This article made possible by a donation to our Writer’s Fund by Paulie Gee.
Spring is in the air! Birds are chirping, coats are coming off, and we’re all dreading the necessary (yet evil!) spring cleaning. Instead of going full-throttle into organization mode, how about buying something to give your apartment that much-needed facelift? Our local shops have plenty of home decor options at a variety of price points that are sure to help your abode get out of it’s winter rut. And now that it’s warm enough to paint outside, try investing in a fixer upper/game changer that just needs a little TLC. (Try not to use aerosol paint.)
69 West Street
For those of you who haven’t gone into From The Source – GO NOW! Deceptive from the outside, the warehouse (“store” doesn’t even begin to capture the vastness of this place) is set up with a showroom in the front and a huge amount of inventory in the side rooms. You can essentially design your own pieces by selecting your wood and your base, or you can purchase items directly as they come. Check out a selection of items on sale including a gorgeous 7′ tall wood-framed wall mirror (these are super hard to come by) and glass-doored wood armoire.
170 Franklin Street
Kill Devil Hill is providing fun with Mason Jars and offering lovely scented candles (made in-house with soy wax and essential oils) and unique, hand-crafted hanging lights. In numbers, the candles will make for a lovely centerpiece at your next dinner party, or solo as a housewarming gift. As for the lights, just pop in a filament bulb and officially dub your home “shabby chic”.
Bringing new meaning to the term “old school”, Kill Devil Hill brings you kerosene lamps just like those from the days of yore. Fill it up (mineral oil works, too) and boast the coolest lighting in town. Bonus: the ceramic stopper featured with the brown lamp (right) is available for individual purchase so you can put your own spin on any bottle you want.
201 Franklin Street
Bold-yet-basic, these massive signs bring a sense of humor to any apartment. Be sure to use heavy duty screws with an anchor so you don’t break down your dry wall.(No one needs extra beef with their landlord.)
These apothecary cabinets would benefit those who don’t have cabinetry in their kitchen or bathrooms. Stack yours with beautiful porcelain collectibles from the Flea or vintage medicine bottles filled with not-so-vintage contents.
70 Greenpoint Avenue
Maybe it’s a bit obvious to have a record player nowadays, but that is no reason to miss out on all the fun. As any audiophile would attest, music just sounds better on vinyl. Treat yourself to one of these record players, head down to Permanent Records (181 Franklin Street) and know that you’ve just made a purchase that you will never, ever regret. Bonus: It will still impress all of your Manhattan friends.
211 McGuiness Boulevard
Greenpoint Bargains is filled with plenty of items that just need a little lovin’. If you’re prepared to put in some elbow grease, stop in and take a look. Within the walls of this well-stocked junk shop were plenty of dressers, desks, mirrors and the above armoire. Apply a coat of Zinsser Cover Stain Primer (available at DeVito P Paint on Nassau Ave) and avoid any need for sanding, follow with your choice of paint color, add some new drawer pulls, and voilà, it’ll look straight out of Anthropologie for an eighth of the price.
174 Franklin Street
Love plants but don’t have a green thumb? Lucky for you, air plants and terrariums require very little nurturing but provide all the same benefits of more high maintenance plants. Try suspending a couple of these guys from your ceiling at staggered heights for a homey-yet-unique feel.
165 Greenpoint Avenue
This hand-soldered light is made locally by the brand Lihtan and is available in both small (17″ high) and large (29″ high) sizes. It comes with either a traditional clear bulb or an edgy red one, but would look rad with a low wattage filament bulb (predictable.). Bonus: twisting the water knob (of the large model) will not only remind you of playing in sprinklers as a child, it will also dim the light – #dope.
Handmade by local artist Kevin Wilcoxson, these ceramic pieces come in a variety of shapes and sizes and a plethora of colors – expect more options in-store as early as next week. On top of being super colorful and versatile (the yellow one can be a vase or bottle), they are also completely oven safe!