The Demilune Table {Five Easy Pieces}

In five days, I've shared my "Five Easy Pieces"--items that enhance any space with minimal effort and even less consideration. They all work, and they just work almost anywhere.

My fifth and last item, the demilune table, is as versatile, transitional and functional as any piece of furniture in a home. And you probably won't believe this, but while composing this post, I took a thrifting break yesterday afternoon and discovered a demilune table for my house! Is that fate or what?

The Louis Philippe Mirror {Five Easy Pieces}

What would a list of must-have decorating pieces be without a mirror? Not a very good list, I tell you. 

My "Five Easy Pieces" list would be incomplete without the addition of the Louis Philippe mirror, an item with style effortless and uncomplicated enough to work in both living room and bathroom, both in dining room and kitchen.

The Rush Log Basket {Five Easy Pieces}

So far this week I've shared a few of my favorite practical-meets-classic decor elements in my series "Five Easy Pieces" and I hope you've enjoyed it! I've gotten a kick out of compiling images of "pieces in situ", seeing just how common some of these items really are.

Today, I continue with a piece that I have in my own home, one that is as functional as it is attractive: the rush log basket. Do you own one (or twelve)?

The Thebes Stool {Five Easy Pieces}

Are you ready for the next chapter in my "Five Easy Pieces" series? Yesterday was spent learning about and extolling the virtues of the bell jar lantern (which many of you also love!) while today I'll focus on a versatile little piece of furniture: the Thebes stool.

The Bell Jar Lantern {Five Easy Pieces}

Happy Monday, friends! How have you been?

Lately, I've been building a list of classic pieces that--in almost any type of room and in the midst of any style--add something special and have proved to be timeless items worth the investment. These pieces never require too much finagling or effort to work in a space; they're just easy.

That's why all this week, I'm highlighting my favorite classic decorative items in a series I'm calling "Five Easy Pieces". Today it's all about the bell jar lantern.

Book Report: Martha Stewart's Decorating Details

My posts this week are taking on a certain autumnal theme, aren't they? And because this is the perfect season to curl up on a cozy sofa with a blanket and book, I thought I'd recommend one.

As we turn our focus towards nesting once again, I've found the perfect book to help inspire all those projects we'll each be taking on when the weather turns chilly: Martha Stewart's Decorating Details. The best part? It was published 1998, so you can buy it for only a few dollars!

Best Places in Philly to Shop for the Home (Part II)

(map of Philadelphia by Grace Lee for Anthology Mag)

Today in Part II of my round-up of the best places in Philadelphia for home décor, I’ll share my recommendations for estate sales, antique shops and fabric stores. I hope it helps readers now and in the future to find good, reasonably-priced pieces for their home, which isn't always easy.

Some may question why I’m sharing resources—as if they were family secrets or bank account PINs—but I firmly believe that sharing is caring. These two posts are sort of like the blogging version of ‘take a penny, leave a penny’. Here are my pennies. Feel free to contribute your own in the comments below and we'll all be a little wealthier for it.

While I focused on secondhand/antique goods primarily in this 2-part series, there are a million and one additional home décor stores and shops in the Greater Philadelphia. I encourage anyone reading to explore the area and support local businesses, small and large!

Best Places in Philly to Shop for the Home (Part I)

(map of Philadelphia by Grace Lee for Anthology Mag)

Back in March I posted about the topic of comments and, not surprisingly, you my dear readers responded with support and some inspiration for new topics/info you’d like to see here on Meet Me in Philadelphia. One repeat request that appeared in those comments –my recommendations for the best places to find deals on home items here in the Greater Philadelphia area, so this is for you, Leah, Megan and Tara and anyone else!

I've toyed with sharing these tips in the past but your requests really pushed me into action!

And while these tips may seem very specific to those in the area, I hope this will help readers from all over explore their area for similar, local shopping options. Today in Part I, we’ll chat auctions, thrift stores and flea markets while tomorrow (Part II) is all about estate sales, antique shops and fabric stores.

Must-Have Tools and Supplies for Any DIYer

Do-it-yourself projects can be really daunting at times, can't they? Even if the steps of a project aren't particularly elaborate, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of supplies necessary to complete it. Well, today, I want to disprove the notion you've got to have millions of tools to get down to DIYing because...you don't. It's as simple as that.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Auctions, But Were too Afraid to Ask

(Note: try not to get escorted from an auction in police custody, like Roger Thornhill)

I could have entitled this post ‘Everything You Wanted to Know about Auctions, But Were too Afraid to Raise Your Hand and Ask Because You Were Scared You Might Actually Bid on Something You Didn't Want” because, really, isn't that everyone’s fear with auctions?

Today, I thought it would be fun to share tips for a successful, stress-free auction experience and I’m not talking Ebay auctions; I mean the bidding-in-person-with-a-numbered-paddle-kind of auction. Since I was a child, I've been attending auctions and during that time I've gleaned a lot of knowledge that’s worth sharing, especially for those who want a good deal on antiques or first access to pieces without paying the retail markup.  And remember, auctions aren't meant just for millionaires. We've all heard of Sotheby's or Christie's, but auctions can be a great venue for finding affordable treasures; after all, at auctions, the bidders name the price. I've walked away with furniture for $20, $10 and even $5! With that, let’s get into it.