A new Journal post about collecting vintage won’t surprise anyone who has been a Two Hands follower or client for any length of time. We lean heavy into incorporating beautiful old things – both pedigreed and not – into our work. I personally don’t believe a room is done unless it has a few vintage pieces with patina to bring some soul.
I recently dropped my oldest daughter off for her junior year of college in Ohio. My secret sauce for managing all the feels on the way home is to stop at EVERY antique store I see a sign for, I’m not exaggerating.
On this recent trip I came across New Paris, Ohio – a darling little town with several stores filled with gems. There are a few photos here of some finds – I was very inspired by the red secretary with white detailing – might need to knock that off on a future find.
So, what am I looking for as I wander? Generally I have a few projects in mind that I am sourcing for – common items I pick up would be lamps, side tables, accessories – mixing in some unexpected pieces helps a space feel collected instead of formulaic.
I’m a sucker for vintage fabric – for pillows, table runners, to hang over the back of a chair. It’s pretty common to come across good art – the key is to look beyond the framing and assess if the style and palette have a place in any projects or if a piece is just too good to leave behind.
I’ve gotten relatively good at knowing what price point a vintage piece should go for in a store, and of course you can always turn to the internet for some vetting.
Perhaps the most rewarding and important part of these side trips is the inspiration – a reminder of the wonderful history of color and design we have in our country, which always gets me excited to reference that in our work so we don’t become too one-note or trendy.