I Shop Small! Do you?

It's is Small Business Saturday!!!  What are you going to do with it?  Go pick up bagels for your houseguests at your local bakery?  Grab coffee at the town coffehouse?  Fetch your dry cleaning from the village launderer?  Maybe you'll consider your local businesses as you run errands and begin your Christmas shopping today. Whether it's your local wineshop, bookstore, florist or toystore, your precious dollars have much more oomph spent in small businesses  

Today is the 2nd annual Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses
on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.  The day's founder, American Express®, is asking millions of people to Shop Small at their favorite local stores today to help fuel the economy.



When we all shop small, it will be huge. 
Cheers,
Whitney

Set of Art Sales

Our friends over at One Kings Lane are emptying out their curated collections of art for the sake of beautifying our walls.  Lucky us!

The sales are separated into great categories: Collector's Pieces, Modern Masters, Emerging Artists, as well as collections by the photographer Massimo Vitali and black-and-white prints from the William Stafford Gallery.  Check out the sales and see if you can acquire something new for your collection. 
Not a member of One Kings Lane?  Click here for your personal invitation from me. xo.



Alexander Calder, Bubbles

Judith Gigliotti, Trees at Dusk, Sienna



Mia Henry, Revival, Canvas



Michael Weeks, Pony Painter

Massimo Vitali, Rosignano Diptych

Roberta Pinna, Diver III

Sassoon Kosian, Mesmerize Orange

Pablo Picasso, War and Peace

Bernard Buffet, Papillon Rouge et Jaune

Chagall, Rachel Hides

At these prices, it would be silly to pass up the opportunity to add some interesting and stimulating pieces to your collection.  If you don't have a 'collection,' this is the perfect opportunity to start one.  It's amazing what some lovingly-chosen art pieces can do for personalizing your home.  Happy shopping!

Cheers,

Whitney

Barn Sale!

I will seriously fight people at this sale. 



Southampton Annual Barn Sale

 October 15, 2011 

8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
 

Up to 75% Off Select Discontinued, Damaged and Floor Sample Products!

 

All sales are final.

Limited delivery or no delivery will be available.

Cash and check are preferred, but credit cards will be accepted

for payment over $150.

Sales tax will be applied to all sales.

**Please note this sale is only at Mecox Southampton.**

257 County Road 39A

Southampton, NY 11968

631-287-5015

See you there.  I'll be the one wearing war paint.

Click Here for New Arrivals and review all the fabulous inventory at Mecox Gardens http://www.mecoxgardens.com/pageNewArrivalItems.as

Cheers,
Whitney

Hunting for Vintage

Been having a great time in Lexington, shopping the amazing vintage stores in town, and finding some amazing antique resources off the beaten path, too.

I've been redecorating a Guest Bedroom on a slim budget and blink-and-its-here deadline, so thrift stores have been my No. 1 source for unique furnishings and accessories for this room.  I've had a blast meeting many of the shop owners and salespeople at Lexington's thrift and secondhand shops, among them are the staff at Uncle Ray Jay's Furniture ReSellers, Room Service, Scout, Feather My Nest, Another Man's Treasure, and about 5 different Goodwill shops. 

But my absolute favorite shop discovery has been Street Scene, a fabulously put-together vintage boutique.  I walked in the store (which is so unassuming from the exterior), and nearly fainted at the girlie retro wonder of it all.  The store is arranged in half a dozen themed vignettes, with clothing, fashion accessories, furniture and home accessories staged to retro perfection.  It was as if Etsy morphed into a storefront and enveloped me into its well-curated quirkiness.  I whipped out my iPhone and used my favorite app, Camera+, to capture some of the goodness and share here.



Cute little kitchenette vignette!
And, are you kidding me with that chair? It was meticulously recovered in soft red gingham. YES!

A Halloween-themed vignette with 70s furniture and tons of gilded frames on the wall.



Another Halloween-y vignette near the men's clothing section.  Lots of vintage cool men's hats, btw.



The back of the shop, which is huge and so pristine, you'd think all the items were brand spanking new. 



