I didn’t really know what I was looking for. All I knew was that I wanted to live in a cabin, somewhere between America and Scandinavia, but that this was logistically tricky, seeing as I work in Bristol

My solution was an attempt at making my living room in Cotham look as much like a cosy Alpine/Western haven as possible, without taking a course in carpentry, or resorting to cuckoo clocks and taxidermy. I wanted nods to cabin life, rather than feeling like I was living in a themed restaurant. Luckily, I often seem to be in the right charity shop at the right time, and the Bristol area is a mecca of antiques shops, vintage fairs and markets.

On my mental mood board were visions of the Great Northern Hotel from the TV show Twin Peaks, and a previous visit to Timberline Lodge, a 1930s ski lodge in Oregon. Ideally: fur rugs, roaring fires, Navajo prints, antlers. In reality: a fake fur throw, candles in my blocked-up fireplace and whatever appropriate old treasures I could find.

An old souvenir plate from Banff National Park in Canada was the first thing I got, for £3 at the outdoor Shepton Mallet antiques and flea market. These happen periodically; they’re huge and take hours to get around, so plan to make a day of it.

If you commute up and down Cheltenham Road like I do, then you might have noticed that the big building near the roundabout has recently reopened as a cooperative pop-up vintage emporium, in classic Stokes Croft style. It’s open 3-7, Thursday-Saturday – handy when you’re walking home from work. On my first visit I found a folksy floral painting for £8. There’s also reworked furniture, vintage clothes and lots of other bits and bobs.

After venturing to Frome for its outdoor flea market one weekend (the first Sunday of the month, March-December), it quickly became a regular haunt. An hour’s drive from Bristol, its cobbled streets are packed with independent shops and cafés. Don’t miss Lark Vintage – a beautifully curated shop over two floors. A few weeks ago, a Vintage Bazaar was on in the town, where I hit the jackpot: a 1900s Alpine oil painting. I would have paid a lot more than the £5 the lady was asking for. It now hangs above my dining table/desk, so I can pretend I have a view.

Focus on the Past in Clifton village has provided some inspiration; the woolly stag jumper I never wore has been turned into a cushion, and my Pendleton Native American blanket now looks less out of place. My basement flat will never look like Little House on the Prairie, but with the addition of a few good finds, I think it all hangs together. If you happen to see a wagon wheel that’s been turned into a coffee table, let me know.