10 Shopping Secrets From a Stylist
Since I’m a vintage girl (I was made in 1979 to be exact), I shop a lot at antique malls, flea markets and thrift stores. I’ve been doing it since I could shove my first silver-plated fiddleback spoon in my mouth, and I’m pretty sure my first word was “ironstone,” so the dos and don’ts of second-hand shopping are second nature to me. I know thrifting and flea-marketing can be overwhelming (and yes, there is a lot of crap out there) so I’ve come up with some tips (or shall I say secrets) that will help you get a vintage collected look, without all the junk.
1. Start early and shop BIG first. Don’t go into the stalls or booths unless a BIG piece of furniture grabs your eye. All the best furniture gets bought first, mainly by dealers/store owners, so if you take your time and meander slowly, all the best pieces at the best prices will have been snatched up. I literally race through, like a crazy person at 8am, because there is nothing worse (ok, there are probably worse things) than seeing the perfect dresser, finding out it was $40 but was just SOLD. Doh!
2. Think small SECOND. After you go around once, make your way back through to look for smalls (a generic word I use for anything, well, small), i.e. lamps, vases, objects, art, flatware, books, etc. These items are a bit more common, less desired and aren’t snatched up by dealers as fast. Etsy or eBay are also good sources because shipping is more affordable on smalls than furniture.
3. Focus. Focus. Focus. It will be physically impossible for you to look at every single thing at a flea market. Come with a short list of NEEDS and reference them constantly. Last weekend for instance, I went looking only for an iron candle chandelier, a floor lamp and wooded farm chairs. Of course I found other things, but those were the three things I NEEDED and I had to keep reminding myself of them, or else I would get caught up looking at the vintage measuring cups that somehow I have convinced myself will make my next baking party so much more fun. (Hey, Emily you don’t bake! Put the measuring cups down!) When I was shopping at the flea market for Ian I knew I needed maps, objects for the shelves, frames for artwork and barware, and that is what I looked for. Focus.
4. When it comes to “smalls” think “big.” As much as I love my miniature dollhouse fly swatter collection (It truly is amazing. They are these teeny wire sculptures that some lovely grandma rendered with such care and perfection for her granddaughter 60 years ago), in general I would recommend staying away from the bitsy-er things. Choose instead more substantial items that can be clustered with others or live on their own. If you already have a lot of bulbous-shaped objects for your display shelf, look for something cylindrical or low and wide. A contrast in shapes and scale will help with balance and will look intentional.
5. When thinking small, the trick is to displaying or framing them together. Many small things styled together can have the same impact as one large thing. Spreading out the collection will look cluttered and unintentional and then they become tchockes, which in many circles (especially with my husband) is a four-letter word. You don’t need to collect the world. Pick a few things you are always drawn to and make the best collection you can.
6. Color. Yes, you should keep your color palette in mind while shopping, but don’t worry about matching colors exactly. In my display shelf, I have a few tones of light blues, white, creams, woods and then, oops, look there’s a big pop of indigo up top. And I love it. It wasn’t intentional, but when I saw the vessel in that color for $10, I thought, “It’s in the same family. I can make it work.” Then I balanced it with a vintage Japanese plate leaning against the back on the bottom. Let your color story evolve as you collect your pieces and it will add character and interest to your home.
7. Anything can be art. Frame it or don’t. Yep, you heard me. It could be an old map, an old love letter, a silhouette, a collection of antique spoons, student artwork, industrial letters or stencils, even random portraits or vintage photographs of people you don’t know. Some people have problems with this last one, but I find other people’s lives and histories endlessly fascinating. I’m not talking weird glamour shots from the ’80s, I mean photos from the ’30s of a decked out family picnicking at the beach with an original Ford in the background or a late ’60s gathering of hippies at a party. You can find something interesting and provocative in moments from the past, even if it has nothing to do with your own.
8. Mix and match. The great thing about vintage is there is a reason it’s lasted so long – things are well-made and sturdy. But the drawback is that it’s harder to find sets of some things, for instance, barware. I was lucky enough to find six ’60s blue pop glasses for Ian’s bar, but I didn’t hesitate to mix it with the Moroccan tea glasses and bring back in a few of the FDR scotch glasses. As great as matching sets can be, nothing says a party like not caring about matching glassware.
