shopping rubylane

I have been using rubylane for a while but it wasn't until I started researching this post, that I really grew to appreciate their huge selection of antique and vintage items. Rubylane was one of the original antique online marketplaces. Started in 1998 by Tom Johnson, a San Francisco tech professional at the time, the site now has over 550,000 items listed for sale. Its search features are not as extensive as Ebay, 1st Dibs or Chairish. Nor are the products photos always the best. But if you have the time to dig, I think you can get rewarded with some great finds at reasonable pricing.

When shopping for antiques online, I tend to gravitate towards items that can be easily shipped i.e. no crazy hundreds of dollars on freight. I think the best way to use rubylane is to have a specific type of antique in mind or to build yourself a library of preferred vendors. I also would suggest searching in Antiques and Vintage Collectibles as things seem to be a little miss categorized. Below are some currently listed items that I have saved in my shopping cart. 

seventeen matching antique cast bronze ice box hinges, 1916, Dayton Manufacturing Co.

These could be re-purposed in a really cool way. Like on a kitchen island...

kitchen by Haynes-Roberts via REMODELISA

I like the pinks in this antique rug and because of its small size, I think it would be perfect in a bathroom. 

1880s Lavar Kerman Persian rug

And, of course, I needed to check out the quilt selection - which is awesome!

antique handmade quilt mint condition circa 1900: tents of armageddon

scrap quilt top 1890s flying geese

antique rugs in the bathroom

We were given a really beautiful 2' x 3' antique rug and, until recently, I had it placed at our front door. The problem was it just looked sort of tiny and unimpressive in the space. 2' x 3' rugs are challenging in that they are too small for most spaces. With rugs, you generally want to size up so a 2' x 3' can be hard to make work. I tried ours in different spaces around the house without much success UNTIL I moved it to the bathroom. Then it was WOW! Our bathroom is rather boring with contractor grade finishes but putting our vintage rug in there instantly gives the room more depth. It also is the perfect piece to build the room around. I am thinking new vanity, fixtures and mirror, hang some art and old hooks and then paint the built ins a shade of blue. Below are some examples of antique rugs in bathrooms that are serving as my inspiration. Happy Monday!

from top left - home of Beth and Chris Collier via Garden & Gun - home of Amber Lewis via DOMAINE - via Studio McGee - via Sarah Richardson Design - via REMODELISTA - source unknown - home of Sheryl Crow via Architectural Digest - design by GP Schafer Architects - via Hooked on Houses

10.21.2014

semi antique Persian rug via Medallion Rug