"I’m a 33 year old with a shopping addiction that I disguise as a business buying and selling vintage homewares".

Colour has always been our main inspiration, whether it's in art, photography or film. If it's colourful, we'll love it. Add furniture into the mix and you're on to a winner.

Meet Michael Biagioni, a character we first discovered a while ago on Instagram.

'Character' is the perfect word to describe Michael, whose aim is to 're-haus' timeless, carefully curated homewares. Michael's sense of humour, style, and eye for design make him the perfect guest for Five Good Things.

Based in Leicester, Michael can be found on social media unboxing his latest finds of colourful cups, chairs, lamps, and vintage Ikea items. Inside his shop, you'll find everything he's featured and more.

We love what you're doing with Timeless Haus, your eye for finding unique pieces and curating them into a range is brilliant. When did the obsession for homeware start?

Whilst growing up my mum couldn't leave a room decorated for longer than two years so she was always getting new furniture and creating new spaces so I think naturally that had an impact.

Once I started work with Sainsbury’s as a homeware buyer it was all I talked about and did every day so that’s also played a huge part.

People often buy what's fit for purpose and not what improves the interior of their home. Would you say that's true and what do you think people should think about when buying pieces?

I do agree with that statement. Similar to fashion some people are more adventurous than others and can utilise their clothing choices and interiors as a way to showcase their creativity. I’m a big believer in leading with your gut, if you are looking at something and it provokes a ‘love’ reaction from inside you then go for it and don’t worry about what other people may think about it.

You may like the look of something that other people dislike but that’s their opinion and you are entitled to yours. As you are the only one living with it then yours is the only one that matters!

Michael's passion for furniture may be, as he describes, an addiction. But it's a skilful one at that. Dedication is how we'd describe it.

It's not just about spending hours on the internet trawling through pieces, but beneath it all there's a real skill and eye for timeless designs, carefully curated within the backdrop of his studio.

What goes into sourcing vintage pieces and how difficult is it for you?

I’m constantly on the look out for things. My screen time for my phone makes me feel physically sick as I’m always scrolling through eBay and Facebook marketplace. It’s also great getting out to different parts of the UK sourcing in local charity shops. Recently I’ve started venturing further afield to the likes of Belgium, I am actually sat on the Euro Tunnel to France as I write this now.

As a collector, is it sometimes hard not to keep items for yourself?

That’s the best thing about the job I do - I can. If I ever come across something I’ve sourced that I fall in love with I tend to live with it in the apartment for a while. Then once I find something else I love more I can sell it and replace it. Or just buy the other thing as well and have them both in the apartment. May be time to get a bigger place…

With the rise of minimalist and Scandinavian design trends, how do you see colourful homeware fitting into modern interior aesthetics?

My recommendation for creating an interior is to have a relatively blank canvas. Keep the walls white or neutral and accessorise with furniture and homewares to inject colour. It’s the safest way to live with colour but also the safest way to create a space generally.

If you go bold with paint you choose the likelihood is you will grow bored of it at some point and then you have to redecorate. If you’ve just used objects to play with colour they are easier to swap out and replace compared to redecorating. I think this allows people to be a little more daring with their choices and experiment more

What advice would you give to someone looking to add more colour and personaility to their home decor without overwhelming the space?

I touched upon this in the last question, use objects to inject colour and personality. If you go with decorating decor it can feel incredibly overwhelming at times. The beauty with using objects to inject personality is you can take them with you if you ever move. With house prices being crazy in the UK more people are turning to renting property which often comes with its own challenges in terms of making your own. Using furniture and homewares is a great way to make a rented place your home.

Do you have any tips for amateur collectors or enthusiasts looking to start their own curated homeware collection?

Don’t do it. Kidding. My biggest piece of advice is stop caring what other people think and do what you want to do. And just because you see other people have something you want online and you don’t want to seem ‘basic’ if you like it just do it. Who cares what anyone else thinks?

We love what you're doing over on Instagram, particularly your reels, it seems like you have lots of fun making them?

I feel like towards the back end of last year I really tried to focus a little more on the content I create. It’s a great way for me to help grow awareness for Timeless Haus whilst also helping broaden peoples knowledge when it comes to furniture. I really try to keep it real and inject my personality into the content so it’s more relatable for those watching. I do enjoy making the content but I will admit burnout is real. There are times where I struggle to pick the camera up to create and now I understand the importance of taking time to myself to recharge a little.

Do you have any items in either your own collection or in the shop that you're most proud of finding?

I have a yellow metal perforated armchair that I absolutely adore. I have a bit of a chair obsession and I have an even bigger obsession with perforated metal. It’s just a beautiful chair in my opinion and one I will never let go of.

Do you have any favourite designers or manufactuers of homeware that, when you see their products, it's a no-brainer for you to purchase?

Joe Colombo is an Italian designer was responsible for some iconic designs in the 60s and early 70s. I have a soft spot for Italian plastics because of the colours and forms used. If I ever see something by him at the right price I will snap it up. Niels Gammelgaard is a designer that worked with IKEA in the 80s and designed a lot of metal furniture, I’m a big fan of his work also. I created a reel on instagram about a sofa he designed and the man himself even ended up seeing the video and sharing it on his socials!

What's in the works and what's next for Timeless Haus? Are there any more plans for ranges and where do you see TH headed?

I miss developing products. That’s the thing I love most about being a buyer. I am working on some things in the background where I’m designing some pieces that I’m looking to get manufactured. I will always buy and sell vintage as a passion but I would love to develop my own range and create a brand for myself. On a personal level I would love to keep pushing my videos online and hopefully one day ending up on being involved in a vintage furniture related show at some point!

You can find Michael and Timeless Haus over on Instagram, where you can check out his amazing collection of carefully curated furniture @timelesshaus or visit the website at timelesshaus.co.uk

Now, onto Five Good Things. Michael presents five noteworthy attractions to explore in and around Leicester, complemented by a couple of current favorites.

A must visit restaurant in your city and why?

Maurizios’s - a small Italian restaurant run by Italians and it’s the best pizza in town. Nothing comes close.

A documentary you'd recommend and why?

Abducted in Plain Sight. There were parts of that documentary where my jaw was on the floor over some of the situations people get themselves in.

An album or playlist you'd recommend?

Kano - Made in the Manor

An affordable piece of furniture everyone should own?

IKEA Skålboda chair. It’s a remake of the Jarpen chair and is just a wire construct. Such a cool design that’s a real statement piece and is actually a comfortable sit considering it’s metal.

A favourite book on your shelf?

The power of now - Eckhart Tolle