Habitat Has-Been

So, Habitat is no more – 47 years after Terence Conran launched his store. I found myself thinking about the bits and pieces we have acquired over the years.

My first Habitat item came from Coventry in 1975, a birthday gift.

It was actually meant to be a toast rack – but I have only ever used it as a letter rack. Still in use here.

When we first got married and had a tiny flat we got some red and white flooring, a red wire grid to hang our kitchen utensils, and four red folding chairs, and cherry fabric for the curtains, from the store in Watford.

The chairs are still going strong, and live at Cornerstones now. Then we acquired loads of pine bedroom furniture [mostly dirt cheap, secondhand, through the local free paper] The range was called Andy and we got two cupboards, a wardrobe, one dressing table, and two chests of drawers for £50! Now [mostly] at Cornerstones! We got our dining table and sideboard from the Habitat Warehouse at Wallingford [for a very low price, as it had been discontinued]

Then there was the ‘bistro’ garden set – two folding chairs and a table [a sale buy in 2000, just £20 the set] Trés chic, I thought!

There was cheap ‘Primula’ crockery too – mostly broken now, and white paper lampshades, and candles and candlesticks [long before IKEA sold us all those tealights]

And we had just one wedding present from Habitat – from my chief bridesmaid, and favourite cousin, Gill – who bought us a wok. It’s huge and came with a scoop and a stirring spatula thing.

And our friends all thought it was a weird gift – but it is still being used, and we still have the tools!

There’s probably more stuff here -

but it does seem that the Habitat stuff from the 70’s and early 80’s has lasted well.

However, in 1987, we discovered IKEA – and their prices suited our pocket better. Sorry Sir Terence- we liked your style, but couldn’t afford it! But our home will still have Habitat pieces for a good few years yet, I think.

Do you have a favourite piece of Habitat at home?