Whether your decorating budget is large or small, finding unique items that express your individuality will make your Washington, D.C., home distinctively yours. If you know where to look, you can find antiques and one-of-a-kind or limited edition artisan creations to provide the perfect decorating touch.
These are some favorite places to get started:
The Flea Market at Eastern Market
The Flea Market at Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood has been offering antiques, crafts and collectibles on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for 28 years. The artisans who sell at the flea market come from all over the world. Many of their products are handmade.
Looking for wall hangings? You might find a water color by a local artist or an intriguing mask. Pottery is a common find, but the pottery itself might be uncommon. One of my favorite discoveries at this flea market was the colorful handmade giraffe sculptures my husband spotted -- they were made from recycling bin contents, but you'd never guess that looking at them.
Creativity abounds here.
The Flea Market at Eastern Market
7th and C Sts., S.E.
Washington, D.C.
703-534-7612
1 block from Eastern Market Metro
In nearby Bethesda, the Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market has been running for 32 years. This flea market operates Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nineteen women opened this market in 1932, setting up card tables to hawk farm fresh meats, homemade cakes, pies, and canned vegetables, fruits, and jellies. Their tiny effort to survive the Great Depression by marketing their farm goods to the Washington, D.C., and close-in suburban neighbors has grown into a local mainstay. Today there are 22 food stands and 74 flea market vendors selling their wares.
Some of the items sold here include African art and collectibles, silver, rugs, paintings, furniture and even landscape sculpture and backyard waterfalls.
Montgomery Farm Women's Cooperative Market
7155 Wisconsin Ave.
Bethesda, Md., 20814
310-652-2251
Antique Row in Kensington is another place to scout out treasures for your home. The quaint little neighborhood contains 80 shops. Unusual end tables, desks with history, quirky lamps -- you can find all manner of treasures here. If you're watching your budget, you'd better stay focused here or you might find yourself coming home with a stained glass window, a crank organ, or an old phonograph. Temptation is everywhere.
Kensington Antique Row
E. Howard St.
Kensington, Md.
With such incredible finds so close at hand, why choose mass-manufactured d©cor sold in a boring department store? Browse the cozy stalls and storefronts of sellers who take pride in their handicraft -- or their finds- for something just a little more "you" and a lot more remarkable.
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