Makely

Today is Day 12 of a 31 day series on creating and cultivating an eclectic home.  For some crazy reason, I have accepted The Nester’s challenge to write on the same theme every day for the month of October.  This may end up killing me.  Or you.  But, I appreciate you reading and welcome your comments.

One of my favorite things to do when I am avoiding my to-do list have free time is to browse local vintage and antique stores.  Now, don’t get me wrong – I love a good thrift store as much as the next gal.  But sometimes, I don’t want to so much search for something as much as I want to find something.  That’s where vintage and antique stores come into play for me.

How to Shop Antique and Vintage Stores for Eclectic Decor

1)  Antique Stores – I always recommend taking a look in antique stores if there is something particular (or even not so particular) you are trying to find for your home.  I generally go in looking for something specific, like an interesting item to use for a nightstand or a piece of art to fit in my living room.  Those general ideas help keep me focused in a store that’s as overwhelming as an antique store.

In my opinion, there are two types of antique stores in this world.  There are those that feature “fine” antiques, where the pieces will be gorgeous and the prices will make your jaw drop.  There are also those that showcase a little bit of everything – from fine pieces to items you wonder why anyone bothered to save.  If you are like me, you steer clear of the first type of store and stop in the next.

Most of the time, these type of stores have many different vendors who rent “booths,” or space in the store.  The vendors set their own prices and run individual sales.  If I’m buying something that costs over $100, I always ask if the booth owner can do a little better on the price.  Most of the time, the employees at the store are authorized to come down 10-15% without contacting the vendor (and the vendors have built that markdown into their price).

Think about ways to repurpose what you find at antique stores.  For instance, I used an old fireplace mantel I bought at an antique store as a bed crown in Emma’s nursery.

2) Vintage Stores – For many years, I had been living under the impression that a vintage store only carried vintage clothing.  Not long ago, a friend of mine clued me in that many vintage stores also carry furniture.  These stores generally carry pieces with a mid-century modern vibe from the 1950s, 60s and 70s.

That same friend found a great chair (covered in yellow velvet!) for a great price at one of our local stores, and she’s having it recovered in a more contemporary fabric.  If the fabric scares you – and it likely will – don’t forget that it can be easily recovered.

Couldn’t you find a place for a 1960s credenza, such as this one available at one of my local stores?  This would be great under a flat screen TV.  Could you imagine the original owners thinking that?  That’s some sort of Jetson-type stuff!

Have you found great items at antique or vintage stores?  Tell us about them!

Today is Day 11 of a 31 day series on creating and cultivating an eclectic home.  For some crazy reason, I have accepted The Nester’s challenge to write on the same theme every day for the month of October.  This may end up killing me.  Or you.  But, I appreciate you reading and welcome your comments.

I spend way too much time playing around on the great time suck that is the internet.  I could probably get so many projects finished if I spent my evening hours doing something more productive than vegging in front of the TV with my laptop on my lap.

The good thing about me spending my free time that way is that I know many sites to find great deals on decor.  As much as I love pieces from places like Pottery Barn, I long for something different that wasn’t found in a catalog that comes to every mailbox in my neighborhood.  From fabrics to furniture, I’ve got you covered on finding unique items online.

Shopping Online for Eclectic Decor

1) One Kings Lane – OKL is a site that offers multiple new sales to members daily.  For instance, yesterday’s sales included furniture, linens, and picture frames.  This isn’t just “stuff,” but high-end designer items that are deeply discounted.  Not only are great sales offered, but there are collections curated by top designers.  The curated sales are much more expensive than the regular sales, but they often feature vintage and one-of-a-kind items.  If you aren’t already a member, you can get an invite through my OKL link here.

2) Groupon – Groupon and other daily deal sites aren’t the first place you’d think of to find home decor deals.  But, occassionally nestled amongst the deals for half-price dinners and cheap haircuts, you will find 50% off at local furniture and decor stores.  I even purchased a Groupon not long ago for a discount at One Kings Lane.  That’s like a double score!  If you aren’t a member of Groupon, you can get an invite through my link here.

3) Wuslu – Wuslu is another daily deal site, but it only focuses on home decor.  Each day at 10 am EST, a new item is posted on the site and offered at a significant discount over retail.  You just have to remember to check early and often, as some items sell out and each item is only available for one day (or until it sells out).  You can visit Wuslu at Wuslu.com.

4) TukaBear – TukaBear is an online shop where you can buy brand new, brand name, or pre-loved home goods.  They find their items through garage sales, estate sales, and flea markets, and then they turn around and offer the items to you.  I’ve personally never purchased anything through TukaBear, but I do take a look-see often to see if there is something I might “need.”  You can visit TukaBear at TukaBear.com.

5) DiggersList – DiggersList is a free online home improvement classified listing site.  You can list home improvement (and decor) items or you can search items for sale in your area.  Listings can be added through their site, and DiggersList also compiles listings from other sites, such as Habitat for Humanity ReStore listings, so you can see what’s available.  DiggersList is a newish site, so it’s still growing in many areas.  You can visit DiggersList at DiggersList.com.

6) Craigslist – Craigslist is one of those sites that I’m sure everyone has browsed at least once.  It features items for sale listed by people in your community.  I’ve mentioned before that there’s a free section, but they also have sections for the different types of items being sold – furniture, household, arts & crafts, etc.  I’ve been using Craigslist for years and used to think it was the best thing ever, but I’m beginning to change my mind.  Perhaps it’s just in my area, but I have had a very bad time lately with people responding to my emails about their ads (even ones that were *just* listed) or having people not show up to take something from me when they said they would.  Are you having the same type of experiences?  Visit Craigslist.org to find the listings for your area.

7) Etsy – I’m a huge fan of Etsy, a site where artists can list their handmade wares for sale.  It’s a great place to find unique decor for your home and support very small businesses at the same time.  Additionally, there is a section of vintage items, so you can find some really fun items that way.  I’m currently crushing on vintage oil paintings of dogs, and I’ve found some interesting (albeit expensive) pieces there.  You can visit Etsy at Etsy.com.

This one is available here, in case you have an extra $270 lying around and want to buy me a gift.

8.) Ebay – You can find just about everything on Ebay, just like the commercial says.  You can find some really interesting items, but you’ll have to pay shipping most of the time.  Did you know that you can search for things being sold just in your area?  A lot of times, you can find furniture pieces without having to pay shipping by searching that way.  You can visit Ebay by visiting Ebay.com.

9) Warehouse Fabrics – Warehouse Fabrics is absolutely the best place online to find home decor and upholstery fabrics at fabulous prices.  If you find a fabric that you like elsewhere, always, always, ALWAYS check to see if Warehouse Fabrics has it for a better price.  If they have it, the price will be better.  I have ordered from them and have been extremely pleased with the fabrics and transactions.  I couldn’t possibly recommend them more.  Visit Warehouse fabrics at WarehouseFabricsInc.com.

What other online sites do you turn to for great decor deals? Let us know.  We’ve got some eclectic rooms to put together, people!