You know I almost convulsed at the sight of all this glassware. 
Too bad I didn't bring an extra suitcase on my trip to fill with these goodies..  I love cocktail glassware!!!



A dressmaker's form was recovered in peacock blue satin and is used to display an insane amount of brooches and pins.  Steal this idea for your boudoir!

  

I really, REALLY loved this campaign-style bamboo tray table.  Wouldn't it make a fabulous nightstand?  And how rad are those plaid pillows?!




This table lamp is so haute. 



Bins filled with decorative handles, pulls, knobs and finials. 
And with prices much cheaper than that store that rhymes with Quanthropologie.



I die.  This patio furniture set would be so cute in a kitchen. 
And all those tabletop goodies are totally Mrs. Roper cool.



If you're in the Lexington area, you must check out Street Scene.  There's a treasure at every step in this shop, and the ladies on staff were so sweet and super stylish.  They recommended some of the other vintage shops that I visited this week (and mentioned above), and were so gracious while I gushed about their fab shop.  I didn't buy anything for the Guest Room makeover, but I managed to buy a purse for myself.  How does that always seem to happen?!? I was there with only 20 minutes before I had a meeting, so I couldn't shop for too long, but I'm going back before I leave town! 

Cheers,
Whitney

Calm Before The Storm

New Yorkers are used to chaos, but perhaps not the kind of chaos that Mother Nature has brought this week. 

On Tuesday, I perched myself on a fluffy chair in the D&D building waiting for some samples at the Schumacher showroom.  And, as I watched the fabrics in the wings quiver and ever-so-slightly billow, I caught myself thinking that the floor seemed to quiver as well.  Then, the windows creaked and the shades atop those windows banged against the panes.  I thought to myself, "No way, Jose. Manhattan is an island on granite bedrock, and it's gotta be geologically impossible for an earthquake to shake this town."  But, the building kept on shaking.  And then my California-girl instincts kicked in and I booked it out of the building down the stairwell.  Out on the sidewalk of 3rd Avenue, people clung to their cellphones, desperately glad to hear that it was 'just an earthquake' and not something threateningly sinister.

And just as we're all recovering from the excitement of the earthquake, now we're all preparing for Hurricane Irene to slam us on Saturday night.  And we're not used to hurricanes up 'round these parts.  New Yorkers may think Manhattan is the center of the universe, but it's the outer edge of the Atlantic's hurricane alley.  The last time a hurricane legitimately touched New York's shores was Gloria in 1985. 

Hurricane Irene's tropical storm-force wind field is larger than both Hurricane Ike (2008) and Hurricane Katrina (2005) at maximum size.  Besides the surf and the wind, the wicked rains are supposed to be the biggest problem for NYC.  It means that New York City will likely break the previous wettest month record dating back to 1882.  Uh yea, I'm a bit of a weather nerd.  Jim Cantore is my favorite meteorologist.  He's like the Bear Grylls of weather.

via TWC.com

While I'm not at all worried about myself, my mind is with the elderly who live alone or in nursing facilities near the coastlines.  How scary for them.  If you have an older relative living on the East Coast, please call them today and make sure they are safe in case floods and/or power outages occur in their area.  Panic is common at times of disaster, and preparedness is key.  I know, I know, I know; one can never be too prepared, but I had to giggle at the sight of a young woman buying 4 gallons of milk at the grocery store yesterday.  Unless she has a bunch of teenagers at home, I doubt that 2% milk will save her if NYC is flooded on Sunday.

So if you're holed up at home this weekend, clutching your flashlight batteries and side-eyeing your transistor radio, might I suggest a little fun stuff to occupy your worried mind...



Let's all sit for a moment and think about what we would do with this 56-drawer bad boy.  I would build a kitchen around it for a client with lots of dish wares.  For myself, it would be the landmark area for fabrics and accessories at the WID offices.  Wouldn't that be nice?!

Do yourself a favor and make this.  Baked French Toast from Jenny the Great.

Feeling crafty?  Grab your kids or nephews or neighbors and try this or any of Babble's adorable activities. 

