Human Lifestyle: shopping finds

Showing posts with label shopping finds. Show all posts

The Dresser I'm Dying Over

This one definitely ranks in my top 10! I'm dying over my newest find, this vintage Baker dresser that's the perfect combination of Modern & Asian.

I fell in love with this dresser for 2 reasons: (1) those lines & fabulous feet and, (2) the original (heavy) brass hardware. I don't think it would even come close to looking the same without this hardware--there's really not much to it, but in its classically chic shape, it's just enough. The dresser reminds me a bit of what this Jonathan Adler dresser...

and this 1st Dibs find...

would look like if they had a baby. The dresser looks like it's wrapped or embossed with some sort of finish, but I'm not quite sure what to call it. If any of you know what it is, please drop me a line because I've never before run across anything like it! I did a bit of research and found this coffee table from Pieces that looks like it's from the same line because of that rare (embossed??) finish.

I'm desperately in need of dresser for my bedroom so the plan, at least for now, is to use this piece for storage and as a console for my tv. My goal is to design it using 90% vintage/secondhand finds and slowly but surely, my plan is coming together. So excited about this score.

Fab Find!

I've been dying to share this great pair of lamps I found last week. After neglecting Anthropologie for far too long, I stopped in on a whim and found this pair of lamps sitting on the clearance table for 80% off, which means that they were only $29.99 from their original $150 price tag--score!

I love the weave and detail of the rope. It's great to find a unique pair of lamps that need nothing more than the perfect lampshades and a place to show them off (unlike the pile of vintage lamps I have in the garage awaiting makeovers!).

I'm excited to get back to working on my own projects and anxiously awaiting completion of this last week of school so I can get back to spending quality time refinishing furniture & accessories. It's so close I can taste it!

lamps, shopping deals, shopping finds |

5 Things You Should Know About the Atlanta Gift/Furniture Market!

1. WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL??

The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market (commonly known as "Market") is a biannual market held to showcase the newest merchandise in the world of gifts & home furnishings. Don't be fooled--the term "gifts" covers a wide range of products! Gift/furniture markets are held in most major cities (San Francisco, Chicago, NYC, Toronto, Dallas, & Las Vegas), but Atlanta is home to the largest in the world, with 3 buildings housing up to 23 floors and 7.7 MILLION square feet. Only 800,000 of that is used for trade shows, but still . . . that's a lot of wholesale shopping! In these buildings you'll find more than 4,000 showrooms housing products including area rugs, beds, apparel, novelty gifts, furniture, kids toys, candles, ornaments, dinnerware, accessories (home & fashion), lighting, linens, cookware, & wall decor. They even have massage stations on every floor to add the pep back to your step when your energy starts winding down! Still not sure what you'll find? Take a look . . .

Got it?

2. IT'S A PRIVATE CLUB (sort of).

Most gift markets are wholesale (meaning items are sold to other retailers, not general consumers) and therefore not open to the public. Entrance is only granted to established businesses, and a guest pass can be purchased by a business for an additional $50. Attendees are expected to wear badges at all times and identification must be visible upon entering the building, so it's not the kind of place where you can just plan to mix in with the crowd--security is tight and ever present. Unfortunately, attending Market is not as simple as providing a business license for entry; AmericasMart requires all of the following to register:

- Current retail business license or federal resale tax certificate

- Imprinted business check

- Corporate credit card or proof of merchant credit card ID #

- Photo ID or passport (one per buyer)

- Personalized business ID (business card or cancelled payroll check) – One per buyer required

- Internet businesses must provide proof of search engine with website and proof of URL registration

Plus one of these:

- White or yellow page business phone listing
- Current year executed sales tax return or sales tax coupon book
- Lease agreement for commercial space
- Photo of retail store front with company signage clearly displayed
- Current invoices showing you purchase Mart related merchandise in quantity for resale

Definitely serious business.

3. YOU HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY.

Because Market is technically for wholesalers, every showroom has an established minimum purchase requirement (or "open"/"opening"). Depending on the company/showroom, minimums can go as low as $500 (and maybe lower for certain goods) and as high as $3,000-$5,000. Higher-end showrooms set high minimums as a means of increasing demand and ensuring that their products lines don't become oversaturated in the marketplace. Most showrooms also have minimum purchase quantities on smaller items, meaning you can't buy just one of that cute little ginger jar you had your heart set on. These rules often keep the average consumer at bay, because there aren't too many non-retailers that would want to buy a lot of 75 iPhone cases or 25 Mother-of-Pearl jewelry boxes.

