The founder of Alighieri jewellery,  Rosh Mahtani, has a knack for finding forgotten treasures that invariably influence her own creative process.

The hotspot 
I find Florence – the home of poet Dante Alighieri – and Tuscany in general the most wonderful places to go for sourcing pieces for my home and the Alighieri showroom.

Insider scoop
I always go to the vintage flea market in Piazza Santo Spirito in Florence on a Saturday morning. I love getting up early and spending hours there, meeting the artisans and collectors, hearing their stories about where their artefacts have come from. The best part is that you never know what you’re going to find; from Roman ceramics to 1970s furniture, I’ve found the most incredible treasures in this market. The vendors always give you a very reasonable price when you choose more than one of their treasures.

Top find 
On my last trip to Florence, I was sourcing pieces for the Alighieri Antique Store and found a really special hand-painted tile of San Damiano Church, mounted with hand-forged claws. It used to be part of the city walls and feels like a piece of history, immortalised.

The piece that got away
I once saw an incredible set of bronze carved cutlery that was sadly out of my price range, but I’ve never been able to stop thinking about it! However, I love drawing on these historic pieces for inspiration, and they are definitely on my Alighieri mood board, for something to come.

For the founders of Positano’s famous Le Sirenuse Hotel, vintage furniture has always been front and centre when it comes to decorating the establishment and their homes.

The hotspot 
We are passionate collectors of antique textiles. Rugs, suzanis, carpets, old ikats, embroideries, quilts – anything interesting. We have bought those at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, at an Istanbul bazaar, on Portobello Road, at a famous London shop called Joss Graham and its neighbouring The Turkmen Gallery, in New York, also in Delhi and Bombay. Textiles are delicate items to collect, and if they date back further than 1960 they are considered valuable and fragile.

Insider scoop
Altai Gallery in Milan. Raffi Carrieri and his wife are outstanding experts in rare pieces.

Top find
We bought a kilim kirchil from East Anatolia made of goat wool and cotton for our former Miami home that is an outstanding piece. We also bought a Saharan mat from Mauritania made of wood and leather. An unbelievable piece.

The in-demand interiors stylist has made a name for himself with his subdued style. Having worked with A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, he has a curated eye for all things interior design – and that includes preloved finds.

The hotspot 
Believe it or not, a lot of my favourite shops are out in East Hampton and Sag Harbor. I love Marie-Christine McNally, Russ Steele, Michael Del Piero and Nicholas Kilner. But some of my favourite vendors are from around the world, and I found them on Instagram. It also goes without saying that any city I travel to, I try to visit as many vintage shops as possible, searching for hidden treasures.

Insider scoop 
Find dealers with a similar taste as yours and see if they have an email list with their newest additions; that way you can be the first to know. I also like to share with them if I am on the hunt for anything specific, that way they can keep an eye out. And if you can’t go to these people in person, I also love LiveAuctioneers.

Top find 
A pair of sculptural French metal lamps with the original stitched trim lampshades. I sold them to a client who placed them in a bedroom, but I think of them often.

The piece that got away  
There was a stone dining set that I have a lot of remorse for not buying. I don’t have a home with outdoor space so it was impractical, but I had never seen anything like it.

Famed fashion editor who spent 25 years at British Vogue and founder of everyone’s favourite online lifestyle platform Collagerie, Lucinda Chambers has never shied away from going OTT.

The hotspot 
I always find treasure at car boot sales. London’s Chiswick car boot, which is held on the first Sunday of every month, is usually brilliant. You have to trawl, you have to wake up early – I get there at 7.30am-8am. Another great sale is the one that Charlie Porter started and it’s on twice a year in an old church in Primrose Hill, north London. It’s very upmarket, with quite a few interior designers taking a stall, so it’s a really great mix of beautiful ‘stuff’. I take a stall myself, doing it with a friend (which is much more fun) and the beauty of that is you get to see things early and can go shopping before it even opens.

Insider scoop 
I don’t really bargain. It’s a strange thing to say, but being on the ‘other side’, so to speak, I know when something is a crazy price and when it’s a realistic one. And if I love it, great. If it’s too expensive, I walk away. However, I will bargain madly in places where it’s more of a ritual – you take your time, a lot of mint tea is consumed and both sides are happy.