9. As long as it holds water, it is a vase in my book. Jars are vases, teacups are vases, cafe au lait bowls can be vases. So when shopping at flea markets/thrift stores, look for anything that can hold even a flower or a fern leaf. I used vintage mason jars and pharmacy jars for Ian, and they worked with his antique feel, while having a simple silhouette. You don’t always have to have cut crystal to feel antique and old.
10. Anything can be reupholstered. Well, not a shoe or a tree, although I suppose it could be, but you know what I mean. The wingback I got for Ian was $50 and U.G.L.Y. But since it was so cheap and had great bones, shape and scale, I knew it was worth the investment to reupholster it for $350. Same with the bench in Ian’s bedroom, which was originally $70. It took two yards of fabric and a very quick reupholstering job of $100. Now, both pieces have so much more integrity and character than a new piece that would cost twice as much at a big box store.
Consider yourself 10 steps ahead of everyone else at the flea market or thrift store this weekend. For more design inspiration, check out my blog, The Brass Petal.
Great show, Emily! I'm surprised, but I actually feel inspired to finally redo my living room. I've always believed I had to pick a style (arts and crafts? ralph lauren? world traveler?), but the layering of design styles really made sense to me for the first time. Please keep the tips for how to buy and position unique elements coming!
Oh, totally agree!! I loved the show – you were down to earth (read: REAL) and especially enjoyed the fact that you walked us through the layering process instead of showing us the final room with little or no explanation. I was wondering how you'd incorporate the 'what's your style' without a wardrobe and you pulled it off perfectly. All the rooms were beautiful, well-designed, affordable, and, most importantly, rooms that I think real people could walk into and be at home. Keep up the amazing work! Cannot wait to hit the local flea markets!!
I want to be Emily. I think her personal style is fantastic, her creative process, which she can explain clearly and her personality are all right on. I would have her design my house, except I don't have to now I can watch her show and learn how to do it myself. I think she has real appeal to younger audiences (20's & 30's) and her style is right in line with the way we live today.
I think this show is a breath of fresh air and will bring in a whole new audience, like me.
I was pleasantly surprised by Emily's show! She has a lot more talent than I gave her credit for–not that I didn't originally think she was talented. I simply think that Design Star seemed to have put conscious effort into hiding the contestants' designing ability through those clumsy group challenges. I love Emily's concept of layering on different looks, and it was great how she actually showed us the process of this layering through the modifications of the living room. Overall, both Emily's seemingly effortless design and hosting will definitely keep me watching her show! Now, I only wish her client were a bit more enthusiastic.
I love, love the show, Emily is great. Finally a show with a new dimension.
I am so sick of watching the design to sell shows.
Thank you Emily, for proving, what anyone, with any design sense already knew: you have no design talent! NONE! What a joke Design Star is. Secret of a Stylist: Don't do this! HGTV should go off the air. It stinks. Stop pretending that you are the design channel. HGTV is worthless!
Thank you, Dpisme, for wasting our time reading your asinine, ridiculous comment with no bearing. Would love to gag over your cookie cutter-vanilla home. Please, enlighten us as to what exactly qualifies in your book as a "design channel".
Also, Dpiseme, learn how to use commas.
Rachel, learn to spell!
You are welcome! A design channel should deal with Real Design, not silly inferior decoration. Get people who really understand, transforming a space, not filling it with garbage. Disguising the boxes most people live in, with paint and junk, doesn't last long. Soon the real dimensions of the space, become visible again, to the design illiterate, and again they are unhappy with the bad space, that inferior decorating didn't really change. Trading one pile of junk for a new pile of junk, with a new color, never works. Painting isn't design. How many coats of paint are on you walls? How many different colors? If any of them were good design, then why change them? Truth is none of the colors were good design. I can't give a course in superior design here. You won't get it on HGTV either, but you could, if they would put it on the air. They don't and won't.
Why are you commenting on the HGTV website if you hate HGTV? Just wondering. You sound like a design snob who watches just so you can demean and denigrate. Use the off button on your remote or change the channel, for goodness sakes.
It is called being a critic. When someone (HGTV) puts garbage on the air and calls it "design," they deserve to be outted as the frauds that they are. You know nothing about design. I suppose that you do something for a living. If someone substituted a pile of garbage, for what you do, as your life's work, then would that make you happy?
