Beth Sacca – Repeller

How to Decorate Your NYC Apartment on a Budget with Street-Scavenged Gems and Vintage Trésor

Beth Sacca — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 13:00:00 +0000

I come from a family of expert-level dumpster-divers and road-pickers.

My grandfather once found two flat-screen TVs on the side of a road in his neighborhood in Florida. He picked them up, put them in his car, and drove home—where he set them up in separate rooms, so that he and my grandma could watch their different soap operas every night, in peace.

The next day, my grandpa walked up to the house where he’d found the TVs—then knocked on the door and asked for the remotes.

Looking at the cast-off or once-loved/now abandoned objects in alleys and stoops and dusty thrift store shelves and seeing possibility— this is a trait that runs in my family. Moving into a new apartment after graduating from college meant beginning a new chapter, as an official adult—and wanting an official, adult apartment. For me, this meant spending my entire summer searching for cheap furniture and sorting out how I wanted my apartment to look. Here’s how I did it, with a mix of tried-and-true online and NYC shops.

Mother of Junk ($)
567 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Junk is the ultimate spot in Brooklyn for well-priced treasures. I mean, I grew up upstate, so I know I could find almost everything in their store for half the price back home, but within the five boroughs? This place is a goldmine.

Skip it if you’re not in the mood to hunt: I’ve found all of my gems here by trial-and-error: rifling through painting after painting, stepping on glass on the second floor, and going to the store at least once a week for a month. Unfortunately for those of us inclined toward wheelin’ and dealin’, they do not like when you try to bargain or bundle. I’ve tried.

I got these three framed exhibition prints, which fit perfectly on the wall above my couch and dining set.

Habitat for Humanity ($)
6201 Northern Blvd, Queens, NY 11377

Habitat for Humanity, although better upstate, is great for used furniture—and they have a store in Queens! Everything here is sold to support their nonprofit work, through which volunteers build affordable homes for families in need.

At Habitat, I purchased a large mantle, which I later painted white. I also picked up a lamp, a record player, a midcentury dresser, a picture, and a frame.

Dobbins St. Co-Op ($$$)
310 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Dobbin’s Street Vintage Co-Op is a dream. It’s not cheap, but the prices are reasonable for what they are selling, which is amazing vintage furniture. I often go just to look and dream big, big interior-decorating dreams.

Remix Market ($$)
33-56 11th St, Queens, NY 11106

Located in Astoria, Remix is a small store with a wide variety of home goods—plus they’re super active on Instagram, so it’s easy to stay up to date. I have had success bundling here—like with a recent purchase of a dresser, lamp, and painting, all for under $100. Remix also gets five stars for its friendly workers, who won’t mind helping you load furniture into an Uber.

ONLINE ONLY

Facebook Marketplace

The only reason I have not deleted my Facebook is because of its online market. Sometimes before bed, I’ll go on just to see what people around me are selling: I’ve found mushroom lamps, mirrors, couches, and everything else under the sun. (Often, the good vintage furniture is in New Jersey.) If you’re looking for a cheap coffee table or armchair, have at it, and make offers fast—most people here are moving and want to get rid of their items quickly.

We got this cute little yellow chair, which fits perfectly in our dining room, for free!

Craigslist

Craigslist: Scary, yet some amazing finds, like beautiful vintage speaker systems, record players, dining room tables, and more. We purchased a green chair here—barely used and in perfect condition, for $100!

OfferUp

Offerup may very well have the cheapest furniture online—check it out if you’re not on Facebook. I expect the prices here to be half what they are at a shop like Remix.

Etsy

Etsy has everything: If you can’t find what you’re looking at the shops above, Etsy will have it—whether it’s the perfect grandma-style afghan or a vintage exhibition print. Etsy is full of small vintage shops from all over the world, and many are reasonably priced. If something’s still too much, message the seller and share your budget—it doesn’t hurt to try!

StoopingNYC

Last but not least: my favorite instagram account. StoopingNYC posts free stuff from the sidewalk daily—like perfect-condition dressers and couches that (probably) don’t have bed bugs. Personally: I would think twice about taking upholstered furniture from the side of the street—but hey, that’s up to you, and my grandpa would totally do it.

Be careful if you follow this account—it is difficult missing out on exceptional pieces.

I found a mirror and frame on the sidewalk—I painted it a butter yellow!

While I was at it, I also painted my pot holder and the outer glass that holds my candle in a messy white and yellow check.

Happy treasure hunting and make sure you bring a friend with you to pick up anything. Wear a mask, and be smart!

What’s the greatest thing you’ve found for cheap or on the side of the street?

The post How to Decorate Your NYC Apartment on a Budget with Street-Scavenged Gems and Vintage Trésor appeared first on Repeller.

7 Printed Pants Recipes for Fall

Beth Sacca — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0000

Pants. Gotta love them. Sometimes they’re insanely uncomfortable—sometimes they feel like a hug. Either way, we should probably wear them at some point. Fall is around the corner, creeping up into our lives whether we like it or not. (I like it, but in no way am I ready to deal with the season that comes after autumn.)

The good thing about pants, however, is that they’re great for both fall and the season that shall not be named. Now that I’m done convincing you on the idea of pants, which everyone already owns anyway, I’m here to convince you that printed pants are your staple piece for the next two seasons. Jackets are cute, but they can also ruin your outfit. If you still want to show that you’re remotely cool underneath all that jacket material, I suggest… printed pants. Pants. Printed. Printed pants. It’s actually sort of miraculous: They’ll let you show off your cool self, while keeping you warm, this season and the next.

Below, a few outfits that may lead you to purchasing printed pants in the next minute/few seconds.

Logo-Printed Pantalones

This outfit would be perfect with a leather jacket and/or large sweater for this fall. The text makes you look twice, and the sneakers matching the logo pulls the whole outfit together.

HUF

Beth Sacca – Repeller

How to Decorate Your NYC Apartment on a Budget with Street-Scavenged Gems and Vintage Trésor

7 Printed Pants Recipes for Fall

Logo-Printed Pantalones

Pattern Smashing

Bleached

The BW Printed Set

The Classic

Floral

Gingham

1 Ugly Sweater Vest, 6 Cute Outfits

1. The Casual “I Can Glide Towards You” Look

2. The Picnic Lounge Outfit

3. The Any Time Any Wear Get Up

4. The Grandpa Technique

5. The Confused Bundled Up Fisherman

6. Blazer it UP

Reading This Will Make You Want to Drink a Frozen Marg With Your Best Friend ASAP

Bet You’re Wondering How to Make Foam Furniture

Here’s what you’ll need:

Step one: Prepare your workspace and prepare to foam.

Step two: Do a test run.

Step three: Commence foaming!

Step four: Putter around.

Step five: Paint prep.

Step six: Unleash the paint.

Step seven: The big reveal!