It's Been a Year! Living Room Before & Afters


This past weekend marked a big anniversary for us. We've officially been in our new house for an entire year! I haven't done nearly as much as I'd hoped (the bedroom has been half-painted for awhile now) but I did manage to "finish" the living room. I put the word finish in quotes because a room - a home - is never really done. I still have a long list of to-dos, but sometimes you have to pause and acknowledge that hey, it looks pretty good for now. Good enough to take a few photos, even. So here you are. One year anniversary photos of the place we call home.


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How To Shop Flea Markets and Estate Sales: My Tips Featured in Vintage Style Magazine!


Have you seen the new Vintage Style Magazine? It's a good one, and I'm not just being biased because I'm in it. I swear. Ok, well maybe just a little. But it really is a cool publication. 

For the Spring 2013 issue (yes, it's Spring already on newstands. how did that happen?) I was asked to share my insider tips on shopping vintage for the "Tag Sale Gold" article. It's a great guide, with contributions not just from me but from interior designer Elaine Griffin, Jason Nixon & John Loecke of Madcap Cottage, and Mary Carol Garrity of Nell Hill's. 

Most of my suggestions were included, but I'm giving you a few extras here on my blog. Because you are special and I appreciate your readership. Well, that and I'd hate to waste good shopping tips!


1) Cabinet and Door Hardware

I’m always hunting for knobs, pulls, hinges, towel racks, and door knobs. Doesn’t matter is they are mismatched or odd sizes, because I don’t necessarily use them in the traditional way. Cabinet and door knobs, for example, make excellent purse hooks when attached directly to the wall.

2) Lighting

Vintage lighting is not always easy to find, but when you see something you love, grab it quickly! I’ve got a few fixtures I’m using now, including a $3 Mad Men-esque lamp from a recent garage sale. If it’s in working condition, great. If not, you can always have a fixture rewired.

3) Vintage Linens

One of my favorites! I don’t look for fancy linens so much as the everyday pieces. Tablecloths in fun colors and patterns quickly liven up a table and you don’t care if one gets stained because it only cost $3. And I never pass on a good set of cloth napkins. They are an excellent “green” alternative to paper napkins, and many times they haven’t even been used.

4) Jewelry

I’m a sucker for vintage jewelry. At least half of the jewelry I own and wear is from estate sales. I love it because it’s completely unique and there is a sense of story behind each piece. It also looks great on display. I actually have created a jewelry art piece that hangs in my bedroom and was inspired by much of the vintage jewelry I own.

5) Ephemera, Wallpaper and Notecards

Ephemera is any printed, paper material that was never intended to be preserved, such as ticket stubs, movie posters and restaurant menus. This is one of the most interesting items to comb through at an estate sale. I found some 1958 SwissAir menus awhile back with the most beautiful bird art. They cost 10 cents a piece and are now framed and hanging in my living room. I’ve also framed old wallpaper, Con-Tact paper, notecards and color charts. Almost anything can be art when you make it art.

6) Furniture

Of course, I always keep my eye out for a good piece of furniture. Some days I’ll have something specific in mind, but most of the time I just look for something to fall in love with. One day I came home from a sale with a $65 pink velvet wingback chair. Definitely not what I had in mind to buy that day, but it has now become a favorite piece in the house. I’ve learned not to edit myself too much when shopping for furniture. Buy what you love and you will find a place for it. At the same token, don’t buy something just because it’s a good deal.

7) Kitchen Utensils

Estate sales are an excellent place to find all sorts of cool kitchen utensils you never knew you needed. I recently picked up a Kitchamajig for 25 cents. It “strains, drains, beats, blends, whips and mixes.” And it’s made in the U.S.A. I’m convinced that these utensils were made better 50 years ago, which is why you can find so many of them. They were built to last. And even if they don’t, I only paid 25 cents for it! 




8) Dishes

I can’t remember the last time I bought a dish anywhere other than an estate sale. I’ll pick up anything from serving platters to mixing bowls to tiny ceramic plates. Some I use for kitchen purposes - colorful Pyrex is so fun to bake with! - and other dishes are used to collect jewelry, hold a bar of soap or organize office supplies. And I’m keeping my eye out for a cool set of china. I haven’t found it yet, but someday...

