About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales

Table Settings

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:47:44 +0000

Mid-Century Modern Pottery

http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiosmith/ / CC BY 2.0

My friend Wayne always plans his table settings, for holidays and dinner parties, days before the actual meal.

He's hosting his mother tomorrow for Thanksgiving. Although they'll eat in the dining room, he decided to forgo the Meissen candelabra and the fine china. He wanted something more relaxed, something earthier to reflect the harvest season.

After playing around with various mixes, he described his final selections. We realized that nearly everything he's using -- for eating, serving, and the centerpiece -- are things he's picked up over the years from thrift stores, yard sales, and antique malls. He's promised to take photos for us.

Search secondhand sources for items for even your most special occasions. Even if you still want to use your best china, you can mix it up with vintage glassware, vases, serving pieces, or linens. And when you're not using them for dining, you can display them in charming vignettes, as Don Pritchard did in his kitchen and dining room.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Table Settings originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 22:47:44.

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Divine Chairs

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:57:02 +0000

Tootie from The Divine Chair Company
Photo � The Divine Chair Company

I asked owner Kitty McBride to describe The Divine Chair Company.

"Tiny," she said. "Fabulous."

Her chairs are certainly fabulous. She transforms antique frames with new fabrics and paint, creating pieces you'd have never found in your great grandmother's house -- not unless your great grandmother was super hip, that is.

Read McBride's tips for restyling your own chairs, or browse her selections if you're in the market for a divine holiday present for yourself.

Divine Chairs originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 18:57:02.

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Charm Isn't the Only Reason to Buy the Old Stuff

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:45:14 +0000

They've finally turned on the radiators in my building. Generally, I love the radiator heat; it's moist heat and I'm rather fond of that regular clanging in the walls when steam is forced through the pipes.

Vintage Electric Fans
Photo � Leah French

Unfortunately, it isn't consistently cold here yet, and I have no temperature controls other than opening and closing the valves. I'm pretty sure I've come close to melting a few times, so I've decided I need fans.

Several years ago, I bought some new tower fans, programmable with all sorts of settings and remote controlled. Those lasted about two years before they died, yet all those old metal fans I see at the flea market still work after decades of use.

This time, I'm buying the old ones.

Charm Isn't the Only Reason to Buy the Old Stuff originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 23:45:14.

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Homemade Furniture Wax: Nontoxic & Neurotic Cat Friendly

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:56:52 +0000

My cat Hugo has an odd fixation with scented products. If I apply them, he licks them obsessively.

On my person, this can be my lotion, my deodorant, or even the snout full of Vicks� I occasionally sport during allergy season. I find this unpleasant, especially the latter. Hugo is a shedder, so he leaves a teaspoon or so of cat hair stuck to the bit of Vicks� graciously left under my nose after his licking frenzy. It's not particularly soothing when your nose is already itchy and irritated. On the other hand, I rarely have to exfoliate.

He is equally diligent about licking the products I use in my home, so I worry about chemicals. A couple of years ago, I started experimenting with a nontoxic, homemade furniture wax recipe. After perfecting it to my taste -- and Hugo's, literally -- I use it on all my wood furniture, and on my unsealed hardwood floors.

The beeswax and vanilla combination smells so good that I've been tempted to give it a lick too. Thus far, I've resisted.

Homemade Furniture Wax: Nontoxic & Neurotic Cat Friendly originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 23:56:52.

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Look for Versatile Pieces

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:41:18 +0000

I love the scalloped edges on this sunny yellow flea market table, and the shelves and height make it so versatile. It's tall enough for use while standing, but not too tall to use as an occasional table.

Painted Flea Market Table
Photo � Leah French

Over the course of a lifetime, as needs change, I imagine moving this table from room to room for many different uses:

Entry table
Television stand
Changing table
Bar
Printer stand
Microwave Cart
Entry Table
Bathroom towel or toiletry storage
End table for sofa or chair with high arms
Sofa, lamp, or library Table
Potting table for sheltered outdoor area

What have I missed? Can you think of other uses?

