Flourish Magazine

Variety and value Kneedler Fauchere, ICF, Donghia, Bar- there often," Crowell quips when asked "The interesting thing about our con- bara Barry, Roche Bobois, Eames, Ted for this top three tips on shopping for Boerner, and Nancy Corzine. consignments. "Things change so fast – cept is that we're not taking worn-out, beat-up old things you'd find at a thrift And, online at Sara's List, there are store but taking beautiful things to the postings of furnishings from Ralph Lau- store longer than two weeks. If you don't most affluent communities, like Calaba- ren, Baker, Stickley, Barbara Barry, Wil- stop by often, you'll miss it." sas where the Kardashians live," Crowell liams Sonoma Home, Crate and Barrel, Plawski suggests putting it on hold mentions. "Just last week, Tito Jackson Room and Board, Brown Jordan, Resto- for 24 hours if a decision can't be made was in the Calabasas store looking at ration Hardware, and Pottery Barn. instantly, "but these are one-of-a-kind jewelry." His customers tend to be affluent, educated and between the ages of 35 and half of our product doesn't stay in the items and when they're gone, they're Shopping and selling the consignment way gone," he says. "You don't want to let a great piece go." 55. "They can get three times the value "It's a little joke," Crowell confides Both Design Plus Gallery and Home of an item for half the price they would when explaining the procedure for un- Consignment Center offer a 24 hold or a pay for something at IKEA." loading new truckloads of furniture at 24-hour "test drive" at home. Design Plus the Corte Madera store. "We have to Gallery also offers free design guidance star and a local radio host as regulars of wrap homicide tape around everything either in-home or at the store and both his San Francisco store, would agree. until we get it priced because customers can suggest independent transportation will try to buy things as they come off companies. Plawski, who counts a famous movie Additionally, a large demographic segment, he says, are the interior design- the truck." When it comes to consigning items, ers and home stagers who frequent his The first tip any consignment store stores on the lookout for great finds for owner or experienced shopper will tell Design Plus Gallery and The Home Con- their clients. you is that the turnover rate is high and signment Center: 50 percent of the sale you have to act fast. price, except for jewelry at the latter, "They're looking for quality for their clients but, since the economy went "Be there often, be there often, and be the commission is the same for both which nets the consignor 60 percent. down, they're also watching their budgets and not going to the San Francisco Design Center, or spending as much money, as they once did." And, since they can find designerbrand furniture, along with unique or custom furnishings, at well stocked home consignment stores, why not? Shoppers find deals on everything from rugs, lighting and artwork to sofas, beds, chests, dining sets, outdoor furniture, and, at the Home Consignment Center, even jewelry. At any given time, shoppers at his chain of stores browse designer showroom samples, sales overruns, model home furniture and manufacturing prototypes along with individual consignments finding brands such as McGuire, American Leather, Bassett, Bernardt, McCreary Modern, and Lane. Over at Design Plus, offerings include high-end pieces from Knoll, Berhardt, Cassina, Hancock and Moore, Palacek, McGuire, B&B Italia, William Switzer, Beidermeier, Starck, Dakota Jackson, FALL 2013 • FLOURISH 15

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