I just love to look in other people's windows.

I tell myself it's not creepy since I'm not trying to see any people. In fact, I get annoyed if the people inside are blocking my view. I just want to see their homes and how they've decorated. I'm always looking for new ideas.

I'd never trespass, and I certainly don't use binoculars. Okay, I might do the latter if I had some. Mostly, I just walk or drive past, slowly. I can't tell you how many wrecks I've nearly had while driving past houses whose occupants were kind enough to leave the curtains open after dark.

Usually, I don't bother during the day. You can't see much. But, I accidentally hit pay dirt this morning. Read more...

Ceramic pulls perfect for restyling vintage furniture.
Photo © Leah French

You probably know the flea market is a great place to buy furniture that just needs to be spruced up a bit. Broken or missing hardware is a common issue, but usually one of the easiest to fix. Sometimes you can even find the replacements right there at the flea market.

I see hardware while flea market shopping all the time -- new, antique, and sometimes fantastic handmade pieces.

I spotted these colorful ceramic pulls over the weekend. If they'd had just two more of the red ones, they'd have been perfect for a piece I'm planning to use for extra storage in my tiny kitchen.

If you have pieces you're working on, it's a good idea to keep the hardware measurements with you. You're pretty safe with knobs, but the space between the screws varies with pulls and handles. Nevertheless, if you happen to fall for something really special, you can always fill the holes and drill new ones, especially on painted pieces that need a fresh coat anyway.

• Which Furniture Is Worth Fixing

© Yard Sale Treasure Map

Have you tried Yard Sale Treasure Map yet?

I have. It's love.

Using Google maps and Craigslist garage sale listings, it was created just for planning yard sale routes. It's easy to use and free.

I asked creator Shawn Kolodgie what inspired Yard Sale Treasure Map.

"My wife and I came up with the idea because of watching the tedious way that my mother-in-law plots out her weekly Saturday adventure for treasure using a paper map, sticky notes, and a newspaper.  I was amazed to find out that no online tools existed and the yard sale sites that did exist were for the most part either exploitative or not very useful... with the exception of craigslist.org of course."

Ahem. Substitute a highlighter for the sticky notes and that process sounds a little too familiar.

• How to Use Yard Sale Treasure Map

If you're planning to hit the flea markets and estate sales Sunday morning, don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour before you go to bed Saturday night. With an extra hour of sleep, you'll be well-rested for your treasure hunt.

I forgot last year, and ended up waiting in the car for an hour. Ah well, at least I had a giant coffee to keep me company.

Happy hunting!

Over the years, I've built up a nice little art collection from flea markets, estate and yard sales, and thrift stores.

I've bought more than a few pieces by listed artists, including an artist proof by Lisa Houck and three John Baughman pieces. But, as I was just telling someone yesterday, I have yet to find one I can auction at Christie's for instant riches.

Teisha McNeal may have.

McNeal bought a painting for $2 at a neighbor's yard sale. Once she got home, she noticed the signature. It said Picasso.

Authorities believe the painting could be authentic and are currently investigating. If so, it could bring millions at auction.

• Guerrilla Garage Sale Shopping
• 5 Ways to Find Yard Sales

One of my biggest frustrations with design clients over the years has been their reluctance to let go of the idea that everything has to match. They'd show me photos of rooms they loved from magazines, where everything definitely wasn't matchy-matchy, and ask me to help them make selections. But, come presentation time, they'd get distressed that I hadn't suggested sets.

A well-placed pair of tables, chairs, lamps or whatever can be quite striking, but there is nothing creative, interesting, or personal about filling your home with matching sets of furniture.

Of course it's fine if the dining chairs match the table -- although it's also fine if they don't -- and you may like the symmetry of identical beside tables, but don't feel like you can't shop secondhand out of fear that things won't match.

The next time you fall for a room, really scrutinize the furnishings. Does everything match exactly? Probably not.

Until then, tour the homes of some decorating pros to learn how to mix things up the right way:

• A Midtown Classic
• Luxurious Living Room
• The Vintage Laundry Shack
• Memphis Morning Room

I love the concept behind Freecycle, that of recycling perfectly good items and passing them on to people who can use them. But the actual experience of using Freecycle a few nights ago? Not so much.

I hadn't posted to Freecycle for a couple of years, not since people in my area started using Craigslist to buy and sell, but I had a couple of things I wanted out of my way quickly, so I posted an offer.

Within 15 minutes, I had more than a hundred replies. That would've thrilled me if I hadn't been more than halfway through the replies before reading one from someone I'd actually allow in my home. Not syrupy sweet, just polite -- and sane.

I suppose the people who turn into raging greedy beasts upon hearing the word free don't bother to read about appropriate behavior, but just in case one happens to wander by, here are a few don'ts:

Read more...

Stack of Old Drawers
Photo © Leah French

I love the look of this stack of old, painted drawers I spotted recently at the Memphis Flea Market.

I didn't buy them on the spot, but the dealer seems to be a regular, so I've been trying to think of a good way to use a few of them. Stack them in the bathroom closet to corral small items? Use them in the kitchen somehow?

Finally, I realized that part of what attracted me is the pinwheel effect of the big, multicolored stack. Why not use them exactly as displayed?

My desk only has one drawer, and they'd be a great alternative to a drab metal file cabinet. I'm thinking of a few on the desk for quick access, and a taller stack on the floor nearby for papers I don't need to access daily.

• Find a Flea Market Near You
• Decorating with Flea Market Finds

When you're mapping your yard sale route, don't forget to include estate sales.

Estate sales traditionally include the whole contents of a household, rather than just the castoffs.

Though the pricing is usually higher than yard sale pricing, you'll find finer pieces. But, just like yard sales, if you wait until the final hours of the last day of the sale, you'll get better prices. The long farm table in the Carpenter & Carpenter living room is an estate sale find, bought for a song, compared to its worth, on the last day of a sale.