The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details (ITALICS)

By Stan Williams
Published by Clarkson Potter

There could be no more perfect author than Stan Williams for this chock-o-block with great finds, goodies, and informational book from Housing Works entitled, The Find.(ITALICS) Williams, a veteran correspondent for numerous magazines is best known and loved for his blog, theelegantthrifter.com. On the blog, Williams shows off his encyclopedic knowledge of antiques and vintage – and gives useful insight earned from years spent covering what seems like every garage sale and swap meet on four continents. And the deal is, he does thrifting as high art. He could be the Mad King Ludwig of the Flea Market World, and The Find <ITALICS> is his book for the veteran of vintage as it is too, for the newbie – tired of the Ikea-bred sameness of immediately new and affordable furniture.
With Housing Works, the nation’s largest community-based AIDS service organization, Williams has plenty of fertile territory for the beautiful images throughout. Their nine upscale New York stores and an on-line boutique are the must-stop shops for the city’s fashionistas. Housing Works is the Bergdorf Goodman of used furniture – and competition to buy the most-coveted items from their magical window displays is almost a blood sport among those in-the-know.

In The Find, <ITALICS the reader is treated to sneak peek in the homes of such style stars as Barney’s Simon Doonan, “This Old House” host, Alex Brandon, and fashion designer John Bartlett. These homes, and Williams’ interview with some of today’s favorite design greats, gives even the most die-hard thrift store junkies new food for thought. It is easy to simply devour the book in one reading as Williams’ offers first a précis on thrift store shopping and then takes one on an odyssey through beach homes, cottages, penthouses, and grand manor houses (all the homes of design industry insiders). With pit stops for tailgating parties, dinner parties, and special occasions, Williams delivers the goodies. Mixing serious antiques with “Junque,” collecting by color and juxtaposing the elegant with the industrial, offers idea after idea for real life solutions. Who knew that you could encrust a fireplace mantle with seashells, or add antlers and bones to a fine porcelain jardinere ,or store beach towels in a cast iron claw-footed tub?
Now we all do. What a FIND!