4. TRENDS RULE!!!

People go to Market for one of 3 reasons--to purchase items for design clients, build store inventory, or get an early peak at the trends that will be hitting the design world in as few as 4 weeks. Certain companies are known to be the Market trendsetters, and buyers flock to those showrooms to see the newest trends, as well as their fabulous displays. Want to know the trends I spotted last week? Lots of ceramic/iron animal motifs (not just owls anymore!), big infusions of fresh color featuring a lot of orange & turquoise, and an abundance of organic elements.

polyvore

Brown Design

5. NO PHOTOGRAPHY, PLEASE.

Because Market is really about spotting the latest trends (see #4), there's fierce competition among the showrooms--everyone wants to be the manufacturer (or wholesaler) of the latest and greatest product. As such, showroom/display photography is generally not allowed. While not every showroom has a posted "no photography" sign, company reps will often ask you to put your camera away if you whip it out and start snapping away. Sometimes asking helps, sometimes not. I have a bit of personal experience with this because I was actually asked by a security guard to stop photographing a display--they don't play around! Some of the showrooms are known for scouting out their more prestigious counterparts and then copying the popular items for the next Market (lesser quality at a lower price), so it's not uncommon to see similar items on different displays. Don't be immediately fooled by the big discrepancy in price--often times it's indicative of quality.

In addition to thousands of showrooms, each Market also features dozens of seminars by well-known personalities. This year's lineup included Lifestyle Designer Eddie Ross, Potter & Interior Designer Jonathan Adler, renowned Interior Designer Suzanne Kasler, Chef Tyler Florence, and Brand Strategist Olivier Blanchard. The seminars are a great way to round out your Market experience and promise to add to your repertoire, whatever your interests! In a nutshell, I'd describe the Atlanta Gift/Home Furnishings Market as one of the best places to go to spot the newest trends and color palettes for the upcoming season.

For those of you who attended, what were your thoughts??

I Spy . . .

And just what do I spy?

These tables (that I haven't seen before!) at Target.

They look awfully similar to the one Betsy Burnham used in this living room design.

See it over there on the right? It looks like the top on this one might be mirrored, but for about $300 cheaper (probably) the Target find will work. I wasn't able to find the price, but I figure it's no more than $80 at most. Better go snatch one up if you're in the market.

Also, I picked this little do-dad up yesterday for my desk.

(Sorry about the . . . complicated table. I've still super busy. More details to come . . . )

I'll be using it for my cards (if they ever come!), but I'm dying to know what it's actually for. Any ideas??

**Also, thank to everyone who's emailed me over the past few days for fresh furniture ideas--I'm flattered!**

shopping finds |

Ergo Candles--The Best!

Do you love a good, quality candle?? If so, you have to try this one . . .

mango

If Mango's not your thing (although I happen to love this one), there's such a wide array of scents so there's sure to be something that tickles your fancy. These candles are 100% soy, inexpensive ($24) and just one can permeate your entire home! They're sold at many boutiques including Market here in Atlanta. If you're not in the A, you can also find them here.

If you've used Ergo before, let me know what you think. Do you know of another one in this price range that's better? If so, let me know!

Atlanta, boutiques, shopping finds |

L.L. Bean-Part II

L.L. Bean's customer service is ridiculous, and I mean that in the best way.

My bag came a few weeks ago, and I was so excited. I was just what I ordered, and I loved it.

Except for the fact that it was a bit too big, and it's totally my fault. After studying the photo on the website (which, by the way, looks really small) and carrying around a cardboard box that was roughly the size of the bag's measurements, I decided to order the Boat & Tote in a Large with my monogram. Unfortunately, when it arrived it ended up being a bit larger than expected. I called LL Bean's customer service to see if there was any possible recourse, and I was informed that they accept returns on all items--even those items that are monogrammed!! I have never, especially in this day and age, heard of a company accepting a return on a personalized item, but apparently LL Bean's policy is 100% satisfaction for every customer, no matter what. WOW--now that's what I call ridiculous customer service! Needless to say, I was all too happy to exchange my bag for the medium, and I'm anxiously awaiting it's arrival. Since I'm looking to use it as a smaller tote bag, I think the medium will be better for suited for my purpose.

I know you love this natural light shot, en route to UPS.

And of course, now that I see it like this . . . it doesn't look so big. I now see why Raquel didn't select the bag for me in the beginning--she knows me well enough to know that this back and forth is a definite possibility. :) Thank God for friends who know who you are and love you anyway!

Let's hope there's not a part III to this story.

**And to those of you who raved about the sturdiness of this bag, you're so right--I've never seen canvas like this before!!**

accessories, birthday, shopping finds |

What Did We Do Before Craigslist???

The idea of trolling the newspaper for yard sales and having to drive around to find what you're looking for seems so archaic these days. Don't get me wrong, I still do it from time to time, but only when I'm in a mood to do the driving and okay with coming home empty handed. I remember the days of circling the listings in the paper and figuring out the best ways to get from house to house, or better yet, driving around looking for signs like this.

credit: Anthony Rosenberg
Of course it helps that I have one of these now.

Still, I stopped by 3 sales this weekend and there was nothing but JUNK masquerading as "antiques". The thrill of a yard sale can be great, but nothing can beat searching for what you specifically need (and find it). Thank God I found these on Craigslist last week.

