Finding beautiful, ready to use antiques can be a challenge, with so many places filled with worn-down clutter that resembles grandma’s basement. However, antique hunters often forget about an entire other sector of antiquing: the online marketplace. Most people don’t know how to utilize the internet to source items. Especially if you’re in a remote area or a
suburb without many thrift/antique store options around you, finding antiques online that will ship directly to your door can be a super helpful resource.
One of my favorite sources is Invaluable.com, an awesome go-to for antique items & vintage treasures. They’re an online platform that hosts auctions in collaboration with independent auction houses around the world. They have a fantastic section of antique jewelry, so if that’s your specialty then you should definitely check them out!
Craigslist is always a great option for local finds. You can filter by category, so searching for “antiques” or “collectibles” in particular is easy. Also, there’s a specific section for estate and garage sales which are usually chock full of awesome finds!
Freecycle is an often over-looked but amazing source for rare finds. It’s a non-profit company dedicated to people giving away their items for re-use. Oftentimes, a family might move into a new home and not have enough space for everything. They could use Freecycle to get rid of their vintage armoire, for example, and you could pick it up from them at no charge!
Sourcing vintage pieces locally & visiting flea markets is always a great option too, depending on your area. Check out Invaluable.com ‘s article here about some of the best winter antique shows going on this season all around the country! This article inspired me to put together a little list of fabulous winter antique spots that I’ve come across this season in New York City…
I recently got the chance to visit the Winter Antiques Show here in NYC, held in January at the Park Avenue Armory. With its 63rd year running, this show is known as one of the most prestigious antique showcases in America. I had the chance to attend The Young Collector’s Night, an exciting, exclusive, high-energy evening focused towards the young & hip designers, collectors, and artists emerging on the scene. The evening featured a private walk-through viewing of the 70 venders in the show, along with a chance to mingle with some of New York City’s chic-est interior designers and artisans.This antique show was very swanky, and tickets are pricey, but well worth it for the die-hard antique hunters & collectors.
Brooklyn Flea + Smorgasburg Winter Market: One of my favorite summertime weekend activities has now moved indoors for those ice cold New York winter weekends! The perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon, bundled up with an apple cider, this market features over 75 vintage & antique dealers selling a curated mix of fashion, nick knacks, jewelry, furniture, home decor, and art (we found some amazing vintage maps here that are now framed in a gallery wall in our living room!). Located right off the Bedford Avenue L train in Williamsburg, this relaxed Brooklyn market brings together a great mix of funky and chic, hip and vintage. The “Smorgasborg” sector of this market also brings 25 drool worthy new age food vendors to the scene. A must see in New York for the vintage antique hunters and foodies alike!!
Artists & Fleas: another one of my favorite NYC markets, featuring a selection of local vendors and artisans in a pop-up market setting, selling a range of completely one-of-a kind items. (From their website…)“a weekend market to bring together the creative and the curious, Artists & Fleas has become a vital destination for the community of artists, designers, vintage collectors and makers eager to set up shop and connect with their audience
locally and beyond. Home to more than 100 individual sellers every weekend, Artists & Fleas has cultivated an international reputation amongst buyers, trend-spotters and
creative entrepreneurs as a place to showcase and discover what’s new and exciting in fashion, vintage, art, design and more.” The Williamsburg & Chelsea Market locations
are sure to please and are always my go-to for picking up funky, one of a kind gifts.
Roland Auctioneers: I was first exposed to this hidden treasure when I began working at a home decor shop in Brooklyn that specializes in buying antiques and refurbishing them for the young, hip Williamsburg crowd. This auction house holds a Saturday auction once a month, with in-house previews available the Thursday and Friday beforehand. The best part…you can participate in the bidding right from the comfort of your laptop on Saturday morning! We would simply go every Friday to view the auction pieces in person, decide what we liked, and bid for them from home on Saturday morning. Roland has so many hidden treasures, from to-die-for furniture pieces to eclectic artwork and bohemian treasures, all at very affordable prices. Some of my favorite personal steals from Roland include a lush olive green upholstered velvet French Provincial chair, and a set of beautiful Botanical plant prints.
Chelsea Flea Market: I have not had the chance to visit this market yet but I am dying to check it out! The Chelsea Flea Market evokes the original Annex Antiques Fair & Flea Market, which dates back to 40 years ago. There is a vibrant mix of 135 veteran vendors alongside new dealers selling a plethora of “antiques, collectibles, ephemera, decorative arts, vintage clothing, jewelry, and other types of antiques (items more than 100 years old), vintage items (including Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern items), and other desirable items from the past.” Located right in the center of the city near the Flatiron Building & Madison Square Park, this market is at the top of my list for spring antiquing!
This season, I am obsessing over natural elements paired alongside a plethora of mixed patterns and textiles, all adorned with an overload of botanicals and plants. This
natural bohemian oasis vibe includes geometric motifs, pops of bright colours balanced with the use of metallics, and mixing up textures & fabrics throughout a space.
See the below vintage pieces I’ve scouted out that embody my current seasonal lush boho vibe!:
a sassy tropical invitation was a must…check out 
I spray painted pineapples metallic gold & white to use as decor (alongside candles & tropical oversized greenery) to amp up the glam feel
and of course no tropical party is complete without a beautiful bird of paradise flower arrangement…
last but not least, the icing on the cake for my alcoholic “beverage”selection–the cutest damn jello shots EVER. I’m completely obsessed with these (thank you Pinterest). I simply halved a lime, & carved out the inner pulp so the perfect cup-shaped lime shell remained. I then mixed watermelon jell-O with passion fruit rum & poured the mixture into the hollowed out lime shells. I let the Jell-O set for 4 hours–& out came the cutest little baby watermelon shots!! I added a sprinkle of sesame seeds (you can’t taste them at all) on top to give the effect of watermelon seeds. 
I also surprised my guests with tropical goody bags-filled with a small can of pineapple juice, a baby shot of Malibu coconut rum & a baby shot of regular rum. The perfect party favor filled with island flavors. & don’t forget the Hawaiian paper umbrellas!! 
I also had individual cups of tropical trail mix-macadamia nuts, peanuts, white chocolate chips, cashews & dried banana chips. I served fresh Thai basil rolls with peanut dipping sauce (one of my guilty pleasures. Also served cold so that makes it a perfect party app) Lastly, I served assorted fruit kebabs & chocolate covered banana bites! 
UptownBoho 