You are obviously mentally challenged, as the purpose of the show is supposed to be how to re-STYLE an individual's interior spaces, using some of their own furnishings, to match their own personal sense of STYLE (as evidenced by their wardrobe choices), and without having to make any major changes to the existing floorplan. It's called Secrets From a STYLIST. Not to say that Emily cannot also redesign a space, but the show's emphasis is on reSTYLING not redesigning. And I, personally, find it very refreshing; especially, in these difficult economic times. BTW, HGTV has some excellent designers. You've obviously never watched an episode of Candace Olson's Divine Design, or you would know that.
Candace is an inferior decorator, same as all the rest of HGTV's "designers." At least you admit that Emily is not a designer. That IS what I have been pointing out! Mentally challenged is you, thinking anything on HGTV is Real Design.
Because when you think "design sense", you think of someone who signs him/herself "dpisme". Might I suggest you switch to another channel? Food Network might be more your style, since you like to stick things in your mouth.
Wow! Sounds like someone didn't get chosen for Design Star, or is insanely jealous. I wish you the best dpisme and hope that you can focus more on being a happier person.
I never applied for, nor would I lower myself, to be on DS. There is no way I"m jealous of a non-entity, such as Emily. I'll be happier, when HGTV and it's bunch of phony "designers," goes off the air. Why don't you study REAL design, instead of wasting your time watching HGTV. NO, I don't watch HGTV, I saw one episode of DS this year, just so dopes, who like the no talent excuses for designers, couldn't accuse me of not watching DS. I knew it would be crap, but I did inflict one episode on myself, just so, in other peoples dim opinion, I could legitimately comment. Emily's horror show was covered to the best of HGTV.com ability and what a disaster! Apparently, some brain dead people like her "personality. Unfortunately, her absolute lack of design talent and ability, doesn't seem to bother the brain dead viewers at all?
Well, Despise Me, we do. You're basically an ass with a mouth. We all know that HGTV is not high brow in its approach to design. Hello. It is formatted for the average person. No wonder you find it boring; goodness knows you are of a different class altogether. One imagines that you would have so much more to do than sit and watch HGTV. Carry on, then, with your stellar existence. Bye-bye.
dpisme you can't win…All of a sudden these people love her, yet I bet the majority of them thought she should have been let go after the very first challenge…Just goes to show you how phony and fake people can be…Too flippin funny!
STOP WITH THE UNNECESSARY COMMAS! Please learn to read, write and conjugate a sentence properly in English before you criticize someone's design style. You have more things to worry about than what HGTV is putting on the air. May I suggest hooked-on-phonics and a kindergarten course for writing? That would be a good starting point. You probably should stop watching HGTV and focus on getting a basic education. Then you can finally move on from your job at McDonald's and hopefully learn to be a refined person with morals and graciousness! Stop being rude! It only adds to your lack of personality and most likely to your homeliness. It's sad to see someone so bitter over another person's success and happiness. Go back to the trailer park where you came from and stop bothering people. And please learn some manners! Congratulations Emily!
Then don't watch. Don't wreck it for the rest of us.
why are you at this site then?
Great tips! I especially like the idea of scanning for the BIGS first! Great job!
Loved the show!! Beautiful finished rooms and Emily did a great job of incorporating lots of tips. Looking forward to more!
Great show with ideas that seem do-able. So I often the HGTV shows seem to concentrate on the "BIG" projects. I don't know if I'll ever be ready to rip out and redo my own kitchen. But this kind of styling is perfect for those of us with a limited budget and limited construction skills.
I really loved it! I got out my notebook and tried to imagine what I could do with my space and how to mix different styles I love. I hope she will be traveling but, that's doubtful. She would be welcome at my place any time! My mind is still whirling with the idea of temporary fabric wallpaper using spray adhesive in the glass house challenge. I wish I had the talent of mixing colors and patterns like Emily. Hope the show airs soon!
Amber, just be sure you use spray fabric starch not spray adhesive. The fabric starch makes it temporary…the spray adhesive will be mostly permanent.
Loved the show! So many helpful tips that I think I will actually use. And I loved that the space seemed more natural & a reflection of his style as opposed to being a slick professionally done room. Hope this show becomes a regular!
FABULOUS SHOW!!!! bravo emily!!