The Best Thrift Stores for Home Decor in the DC Metro Area
The question I am most asked is “What’s your favorite thrift store?” This is the equivalent of asking a parent to name their favorite child. I can’t do it. And, where I go completely depends what type of home item I am in the mood to find.
So, below, you will find not my top favorite but my top 10 favorite thrift stores in the DC Metro Area (often called “DMV” by locals).
Trays are the Area Rug of Your Table
I can’t even begin to explain my love of a good tray. They serve a million different functions. We use vintage bamboo trays when we are having BBQs so our guests can hold all their refreshments. I use them to help corral toys around our house - they are especially helpful when playing with play-doh or coloring and we are going between the kitchen and the playroom. I also keep one at my front door so I can throw all my junk in it during the week and then take it around the house with me at the end of the week and put all the items where they belong.
But the best use for a tray, in my opinion, is to help draw the eye to a collection. Just like an area rug helps pull the room together, a well placed tray will help pull the decor of your table together.
Displaying Family Heirlooms in Your Home
Have yall seen the HBO Documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid where the social icon, Gloria Vanderbilt, is interviewed by her son, Anderson Cooper. I am constantly drawn to it and seem to watch it every few months. I am positively in awe and fascinated by Gloria Vanderbilt. Her innocence, style, love and honesty is positively charming. You can tell through the hardships she has endured that she has done a tremendous amount of soul searching and is such a strong woman.
(And as a mother of a son, it is about the most precious thing ever to watch how much Anderson not only loves but ADORES his mother.)
One of the things you learn in this conversation is how she uses her art as a form of therapy. One of her most striking mediums is what she calls “Dream Boxes” where she assembles these fabulous acrylic boxes with items to display an emotion or tell a story.
This one stopped me in my tracks.
Who is Sister Parish?
Sister Parish, a prominent American interior decorator, is known for her classic and traditional design style. Her signature elements include chintz fabrics, painted furniture, and needlepoint pillows. She partnered with Albert Hadley to form the renowned Parish-Hadley Design Firm and worked on notable projects like decorating the White House in the 1960s.
Finding the Best Vintage Bargains on DC Craigslist
When I first met Sarah Lyon (@sarahlyon9), I basically thought she was the little sister I never had. She loves Higher Education as much as I do, loves interior designs AND...she's an amazing Craigslist shopper. The stuff this woman has gotten off Craigslist blows my mind. Ya'll, she's like a NBA Baller status Craigslister.
Recently we put our heads together to come up with a little bit of a rules of the Craigslist game...you know a list of "Helpful Tips to Navigate Craigslist".
The Most Important Tools for Hunting Vintage Home Decor
Over the last few years, I have spent so much time and money buying things at thrift stores and flea markets only to get it home and realize something was wrong or broken….it wasn’t actually tarnish, the silver plate was worn off. Or the area I thought was just dirty is actually a stain. Or what I assumed was solid brass turned out to be brass plate.
I finally got wise and put together a little make up bag I carry with me now when I am out scouting at Estate Sales, Flea Markets and Thrift Stores. Here is a peak inside my magic goodie bag:
Vintage Paint-By-Number
I don’t know about you but when I think of vintage art, one of the first things that pops into my mind are paint by numbers. We have all seen them, those little kits with the canvas that has light blue or gray lines with numbers inside of them. The cute little plastic paint packets with just the perfect shade of blue for your sky.
What is the purpose of a Napkin Ring?
I feel like sometimes I find folks on Instagram and I fall into a black vortex of investigation. Holly Holden is one of my latest new instagram loves! If you don’t follow her, you should do so immediately. I love knowing what is considered “proper” and “appropriate etiquette” if situations ever present themselves. Also, I think it is just great to get a little refresh of some basics, like how to address an envelope properly. Ya’ll need to sign up for her Mummy’s Monday Manners newsletter!
She recently was a guest on the Welcome Home podcast (another favorite) where they were discussing Holiday entertaining. The subject of napkin rings came up and I just had to share what she said about them - this is something I never knew!