The Pioneer Woman has a show on The Food Network premiering Saturday morning.  I'd watch just to see Walter the basset hound pretend to be a cattle dog...

If I had longer hair I would rock this style often.  Not just for weddings. 

The wonderful Mrs. Blandings nears her 1,000th post by way of vacationing back to her early days of blogging. 

I keep finding excellent deals at One Kings Lane's Downstairs.  Have you checked out their clearance section?!?

If Tim Burton designed a bathroom in a vintage Amsterdam apartment, I think it would look like this.  I just pinned this to my Pinterest board titled 'BadAss Bathrooms,' on which I'm gathering inspiration images for an upcoming bathroom reno.

Last night I said to my husband that I am sort of excited about the storm. So I kinda sang, 'Come On, Irene!' and thought of this song and brought me into a fit of laughter thinking about this dorky dance party and horrible lip synching from the Dexy lead singer.

Be safe this weekend, even if Irene isn't on your tail.

Cheers,

Whitney

A Slice of Turkey

My husband and I were in Saratoga Springs, NY, cruising the downtown shopping scene when my eyes bulged out of my face at the sight of this amazing Turkish Bazaar.  A well-edited, organized shop, the gallery featured rugs, kilims, ceramics, suzanis, dresses, lanterns and intricately designed footwear!  Such fun.  I could have stayed in the shop for hours. 

Fabulous!  If you're ever in Saratoga Springs, you may want to get over to the gallery on Broadway for a Turkish shopping spree! 

Cheers,

Whitney

1stdibs! eBay! ...and, Craigslist? An antique snobbery challenge




He's an antique snob. Are you one too?

 
How do you feel about pre-owned furnishings?  There's a strong market for it, even out-of-region, thanks to online antique exchanges.  I have a blast perusing auction sites and vintage market platforms when working on a tightly-budgeted project.  And I'm proud to say I have no qualms about low-end marketplaces.  But not everyone agrees with me on this.  Some feel that an 'antique' is only and 'antique' when sold by a formal dealer who [presumably] has deemed the piece worth a certain value.

Do you disagree with me?  Let's face it, when buying furnishings that have been previously owned, it's USED, no matter how you cut it.  But, I have watched clients' faces distort in disgust when I suggest a second-hand or Craigslist purchase.  And yet the same faces won't grimace at the mention of eBay or, especially, 1stdibs.  Hrmmmm.

I'm curious: are we all just a little too snobby when it comes to previously-owned goods?  Or, does the vendor have everything to do with the reliability of purchase?  Is the quality presumed to be higher with a higher price tag?  Is the transaction akin to buying a used Mercedes from a listing in the yellow pages (objectionable), but purchasing a pre-owned Mercedes from a dealership (perfectly acceptable)? 



Challenge #1  (I'm thinking about making this a monthly series on CYAH)
Below are three sideboards.  Each piece was discovered on the 3 sites using the single Keyword "Baker."  Match the Baker sideboard to which venue it's currently being listed:
 

Federal style sideboard by Baker.
a) 1stdibs  b) eBay  c) Craigslist




Regency style console by Baker.
a) 1stdibs b) eBay c) Craigslist




Late Georgian style sideboard by Baker.
a) 1stdibs b) eBay c) Craigslist



BONUS POINTS: Match the price to the piece:

$3,500.00

$1,450.00

$510.00

Throw out your guesses in the comment section.  And we'll see who has the best (or, is it worst?) snob radar in the pre-owned furnishings department...

Answers (and links) will posted over the weekend!
Cheers, Whitney

UPDATE & ANSWERS:


Federal style sideboard by Baker.
Available through a seller on NYC-Area Craigslist!  Asking price is $1,450.00
Link:   http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/fuo/2531142214.html

 

Regency style console by Baker.
Available through a vendor on 1stdibs!  And a steep price at $3,500.00  
Link: http://www.1stdibs.com/furniture_item_detail.php?id=455554



Late Georgian style sideboard by Baker.
Available through eBay.  At time of posting, bidding for $510.00
Link:  http://cgi.ebay.com/Baker-Mahogany-Sideboard-circa-1960-/300584730676?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fc3f0034

How did you fare on our little test?  Surprised with the truth about second-hand furnishings, perhaps?    
Cheers, Whitney

Found Goodies...