9) Household Tools

Staplers, tape measures, ladders, hammers...why buy these things new when you don’t have to? I pick up household tools all the time. How can I resist when they cost a quarter? Staplers are one of my favorite finds, especially Swinglines. I have started a mini-collection and have enough staples to get me through 2050, I’m sure. But I do use them. And if one breaks or gets lost, I’ll always have a back-up. And did I mention the colors? Where can you get an avocado green stapler any more?

10) Books

I am a bit of a book hound. Specifically, I hunt for cookbooks and books on design, decoration, color and “keeping house.” I am completely fascinated by the culture of home and domestic arts. These books give me a glimpse into how things used to be and how far we’ve come...or not come. And I always get a good laugh from some of the recipes. Goose Livers in Jelly, anyone?

Do you shop tag sales, flea markets and estate sales? What are some of your favorite finds and strategies? Do share!


Wicker Peacock Headboard


I can't tell you how many requests I get for information on my wicker headboard. Well, I could, but it might get boring. Because I get a lot. 


What's so funny is that I picked it up at an estate sale for $2.50. It was outside near the trash bins, carelessly tossed against a withering fence. It didn't have a price tag but I expected it would be in the neighborhood of $50 or so. When the estate sale lady told me "$2.50" I almost passed out. Well, first I almost passed out because I thought she said "$250" and that would have been a little ridiculous. Then, when I clarified that it was in fact two dollars and fifty cents, my heart skipped a little beat and I almost passed out again. You know that rush you get when you know you've found something too good to be true and you don't want anyone to know about it for fear that they might discover they've made a terrible mistake and when they do they are going to take it away from you? Geez! That sounds like a crazy person talking when I actually put words to paper! But, I know you know what I'm talking about. Needless to say, I snatched up that headboard so fast even though I wasn't even sure how I was going to use it. It was a twin size and we had a queen bed. Fortunately, I'm not much for design rules and I used it anyway. 

Apparently houzz readers aren't much for design rules either, as this photo has been added to over 13,000 ideabooks. Amazing. It really blows my mind.

Anyway, being that I get so many inquires about this headboard, it seemed a good blog post subject. (My apologies if you weren't interested in my headboard story, but I think "the hunt" may very well be the best part of shopping and decorating.)

Here's the wicker headboard shopping low-down:
  • Estate sales and garage sales are your best bet for cheap prices. Your chances of finding one of these babies is probably pretty slim, but not hopeless. You might be searching for awhile, so if you want that headboard right now, maybe not your best option. You can probably expect to pay $5 - $50. Or maybe you'll get really lucky and score one for free.
  • Craigslist is a good alternate choice, and often overlaps with estate sales and garage sales. Many times you can peruse through photo galleries before even heading to a sale. Occasionally you might spy a photo with headboard that wasn't highlighted in the sale posting. You can also search "wicker headboard" in the craigslist search bar. Most likely you will spend somewhere between $5 - $100. Or, again, you might find one for free.

current craigslist post near Scranton, PA
  • eBay is another good option. At any given time there are a handful of these headboards for sale for about $100 -$200. Not sure about shipping. That varies from vendor to vendor. Your best bet is to find something local that you can pick up.
  • Etsy also has some headboards. Prices are about the same as eBay. Here's a pair for $175.

from Etsy seller avintagerevolution
  • The Family Love Tree has an amazingly array of rattan peacock headboards in beautiful colors. These are new, made in Indonesia, and yes, they are 2 to 3 times more than what you would find through any of the above resources. If you aren't on a tight budget, these are a great option.
Do you have any other secret shopping sources? Have you decorated with a peacock headboard in your own home? If so feel free to post a pic on my facebook page or leave as a comment on houzz. Thanks!

(On another note, if you're curious about the difference between wicker and rattan, read this.)

If you need help designing your kitchen around hummingbird tiles, or any other feathery friend,  give me a call at 650.867.3896 or shoot me an email at kelly@storyandspace.com.