Author: particularlynice
The vintage business* is fun, diverse, and exciting. It’s easy to start, perfect to run from home, and it offers quick financial rewards. On the flip side, it can be highly competitive, inherently inefficient, and deceptive about its true costs. Which side prevails? You’re the one to judge!
I used to think that selling required a certain character: a pushy, brash haggler. That couldn’t be farther from my personality! So I thought I’d never ever sell professionally.
Yet, here I am, a vintage seller in America – the epicenter of capitalism – soon for four years. My character hasn’t changed but the ways I view selling, have. Turns out, selling vintage can be about analytics, research and meeting people – all the things I love.
Here’re are four things I wish I knew years ago:
Continue reading “Four things I wish I knew about selling years ago”
Three years ago, I opened my Etsy shop. I started really small with just 11 listings and, with no experience selling online, treaded really carefully.
Three years and 370 sales later, my shop is still fairly small but I like to think that I’m much more intentional.
Here’re my three main takeaways of selling vintage on Etsy that I’ve distilled over the years. If you’re thinking of becoming a vintage seller on Etsy, I hope you’ll find them useful. And if you already sell on Etsy, I’d love to hear about your own experiences!
Continue reading “What I’ve learned in 3 years of selling vintage on Etsy”
The three exhibitions I saw in London and Oakland in January 2019 were particularly eye-opening with regard to the number of talented, forward-thinking, qualified women who have been completely sidelined or excluded from the history of art and design. Sexism, contemporary prejudices, gender bias in media, and the tumultuous history of the 20th century have all played a role.
Read my post on Medium about four brilliant women designers who have been largely missing from the popular design history for parts – or for most – of the 20th century. Read full story…
Authentic pieces by masters of simple, timeless design from the 1950s and 1960s are getting VERY expensive.
Even grandma’s ordinary everyday items from around mid-century are suddenly in vogue and going for hundreds. But here is a list of iconic mid-century designs that you can still find affordably (under $100) and bring that touch of modernist magic to your home.
Read my article on Medium for the suggestions of five stylish objects by iconic mid-century modern designers. All items are still being produced today and will make a classy and smart gift. Read full story…
A little over a year ago, we bought a charming 1952 time capsule of a house. In the year that followed we spent most of our dollars on replacing electrical wiring, plumbing, and improving energy efficiency. However much we wanted to fill the place with authentic (and expensive!) mid-century modern furniture, we had to wait.
On one of the many IKEA trips I made to furnish the house on a budget, I was playing with the idea of finding pieces inspired by famous mid-century modern designs. Quite surprisingly, I found a lot!
Below are my five picks for the living room. While we’re dreaming of acquiring authentic mid-century treasures one day, these affordable IKEA pieces* can meanwhile help create a period-appropriate feel in our house.
Continue reading “Mid-century modern inspiration: Living room”