Category Archives: Fun Savvy

I am a recovering interior decorator.  I turned the pages of floor plan and decorating magazines, yachting magazines, and books with pretty pictures of lovely interiors and spaces that were well beyond the reach of an 11 year old.  I would put myself into the spaces and daydream. It was a great pastime. Fast-forward twelve years.  I’m happily married and in a family way by seven months. I decide that I want to leave the accounting firm I am working for, stay home and prepare for the arrival of my first child.  I look around the lovely Tudor home we are renting and long for some of the beautiful decoration that I had yearned for on the pages of the magazines.  I take a class in window treatments at Watkins College of Art and Design and an advanced class after that. Before you know it, I have some lovely window decoration in my home and I launch a business designing and making window decoration.  More classes follow in interior design, and eventually the business morphs into an interior decoration firm handling the needs of others’ décor from art to furniture and finishes. It was fun. It was consuming.  My husband has a nursery and garden center. I see areas there that I want to “help.” He says, “That’s great – but you can’t do both.”  He knows my propensity for getting too spread out and wanting to do everything.  So, I closed the decorating business and, for ten years, worked with him. In the twenty-five years of decorating and sourcing and renovating two homes I have shopped this town all over, and beyond. There are some great places around from which I have sourced marvelous finds.  Also, I love a deal…on furnishings; on clothes…a deal is a deal.

Clearing House Consignment in Belle Meade – I have bought more items from this store for furnishing my home than anywhere else in town. Ar moires, rugs, pictures…it is a great resource.

Crossville Tile Outlet in Dickson, TN – Purchased seconds or thirds in cream and soft black and checker boarded the kitchen and den on the diagonal in the first house we remodeled. It was great.  What a savings.

Pembroke Antiques in Belle Meade – The best rugs and accessories, and gifts. It’s so cool! There is a string of antique stores along this stretch of Hwy 100 to peruse for lovely, quality pieces.

Hailey Salvage on Dickerson Road – Architectural pieces, old doors, sinks – it’s amazing the things you will find here.

Preservation Station on Franklin Road – Ooh, la, la! This couple has grown this recovered, restored light fixture and architectural element store into a feast for the eyes for any who love historical interiors. Go. The owner is from one of the Eastern countries and it is worth going just to hear her talk. Another love of mine is language. But I digress.

Gaslight Antique Mall, Powell Avenue, near 100 Oaks – Everything – They have it all and it is well done. A host of dealers, so it is a great, varietal mix.

Designer Renaissance in Berry Hill – Nice, gently used clothes, couture, work and playwear abound. I like.

Yard sales are another great way to get a deal. Richland-West End neighborhood has theirs around the first weekend of June and Cherokee Park has one around the first or second weekend of September.

There you have it.   I would love to hear about YOUR favorites places.