Flea Market Decorating

How to Have the Most Original Home on the Block

29 April, 2018 by Lisette Mejia

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Every month over the past several years, Céline van Riemsdijk has been perusing the aisles at the Alameda Flea Market for hours. And it's paid off, because that's where she's gotten just about every single piece that decorates her two-bedroom, two-bathroom home in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood. Céline, a senior account executive at POPSUGAR, lives there with her husband Lee, and the couple is expecting their first child any day now.

She describes her style as vintage, because she loves old items that come with a special backstory. There's also the fact that vintage pieces are usually cheaper than store-bought ones. "I never pay full price for anything — except designer shoes," she says, with a laugh. It would be an understatement to say she's done a wonderful job at curating a home that's unique and striking without paying a fortune to do so. Ahead, you can take a photo tour of the place and get a better understanding of her design philosophy.

As soon as you step inside, you just know this is no average home. The entryway pops with eclectic details, from the chandelier to the "Howdy" sign to the patterned rugs. She would hate to have a "matchy matchy" home, she says, because color, texture, and pattern are what add personality to a space.

The dining room is just as eye-catching. Notice the rustic light fixtures above and the red chairs at the heads of the table. And get this: the dining table was made from an old bowling alley lane — an incredible find that Céline picked up at the flea market. She doesn't mind the slight dings on it, she says, because it adds character.

One of her absolute favorite antique finds is this blue mailbox that sits in the dining room. "How many people have that in their homes?" she says. It's part of her main decorating advice: to make your home pop through colorful accents and accessories.

The other side of the dining room is pretty great, too. That console table is another vintage pick. Seriously, this girl knows a good deal when she sees one.

The kitchen is next to the dining room and was recently renovated with new cabinets and an intricate backsplash. Philippe the cat loves the completed look!

Step through the kitchen and you see an extralong hallway that leads to the bedrooms and bathrooms. This lengthy rug (like the rug in the entryway, the dining room, and the living room) is from Flor, a company that lets you piece together small squares to create a custom carpet. They're removable too, so if you spill on one square tile, you can easily replace it.

The hallway walls are filled with framed photos, artwork, vintage posters, and typewriter keys from Céline's own jewelry business. (We'll get to that in a bit.)

The half bath may be small, but it's definitely a sight to be seen. Check out that glamorous chandelier and the vintage mirror that she scored for less than $50 at the flea market.

The first room off the hallway is a nursery for the baby girl that Céline and Lee are expecting. We instantly swooned over the setup, complete with photos of Céline and Lee as children and a vintage locker for storage.

The other side of the room is the epitome of shabby chic, thanks to the rustic changing station and framed prints.

Last year, Céline and Lee renovated the home and added a walk-in closet that connects the nursery to the master bedroom. As you can see, the result is enviable, with plenty of space for Céline's incredible shoe collection and wardrobe.

And how could we forget her jewelry station?

Next up is the bedroom. One of the few pieces that's not from the flea market is the bed from One Kings Lane, which completes the cozy look of the space.

We couldn't help but fall for the fabulous bust that Céline got — you guessed it — at the flea market.

Throughout the home, you can find personal touches like this wedding photo that sits atop their unique dresser.

Back through the long hallway and past the dining room, we get to the bright and colorful living room.

Naturally, she styled the main bookshelf with special pieces like the old mic that Lee picked up. When it comes to styling her flea market finds, her philosophy is "organized chaos." You don't want things to be too cluttered, she says; it's all about moderation.

Another great idea is to use floating bookshelves to save space. We love how she put a unique spin on it by displaying books horizontally by color.

After seeing her home, you probably won't be surprised to learn that Céline has her own side business called petite.v where she makes accessories from vintage typewriter keys.
Her decorating style influences her jewelry business, she says, because it's all about adding personality and focusing on little details that make a piece special.

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