Yes, you read that right: five GREAT reasons you should NEVER buy vintage furniture. And as the owner of a vintage furniture shop, I should know the whys and the why-nots of buying these pieces more than anyone, right?

After decades of buying and refinishing vintage furniture, I've learned the pros AND the cons of vintage furniture and decor. So are you ready to hear the truth about buying vintage? 

There are many ways to pick vintage and antique pieces including your family's attics and basements, auctions, and estate and tag sales. But a good flea market can be a great picking place....and one of the best flea markets in the country is just a stone's throw away.

And they are fixing to re-open this weekend.  So have you ever been to the #NashFlea? Here are three tips we've learned over the years that will help you navigate a flea market like a pro.

1. The early bird might get the worm, but the last mouse gets the cheese.
If you are an experienced flea market regular, you probably already know that showing up while dealers are setting up can be the best way to score some great items. But if you don't know the ins and outs of the market, and you don't know the dealers, you may be viewed as a nuisance, getting in the way of their set-up routine. And don't expect to get your treasures at bargain-basement prices in the early hours of a market: dealers have worked hard to bring their items to market. They have packed up trucks and trailers, hauled everything - in some cases, hundreds of miles - and worked hard to set up their displays. They expect a reasonable profit for their efforts, especially on the choicest pieces.

On the other hand, the last few hours of a flea market can be a time for great deals....on whatever is left. If you're lucky, the items you want are still there, and the dealer may not want to haul it home or to the next market on their route.

You just have to pick your style - are you a treasure hunter or a bargain hunter? You probably won't be both. 

2. Experience is a hard teacher: she gives the test first, and the lesson second.
Nearly every flea-market fan has learned some hard lessons with ill-advised impulse purchases. Some spur-of-the-moment acquisition stories will turn out well, some will become cautionary tales of what NOT to do. Either way, they are teaching moments, so learn from your successes and mistakes.

Dealers can be a wealth of knowledge...but if you want them to take time and educate you on the provenance on a piece and tell you its worth, don't expect them to also give you a bargain-basement price on it.

It pays to spend time observing, researching and learning before you fall in love with a specific item or category of goods. Some items are reproduced and may even look old, including jewelry, dishes and glassware, furniture and architectural salvage. The best way to learn to tell the vintage from the reproduction is to train your eyes and hands to recognize the subtle differences.

Side note: being a reproduction item isn't always a bad thing: for example, reproduced arches, corbels and windows aren't going to have rot and termite damage like their bonafide counterparts. Prices on reproductions might be  less than their antique counterparts, but the more ornate and intricate the piece, the more the price will reflect the craftsmanship that went into making the item, new or old. New dishware is typically dishwasher and microwave-safe, and is made with less-toxic materials...but labor and materials have gone up exponentially. You just need to know what you're buying. 

Always carefully look over pieces before you commit to buying - most sales are final. If you can repair it or live with the imperfections, you can get some great deals. Be realistic, and don't expect pristine quality for second-hand prices.

3. The Golden Rule applies.
​Using common sense and common courtesy will pay dividends when you visit a flea market. Treat the dealers and your fellow flea market buyers with both, and you'll have more success and fun than those who don't.

• Do carry cash cash (preferably small bills), and keep them securely in a front pocket or bag you keep on your person.
• Don't ask expect a dealer to give you their deepest discount if you're paying with a credit card - transaction fees eat into their profits, on big and small purchases.
• Do ask the vendor if it's their best price....but don't insult them with an unreasonably low offer.
• Don't block walkways or booth entrances with your shopping cart. If you're bringing a tot or pet, don't let them free-range - it's dangerous for everyone.
• Do ask a vendor to hold an item if you can't carry it with you - and DO take a photo of it to remind you where to pick up your purchases. But don't expect them to help you carry or load it. Need a second set of hands? Look for porters near the loading zones - and tip them for their help.
• Don't expect a flea market to be easy pickings. Our flea market days involve 8-10 hours of hard work: walking and lugging items through crowds. Sometimes our efforts pay off, other times we come home half-empty. The weather for outdoor flea markets is almost always uncomfortably extreme: hot and sweaty or cold and windy - and sometimes sopping wet. Flea marketing is not glamorous, and honestly, it's not for everyone. But we think it's worth going at least once, just to satisfy your curiosity and see what the fuss is all about.

We have offered barn quilt paint classes since we opened. Over the years, students have painted everything from Christmas trees to Tennessee tri stars, flowers and hummingbirds to snowflakes, and everything in between.

​But no matter how many of these classes we hold, we still get quizzical looks from some people when we mention the term "barn quilt."

It's spring...at least in the South: we've sprung forward an hour, we've celebrated the vernal equinox, and most of the flowering bushes and trees are bursting forth. And of course, Easter is on its way.

​We love this holiday for many reasons, not the least of which is the tradition of filling baskets with goodies, whether for our children, grand-babies, or even our fur-babies.

But where did this tradition come from? And what's in YOUR Easter basket this year?

On March 17, 2017, we officially opened our doors for business and held our grand opening weekend, welcoming old and new friends and customers. Less than a year later, we expanded into the rest of the little log cabin. Fast-forward to last March, and we found ourselves moving into a larger space just a mile down the road.

​But before we plunge into our fifth year, we compiled a little retrospective on where we started and how far we've come. 

If you've seen American Pickers, you know how Mike and Frank scour the countryside for vintage and antique finds. Their travels have taken them to far-flung places across many  states.

​In case you didn't know, Mike has become a bona fide Tennessean, with a residence in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee and he's often spotted hanging out with our friends at Blue 32 in Columbia.

So how did Sherri and I get started picking? And do we pick like the American Pickers? And where can YOU find great picking spots?  

The obvious answer: you haul it home, of course.

If you know me, you know I have a thing for anything with drawers and cubbies - the more, the better. (And a rather serious vintage mixing bowl fetish....but that's another story.) I've traveled hither and yon across the mid-state for card catalogs, usually just the 18-drawer stacking cabinets. hefty, but manageable, especially if you remove the drawers.

​Last week, a grand-daddy of a cabinet came my way, and to be honest, I'm still not sure how two of us actually loaded it in my Armada.

Adrenaline, baby. Now the question is, what to do with this 400-pound beast?

When we moved our shop to a new location (in the middle of a pandemic!!!) we found ourselves faced with dozens of decisions. One seemingly minor (but also major) decision was how to decorate the three entrances across the front of our building.

Those entrances offer passersby a glimpse into our interior space, so we wanted to make sure they are always attractive and special, and they give you a hint as to what fun finds are within our doors. With a plethora of faux flowers and foliage to choose from, somehow the olive leaves and branches felt "right." 

We know there's still a week until we raise a toast to usher in the new year, but there's no time like the present to consider your goals, intentions and resolutions for 2020.  And we'd love to hear them!

We searched high and low, and we've rounded up a dozen of our favorite resolutions for homebodies. Several of these are on our list...are any on your list?  (Do you make a list?) ​

They say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans." Well, in Aruba, it seems that chippy, antiquated, timeworn patina is a way of life....so much so that antique stores are pretty scarce.

But we found one, and it was worth the hunt. Follow along and we'll take you on a virtual tour.