You May Be Calling the Wrong Thing a Ginger Jar…
For years anything that was a porcelain blue and white jar that had an Asian motif was simply a ginger jar to me. I had no idea until I opened my Etsy shop that there were differences. AND that there all kinds of differences in ginger jars.
Here, my friends, is your Asian Porcelain Jar Tutorial….
How to Find the Good Stuff on Facebook Marketplace
To effectively use Facebook Marketplace, I use broad search terms, expand your location radius, train the algorithm by saving items, and join relevant Facebook groups for vintage finds. This will help you discover unique treasures for your home!
5 Tips for Setting a Table in a Small Space
Today I am going to share a few my favorite small space and inexpensive tricks to dress your table. After having lived in basements all over Washington DC for the majority of my life, I have become very adapt at figuring out how to entertain in small spaces. For most of my life, my entertaining haul fit in plastic bins under my bed.
Identifying Natural Fibers (aka: Your Fiber Cyber Study Guide)
Last week we talked about the difference between Wicker and Rattan and it got me thinking about how I am probably really butchering the names of the fibers that actually make up different materials. For example, any basket I see is basically “rattan” to me. Or any natural fiber rug is “jute”. But that’s obviously not the case.
Today I thought it would be helpful to identify the difference in all these natural fiber materials. What’s the difference between bamboo and rattan? Or what is the difference between cane and rattan? Check out the information below:
The Silent Butler / aka: Crumb Catcher / aka: Crumb Plate
I had always heard these called “Crumb Catchers” and was planning on doing an intro joke about how they are a mom’s best friend. Then, once I researched it a little further, I realized they were called “The Silent Butler.” Turns out they ARE the Mom.
What is the difference between Wicker and Rattan?
I was going to post something the other day on my Chairish shop and described the item as “rattan”. Then I stopped and said “wait, is this wicker.” Then I realized I didn’t really know the difference and I, incorrectly, use them two terms interchangeably.
I wanted to share what I learned from the ole Google machine because, you know, we can’ know everything.
How to Use Vintage Lamps in Your Decor
I have a real love for vintage lamps. They are an instant conversation piece in a room. Adding a vintage lamp to a modern side table is such an easy way to add a cool touch of vintage to your room!
My Favorite Thing to do with Vintage Porcelain Boxes
When I am out hunting, I never ever leave a porcelain decorative/trinket box behind. I love them. I have them all over my house and use them to hold toothpicks, ponytail holders and thumbtacks. But, my favorite thing to do with them is use them to hold matches and place them next to the candles I have around my house.
A Guide to Vintage Decanters: How to Clean Them, Use Them and Decorate with Them
I was recently having a conversation with a dear friend who asked me to keep my eye out for some vintage decanters for her bar. There really isn't anything quite as vintage and cool as a bunch of decanters, right? I don't know about you but I immediately think about Don Draper and smoking jackets and super cool things like Vintage Jags and the Dos Equis man.
Today I thought we'd explore what alcohol goes in what kind of decanter along with how to clean them and other uses for decanters besides alcohol.
What is the Difference between Retro, Vintage and Antique?
The other day I was listing some items in my Etsy store and something hit me like a big-ole ton of bricks. Etsy says anything made before 1999 is considered vintage. It is weird to put this into real context, isn't it? Sure, we all know that Mid Century Modern is vintage. We see a Lava Lamp in our parent's addict from the 70's and think "yeah, that's vintage."
But, ya'll. Vintage is so much more recent than you think.
Different Uses for Vintage Magazine Racks
Vintage magazine racks are one of my favorite things to pick up when I am out on the hunt. I use them all over my house and thought I'd share how. Obviously, they're great for magazines and newspapers but here are some of the other ways I put them to use.
Decorating with Vintage Portraits
I remember when I first saw this image I gasped. This collection of vintage portraits of George Washington was just everything to me. We are major history buffs over in the House of Harvie. And, personally, I love vintage portraits.