Market Follower.

Navigation: Main page

Author: Unknown

Since founding her interior-design business, Dessins, 20 years ago, Penny Drue Baird has transformed the homes of prominent business and social figures worldwide. In the process, she's become something of an expert on shopping the flea markets of Paris and London. Baird recently spoke with ForbesLife's Kerry Mullett Strom.

I spent three days in Paris and two days in London with a Park Avenue client, and we bought 90 percent of everything for the entire apartment.

In Paris, in the Puces, I would say large-case goods--armoires, secretaries, dining tables are excellent because it's very hard to get nice dining tables in the United States. Sets of things. Pairs of chests and commodes. And unique items…Do you know what a recamier is? It's a chaise that has a swooping back because Madame Récamier used to recline on one when she would have her salons.

In London, the two main flea market areas are Camden Passage and Portobello Road. They have beautiful dining sets, buffets, hutches, lovely leather-upholstered Chesterfield sofas. London is a treasure trove of accessories.

The Victorians were fanatic about having something for every use, so if you needed a nail clipper, there was a nail clipper box. Gloves went in a box. There are lots of little serving pieces that were for uses that today we wouldn't even care about. And everyone had them.

There is a lot of '30s and '40s furniture influenced by Jean-Michel Frank. That's been very popular in the last few years.

Most people don't know that on Friday morning, from about 6:30 a.m. until noon, most of the vendors in the Puces are open for dealers, but anyone can go.

Keep your measurements handy. I can't tell you how many times tragedy happens. People come home from Istanbul or Morocco with a rug and it doesn't fit into a single room of the house.

I think it's really important to be polite. Buying is a game, but the game only goes so far. If you get 20 percent off, you're really lucky. Just quit….You're not going to get 50 percent off.

Well, if I were, I wouldn't tell you, would I?

PHOTO (COLOR): Flea-market maven Penny Drue Baird and her Parisian stomping grounds

PHOTO (COLOR)