Vintage style takes on a whole new meaning when applied to Marsha Lofthouse.

This design diva is 82 years old. But that hasn't stopped her jetting across the Atlantic to open her first British shop, in her home town of Shoreham.

Marsha, who was born there in 1922, emigrated to the United States in the Seventies and opened her first store in the SoHo district of New York, selling British Regency-style and mahogany furniture.

Her flair for home style soon became popular with designers and she went on to open four retail outlets, including her current flagship store in La Jolla, San Diego.

Now, at a time when most octogenarians are putting their feet up, Marsha is overseeing the opening of her latest business, called Marsha's Loft, in Shoreham High Street.

Marsha's son Steve Black, who runs Lansdowne Furniture in Newhaven and Ashington, said: "She retired once but it didn't suit her. Although we do the day-to-day running of the business she still sources a lot of stuff herself. She still has a fantastic eye for things.

"In the new shop she made us build a reclaimed brick wall, which looks fantastic. She gave us instructions about downlighting and she sent us some Quebec yellow pine and told us to paint it cream. We thought she had lost her mind but it looks amazing."

Continuing to keep the business in the family, Marsha's granddaughter Lauren Black, seven, made a speech at the opening of the Shoreham store. It sells classic furniture with a New England slant, combining bleached blond oak tables, vintage hide chairs and leather 'hot wax' sofas. There is also Ralph Lauren-influenced oiled oak as well as yew and beech furniture.

Steve said: "It is contemporary with a traditional look - a bit of a contradiction but very stylish."

In the Forties, Marsha worked as a junior window dresser at Selfridges in London. Her husband, Henry Black, was in furniture sales at Simpsons in Piccadilly. When they moved to New York, they called on their retail experience and the business took off.

Steve's twin sister Susie now runs the store in San Diego while he looks after the British end of the business.

Marsha will be keeping a close eye on him - she has now moved to Hove.

She will be opening a second Sussex shop in Horsham later this year and would like to add another in Hove.

Steve said: "I'm not sure Mum will ever retire. She borrowed an advertising slogan to sum herself up - 'It's not the steak, it's the sizzle'. She may be 82 but she's definitely still got the sizzle."