Built from Curiosity
My Happy London Home began in South West London, when a chance visit to a local antique shop, while accompanying my watchmaker husband to collect a repaired watch, changed my direction entirely.
The curation here is shaped by a background that is perhaps unusual for a vintage homeware store in London. I came to England from Japan, and I have spent 28 years in London, learning to see through both Japanese and British eyes.
For years, I worked across international companies in Tokyo and London, moving between different cultures and ways of thinking. My passion was never antiques as such. It was always interiors: renovating properties, working with architects, and understanding what makes a room not just look right, but feel right to live in.
This store grew from that way of seeing: the instinct for space, balance, and atmosphere.
I am drawn to pieces with character, charm, and individuality.
Some are chosen for their design, some for their history, and some simply because they have a presence that stays with you.
Those are the qualities that guide what I choose for this store.
目利き (mekiki)
In Japan, there is a word, 目利き (mekiki), for the trained eye that can recognise quality, authenticity, and character. It develops slowly, through years of looking, handling, comparing, and occasionally getting things wrong. Combined with decades of living inside British interior culture, it has become the instinct behind every buying decision in this store.
I am not collecting for history’s sake. I am choosing things that belong in today’s homes: pieces that sit naturally alongside modern furniture, reward a second glance, and make a visitor ask where you found them.
A collection chosen for living in
The heart of our collection is vintage and antique — pieces with age, history, and a story behind them.
What matters to us is, texture, shape, and a quiet presence. Victorian Staffordshire animals with their hand-painted imperfections. French faience with earthy glazes. British ceramics that carry a century of history but look entirely at home on a modern shelf.
The collection moves with our taste and with a genuine awareness of how people are decorating their homes today. These are not collector's pieces — they are for anyone who loves beautiful objects and wants their home to feel considered, individual, and alive.
The pieces in this store come from antique fairs and specialist dealers, from private collections, and sometimes from further afield. When we travel, we look. That is simply how this works.
Three things we promise every customer
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Every piece is special
Most pieces here are one of a kind, vintage and antique finds that cannot be replaced once sold.
Where we carry classic tableware by established makers, it is chosen with the same eye: for quality, character, and pieces that earn their place in a home.
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Packed with care
Every piece is carefully wrapped and packed by hand. Each order is packed with time and attention, using materials chosen to protect both the form and the finer details of the piece.
Parcels are also sent with appropriate insurance for added peace of mind. If anything arrives damaged, we will put it right without hesitation.
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You can ask us anything, directly
If you have any questions, please get in touch.
Whether you would like more detail about condition, extra photos, or help deciding on a piece, every message is answered personally and honestly. Our approach is shaped by careful attention, clear communication, and the thoughtful service we value deeply.
Thank you for being here
Running this store is the happiest surprise of my working life. I started it by chance, kept going because the pieces kept finding me, and stayed because of the customers, especially those kind enough to write and tell me where a piece now lives in their home.
As the store evolves, I hope to introduce pieces that bring something new alongside the vintage and antique — things that carry their own quiet charm and feel right beside what is already here.
Whether you are in London, Tokyo, New York, or Melbourne, I hope something here adds a little depth, character, and individuality to the space you come home to.
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Takako Ward
FOUNDER · MY HAPPY LONDON HOME · SOUTH WEST LONDON
Let customers speak for us
とても素敵なデザインのアンティークで、非常に状態も良く満足しています。梱包も何気に猫柄包装で開梱するのが楽しかったです！
遅くなりましたが、お皿はとても気に入りました。梱包もとても可愛いいネコの包みで嬉しかったです。このシリーズを集めています。あと1枚です。またありましたらよろしくお願いします。
It was a very beautiful painting. I will enjoy displaying it.
Service always excellent, am hoping to buy more as new stock arrives.
As described, well packed and arrived safely. Thank you
I tend to be anxious about purchasing things overseas. However, My Happy London Home coddles its clientele. Great communication throughout. The selection is great, and the pieces are priced to sell. I wish the establishment all the best and a flourishing future.
I absolutely was so delighted on my parcel and contents. The wrapping was so amazing so beautifully wrapped and my divine Staffordshire dog was beyond belief of how big she was and intact. The personalized note and gift was such a pleasant surprise
Quick delivery coming from England to Australia. Many thanks. With love and gratefulness Sarajane
A wonderful company to purchase from🤍
My item was beautifully packaged and speedily shipped 🤍
Thank you
VERY NICE person to communicate with !! The painting I purchased was WONDERFUL and VERY EXACT description in the listing . Fast Shipping , Great Communication , I would 100 % recommend this person !! VERY PROFESSIONAL !!
初めて見る親子のスタフォードシャードッグに一目惚れしてしまい、母と自分用にと購入させていただきました。子犬は見れば見るほど愛らしいです(^^)
親犬同士はママ友かな？等と想像しながら眺めるのもとても楽しいです。お店で購入させていただくのは二回目になりますが、毎回素敵な子達と出会わせていただき、とても感謝しています。またよろしくお願いいたします。
Absolutely love the cats, service was exemplary from order to delivery. A pleasure to deal with.
This is my second purchase of vintage items from this shop.It was love at first sight with these cats whose eyes and unique eyebrows are so iconic! So lovely to welcome them to my home.
Thank you for the lovely beautiful cats! I absolutely love them all! I am so lucky to have these nice vintage cats in wonderful condition. They make me smile when I see them every time.
とても綺麗で品があり、大変満足しています。海外店舗から購入ということで、少し不安がありましたが、出荷から到着まで配送状況が逐一メールで届くため、安心して待っていられました。また是非利用したいと思えるお店だと思います。