Only the most perfect nightstands EVER. When I called they were already promised to someone else, but the owner emailed the next day and told me that the woman came by and decided they were too big (silly girl!), so if I could come soon, they were mine! How often does that happen??? Normally in this instance the people come, love the item, and you miss out. I've been searching for the perfect nightstands for my bedroom for awhile and these are not only fabulous, but they're vintage, one of a kind, and only $50.

They need a little prep work, but nothing more than a light sanding and a good cleaning. They're perfect for me because I definitely need at least one drawer, but I like the open shelving at the bottom, too. They're wider in the front, narrower in the back, and I love the clean, almost Zen detail on the feet. My plans include black paint (definitely!), a hardware change (possibly) and some nailhead trim (maybe).

I don't know if I love these or my gold lamps more.

L.L. Bean

For my birthday, one of my best friends gave me a gift card to L.L. Bean (thanks Raquel & Jeff!!). Of course I decided to use it to get one of their famous boat & tote bags--a nearly indestructible bag made of water-resistant canvas, originally designed to haul ice over 65 years ago.

It should go without saying that this is not me, and my bag won't be periwinkle (try black & monogrammed), but just in case, there's the disclaimer. :) While debating whether to go with the large or extra-large, I started reading the reviews (I'm all about reviews, all the time), and found that people really go crazy about these bags!! Some of the reviewers said they'd had their bags for over 20 years and had actually passed them down to family members--wow. I've always loved them, but I was completely unaware of their apparent cult-like status. When describing the differences between the two sizes, the first comparison thought that popped into my mind was . . . AN ESPRIT BAG--hello!! I hope I'm not throwing myself out here and no one else knows what I'm talking about, but they were all the rage in elementary/middle school.

Remember this? Was it just a California thing or what?? I mean, it really felt like you were a nobody if you weren't rocking an Esprit bag, and now I bet you'd have to do a bit of searching to find one anywhere. Looking at this bag reminds tetherball and Honey Crackin' Oats cereal--ah, the good ol' days.

Do any of you have a Boat & Tote? Do you love it or what???

accessories, birthday, shopping finds |

Am I A Thief???

I think I might be a thief. Last night I found this sitting outside a Goodwill drop off.

There was a ton of stuff outside, but these two tables caught my eye.

Love the little feet.

They're both in relatively good condition, and will look great after a little TLC. It didn't occur to me until I got home that picking this stuff up could actually classify me a a thief. I figured it was okay to take for 2 reasons--

1-when I donate things, I do so because I have no longer have use for them and would rather someone else use them then throw the item(s) away. I will generally try to give things to my neighbors before I donate as well. The only time I'm really specific is if I'm taking things to a women's shelter or a children's group home. I figured the tables were just things people wanted to get rid of, but not throw away.

2-you're not supposed to leave the things outside if the truck isn't open (this was not in front of the store, it was a stand alone donation truck), so I figured the person (or persons) just wanted to get rid of the things "right now", instead of waiting until they were accepting donations and get a receipt. This means it's okay, right?

I think the tables are great, especially the small one, but now I'm wondering . . . am I really a thief??? If you saw great things outside of a closed donation spot (not a retail location), would you take an item if it met your fancy???

shopping finds |

Great Stuff @ IKEA

First of all, a great big thanks to all of you who left me birthday wishes and those of you who sent me positive vibes. I had a wonderful birthday, and my day was relaxing and wonderful. I ended my night here.

I love this place. It's not a culinary delight, and there's not exotic, but I still love it. It's the place I always go when one of my best friend's comes in from California, and we peruse the menu and plan our selection in advance. Since I'm a chocolate lover, I have to admit that the specialty chocolate fondue is my favorite part. Strawberries, bananas, brownies, rice krispy treats, and pound cake??? Yes, please!!! I called myself taking a photo when everything was at the table, but I got too excited and forgot, so all you get is this.

If you're wondering if it was good, it was. Trust me. A happy birthday indeed! On to other stuff . . .

Here's a photo filled look at some of the great new things I spotted in Ikea the other day. It's been forever since I've been there, but it didn't disappoint!

LOVE THIS. Perfect colors, and only $199. It's huge, too.

Love this one, too. Modern, with the perfect arial view. This would look especially great in a loft space.

Super comfortable & sturdy. Would look amazing in a glossy black with a custom cushion. It rocks (literally).

This comes in yellow and black, but the yellow is currently on sale. It's not new, but it's still a love. Great the legs, great color.

Cute small desk, just waiting for the right color!

I have loved this cabinet forever--great hardware, and the trim on top makes it look very "un-Ikea". Wish I had somewhere to put it.

Set of woven baskets that are perfect for an office, bedroom, living room, or bathroom.

I've seen some great variations of this mirror, and I'm itching to get my hands on one to try an idea out. Again, this isn't new, but it's still got staying power.

Love these for a bathroom, entry, dining room, or office (also great in another color).

Sexy.

Love this print.

Found any new Ikea loves lately????

birthday, shopping finds |

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