

Before moving into her 70s crib, Toni loved to wear vintage reproduction clothing, competing at pin-up shows.

She said: “I do dress in mid-century clothes but not all the time, not every day but I do pin up contests, a couple of those.

“I’ve done car shows and pin-up contests, I’ll go antiquing and I’ll wear a dress just for the fun of it. You have to be comfortable standing out in a crowd and that’s always been me – standing out in the crowd.

“There are some people who take this to a whole other level, I do it for a lot of recreational fun. My house couldn’t have been a better place for my collection.”

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