Top find
Last week I bought a beautiful black and white photograph. I do buy quite a bit of art as it’s a very personal thing. I don’t have to know who the artist is, it’s just whether I love it or not. A good tip for this is to always imagine it without the frame, which is often old and horrid; picture the painting, print or photograph with a modern frame – that’s the test for me. I also have a tendency to customise pieces.

The piece that got away
Luckily, I can’t remember anything I wished I had bought at the time – I don’t think I am a regrets person!

 Synonymous with wonderfully unexpected interiors, which is down to her magpie-like skills of unearthing extra-special pieces.

 The hotspot 
Everywhere and anywhere! I buy regularly from markets and dealers in Europe, specifically in Paris and Belgium. I also source a lot from the online platform 1stDibs.

Insider scoop 
When buying from markets, I always arrive early and ready to buy – if you snooze you lose. I don’t barter if a piece is at a fair price. If you’re buying a pair of Pierre Chapo chairs, you have a fair idea on the going rate, however, find a rare chandelier with no markings and you might get lucky or it could bear an extravagant price tag.

Top find
Years ago at Kempton Market, I bought an obscure painting with plaster faces all over it for a bargain! There was also a pair of striking vintage white pillars from Bruises Gallery in Montreal that I couldn’t bear to part with. They were priced well, but cost me thousands to ship.

The piece that got away
A pair of green steel pendant lights with chains on them and glass pieces around the edge. I still think about them 10 years later. I was broke back then.

 The hotelier and founder of the fashion set’s favourite Marrakech accommodation, Riad Mena, knows where to source mouthwateringly beautiful homewares.

The hotspot 
Marrakech is often seen as the shopping Mecca for all things artisanal, from rugs to rattan to ceramics – but there are mid-century and ’70s gems to be found. When we first started decorating my hotel Riad Mena Marrakech in 2012, it was a 1950s Paolo Piva B&B Italia table that set the tone for the Moroccan minimalist interiors we went for. 

Insider scoop 
For the best taste in this arena there is Youssef, who is about to open a new showroom in Sidi Ghanem. Text him on WhatsApp and find the secret address: +212(0)668948115. The traditional flea market of the Medina is called Bab El Khemis and, when you walk inside past the thrown out sofas and metal workers, there are a few spots of vintage furniture treasure to be found, including Charlotte Perriand pieces that we quickly bought. Soufiane, known more for his very chic emporium at 16 Dar el Bacha selling stylish rugs, sofas and furniture, has my favourite selection of pots and ceramics. 

Top Find All the vintage pieces at Riad Mena were found in Marrakech, from the iconic Knoll Barcelona chairs to an unsigned ’50s Italian lamp. We also have an antique Syrian cupboard. I have my eye on a Gio Ponti dining chair set from Youssef as well. 

The piece that got away 
A dusty pink antique silk suzani that would have looked wonderful at the end of a bed and, despite its tiny price tag, I didn’t buy and now very much regret.

Masterminds behind the directional vintage homeware and furniture shop, Monument, who believe in finding a piece that is a reflection of yourself.

The hotspot
Our secret spot is… a secret. But we can tell you we attend dealer-only fairs in France. For those at home, your local auction houses are a great place to start. 

Insider scoop 
The most important advice we give (and follow) is to buy only what’s true to your style. It’s natural to be influenced by the interiors around you and what you see online, but try to check yourself. Is this piece a reflection of you? Will you love it in 12 months? Build a relationship with your favourite dealer. Keep on the inside track to be aware of their latest pieces – so many are one-offs or hard to find. You need to act swiftly.

Top find
Favourites include a rare gunmetal uplighter by interior designer Jacques Grange for the Saint Laurent boutiques, and a pair of curved, moulded concrete loungers, designed for a beach club in St Tropez, among many others.

The piece that got away
Giovanni De Lucchi and Titti Saracino’s chrome and concrete ‘Diapason’ chaise lounge. It was everything.