Shopping for Flea Market Furniture

Look for Versatile Pieces originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 00:41:18.

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Straight Up and Stinky

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:38:30 +0000

Mid-Century Modern Sofa
http://www.flickr.com/photos/misocrazy/ / CC BY 2.0

This mid-century modern sofa has it all -- great color, great shape, and great condition. It seems perfect as is.

The only thing left is the sniff test, because it's likely harboring a half century of other people's living odors. If it's been in storage, it probably smells musty.

Still, I wouldn't dream of reupholstering it. I'd just whip out the vodka.

In addition to its more obvious uses, vodka is one of the best natural deodorizers for vintage upholstery, even for smoke and musty smells.

Straight Up and Stinky originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 23:38:30.

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Turn Discarded Clothing into Stylish Decor

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:30:36 +0000

When searching for fabric for a smallish upholstery project, don't forget to stroll through the clothing aisles of your favorite thrift store.

Thrift Store Clothing
Photo � Leah French

During a visit to my local Goodwill store, I found the fabrics in the photo. The brown linen is a tunic style maxi dress, the stripe is a blouse, and the toile and zigzag are skirts.

Perhaps you've found a small fauteuil -- a wood-framed upholstered armchair with open sides -- and you want to update it with fresh fabric. Upholster the chair seat and back in the brown linen, and pop the brown with contrasting welt made from the stripe. Use the toile and zigzag fabrics for accent pillows.

Your total fabric cost? A mere $5.25 plus tax.

More Bargain Fabric Sources

Turn Discarded Clothing into Stylish Decor originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 19:30:36.

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Empty Frames as Decoration

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:55:57 +0000

Dressmaker's dummy and old frames on display at Sheffield Antique Mall in Collierville, TN.
Photo � Leah French

Framing artwork gets expensive, even when you buy the supplies and do the work yourself. I always advise snapping up good frames when you find them for a song, even if you don't yet have unframed art in that size. I do it constantly.

Usually, I just store the frames in a closet or under the bed until I need them.

I like this idea much better.

Empty Frames as Decoration originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 00:55:57.

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Decorating Inspiration from a Completely Accidental Observation

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:35:49 +0000

I just love to look in other people's windows.

I tell myself it's not creepy since I'm not trying to see any people. In fact, I get annoyed if the people inside are blocking my view. I just want to see their homes and how they've decorated. I'm always looking for new ideas.

I'd never trespass, and I certainly don't use binoculars. Okay, I might do the latter if I had some. Mostly, I just walk or drive past, slowly. I can't tell you how many wrecks I've nearly had while driving past houses whose occupants were kind enough to leave the curtains open after dark.

Usually, I don't bother during the day. You can't see much. But, I accidentally hit pay dirt this morning. Read more...

Decorating Inspiration from a Completely Accidental Observation originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 18:35:49.

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The Stuff to Fix Your Stuff

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:06:14 +0000

Ceramic pulls perfect for restyling vintage furniture.
Photo � Leah French

You probably know the flea market is a great place to buy furniture that just needs to be spruced up a bit. Broken or missing hardware is a common issue, but usually one of the easiest to fix. Sometimes you can even find the replacements right there at the flea market.

I see hardware while flea market shopping all the time -- new, antique, and sometimes fantastic handmade pieces.

I spotted these colorful ceramic pulls over the weekend. If they'd had just two more of the red ones, they'd have been perfect for a piece I'm planning to use for extra storage in my tiny kitchen.

If you have pieces you're working on, it's a good idea to keep the hardware measurements with you. You're pretty safe with knobs, but the space between the screws varies with pulls and handles. Nevertheless, if you happen to fall for something really special, you can always fill the holes and drill new ones, especially on painted pieces that need a fresh coat anyway.

Which Furniture Is Worth Fixing

The Stuff to Fix Your Stuff originally appeared on About.com Flea Markets & Yard Sales on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 04:06:14.

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