I found a wealth of goodies on the internet today.  I share this wealth because I'm a generous soul who knows that you, like me, feel fantastic when new design/architecture/décor/real estate/entertaining brain candy is handed to you on the silver platter that is a glowing laptop monitor.  Mmmmmm. 

BARKITECTURE! via katiedid

Live ON the Beach in the Hamptons for less than $1million! via Curbed

There's a DURALEE fabrics outlet on Long Island! via Effortless Style

This easy chicken recipe rocks! by Georgia Pellegrini via Tasty Kitchen

Made Goods Debuts New Mirrors! via Cocozy

Natural Curiosities sent me a note that they'll be at Booth 47008!  Art, décor & accessories abound at the NYIGF

What would you do to make this otherwise-ordinary home shine within its arbor-rific vibe? via Jentrified

Don't waste the plinth/toe-kick space in your lower cabinetry! by The Family Handyman via Pinterest

I am a published photographer! via Gilroy Dispatch. Thanks to my trusty iPhone and Camera+ app, I am quite proud of this accomplishment.  And, yes, the Gilroy Garlic Festival is amazing. 

Happy interneting, my friends!
Cheers, Whitney

Go, Go, GO to this sale!

I'll be there.  Will you?

Cheers,

Whitney

Happy Friday

Towards the end of each week, I get Apartment Therapy's Weekend Sales list in my inbox.  Do you?  It's super helpful for weekend shopping plans!  And I usually run over to their site to see what they're covering a few times a week.  The homepage today shows this image with a blurb about the color combination of pink and yellow.  This living room by designer Liz Caan got me thinking a little bit... 

via Apartment Therapy

Thinking about the impact of a lifesize statue in mid-handstand.  About the charm of a gilded apple as a side tables.  And about exposed beams -- and you know how much I love exposed beams.

Happy Friday everyone.  Let's go do handstands on the hearth.
Cheers,
Whitney

A Quick Thrift Spin

Earlier this week I was running some errands on the Upper East Side, and went into a few of my go-to thrift haunts.  Housing Works almost always shines in the second-hand store category, and these sightings did not disappoint.  I favor the Housing Works on 77th Street off Third Ave, but have had very good luck at the Grammercy and Chelsea locations, too.

A delightful and versatile rocker bench.  I'd sand it down, paint it a glossy navy and put it in a child's room

An immaculate set of bentwood chairs.  Bentwood chairs!  These are for sale through HW's auction site.

Um, not sure that this is an operable gas mask, but it might be a cool, punk decor accessory in the right room, no?

A huge leather case, in perfectly-worn-and-loved condition. Only catch? The latch was locked shut and the combination unknown.  The photo is shoddy, but it was a beautiful saddle color.

After I left Housing Works -- empty-handed, amazingly! -- I walked to Thriffany on First Ave.  Yes that's such an absurd name but I can't stop thinking about it when I'm in their shop, so at least its catchy.  Their selection is varied but such is the case with most thrift shops.  The thrill of the hunt is most of the fun. 

This pair of portaits caught my eye. 

And by 'catching my eye,' I mean that I wanted to buy insurance from them.

This vintage brass banquet server was cool. 

A huge burlwood dresser.  Marked down to $225, which is crazy, but they'd likely take half that.

And during my walk between Housing Works and Thriffany, I saw this old lady hanging out over her window ledge watching me like a ... wait, that's not an old lady! That's a pit bull!

Only in New York...

All these photos were taken with my crummy Blackberry.  On that note, I'm in the market for a new camera.  A legitimate camera which I will respect & love as the investment that it shall be.  But I know very little about fancy cameras.  What kind of shooter do you use and/or recommend??  I'm anxiously awaiting your ideas & advice!
Cheers,
Whitney