Why would I want to give away my very best tips for buying vintage furniture? Whether folks buy from us at Form & Function or another reputable dealer, educated decisions help alleviate buyer’s remorse. If you’ve decided that vintage furniture is an acceptible substitute for the new options so widely available, there are many buying opportunities. I hope to illuminate the where and the what with my very best tips for buying vintage furniture. Where To Buy 1/ Estate sales… Read More
Thankful Thursday: Shopping for Vintage
Shopping for Vintage Furniture and Goods I am reminded lately how lucky I am to do what I do. Life is short so you better love what you do. Someone commented recently that it must be wonderful to go shopping all the time for the store. I grumbled that it IS work, after all, even though it seems glamorous. And I must use time management skills to ensure I am allotting enough time to client work, visiting job sites, the… Read More
Chippy and Rusty
I love things chippy and rusty, and generally old things that can be transformed with new uses. Too “rustic” may not be everyone’s cup of tea but they can be cool when mixed with more refined things. That’s my favorite style right now…mixing it up…gilded and gaudy. Scored some fun things at two auctions and one estate sale this past weekend, adding to a very depleted inventory. Take this old chippy and rusty shopping cart, for example. I remember leaving the N&D… Read More
Pseudo Refinishing
I don’t like refinishing work, so I avoid it at all costs. PERIOD. Thankfully there are many products on the market that allow you to “cheat” away scratches and other imperfections. Goo Gone (see below) is usually a winner for gooey, gluey kind of stuff, however, this time it didn’t work. A cardboard box had attached itself “real good” (as we say in the south) to the side table and left a pretty rectangular outline. It finally took scalding, hot water… Read More
Bedroom Makeover Reveal
Finished up my daughter’s bedroom makeover this past week. Two and a half weeks comprised the total timeline, with travel for Thanksgiving in between. Not too bad for a total redo and hoping my clients don’t expect the same! Told my girl I was setting up for the photo shoot and she started to change into a purple dress, ready for her DeMille moment. Had to explain that I usually just show the room, not the occupants. Anyway, we began the process… Read More
Great Auction Finds
Here are some of the lovelies found at most recent auction and a couple other things found elsewhere. F&F very crowded so having a sale at Hunt and Gather this weekend, running through Halloween evening. Busts are hot rights now and I’ll be damned if I can score them at auction (there were probably ten lots of busts at this auction) but I did manage to get a couple small ones… Feel lucky to have scored this table cause… Read More
Redo Projects
Some miscellaneous redoprojects I’ve been working on. Brushed up on my refinishing skills for the top of this cool sideboard. It was never my intention to buy ” redo projects” but I committed the cardinal sin of auctions. I didn’t do a proper pre-inspection of this sideboard before the auction began. Soooo I ended up with a piece that had chinks in the veneer and required some gluing, not to mention the resurfacing of the top. I did the necessary repairs… Read More
Antique Treasures
Here’s what’s going on at F&F retail lately…our antique mall has a HUGE clearance sale going on this weekend (thru 5 pm Sunday, August 28th). A few samples of what antique treasures F&F has to offer. Enjoy!
Paintings-R-Us
This is true love… …I had just reframed and put brown paper on the back of five paintings…and I was too lazy tired to install the small nails that accompanied the picture hangers sooo… …Mr. F&F intervened on my behalf and, in no time, five paintings ready for sale… …I had no intention of incorporating so much art into my booth, but it seems that as fast as I hang ’em, they sell. I love the watercolors – one a… Read More
Can I Take Your Vintage Luggage, Sir?
Hadn’t been to auction for about a month. I was getting the shakes (especially with F&F retail looming in the near future and the need to get more inventory). So yesterday I decided to venture out for the 4 pm estate sale. Mr. F&F looked at me incredulously, asking why I was going to an auction mere hours before guests were arriving. The food was cooked, I said, and I’d be home well before our 7 pm dinner party. What(?),… Read More
Antique Auction
My virgin auction experience was interesting, to say the least. The man, whose vast collection was unloaded, was in attendance and had a difficult time with the proceedings. The antique auction house, a very reputable one, offered whole lots or “choice” lots, meaning your bid price was PER item. The catalogue published which lots were which type, whole or choice. However, a lot of this got changed during the auction which made it very frustrating and long for those of… Read More
