Kay Mertens of East Meadow specializes in vintage textiles from the '50s and '60s, which she sells for about $25 per yard. This pair of vintage French accent chairs ($2,400) sports a fun and unexpected twist after being reupholstered in a guitar motif fabric. Other themes in Mertens' collection include space-age styles, tropical prints and abstracts.
Homework: Upcycling antiques
The Pier Antiques Show will be held this weekend in Manhattan with almost 500 exhibitors gathered to sell and showcase their wares to decorators, collectors, designers and people who love to shop. Between 10,000 and 15,000 people attend the show each year, browsing booths dedicated to vintage and antique furnishings and decorations, and strolling through Fashion Alley, a special section devoted entirely to vintage clothing. Prices at the show range from $20 for a set of vintage buttons to upward of $30,000 for an original Tiffany lamp. Gary Sohmers, an appraiser from PBS' "Antiques Roadshow," will be on hand to give pop-culture appraisals to attendees hoping to find a little cash in their attics, for $5 per item, with the money going to charity.
