February 11, 2018

An Ode to the Most Beautiful Vintage Florals

February 11, 2018/ Retro Den Vintage Home Store and Design

There's just something about a vintage floral that can make even non-floral-lovers feel a tingling sensation in their hearts. We've felt this heart tingle many times during the years of owning Retro Den as vintage floral pieces come and go out of our doors and our lives. Today we take a step back and pay homage to the beautiful vintage florals we've had the joy of knowing over the years. Please enjoy our ode to the most lovely vintage florals.

August 20, 2017

Styling with Pattern and Color: Our Favorite Interior Power Clashes

August 20, 2017/ Ashley Palmer

One of our favorite games to play while styling the shop is, "Can we make this go together?" It's a fun game, really. To play, we pick two pieces (rugs, sofas, chairs, artwork...) that are super loud or crazily patterned and then try to build a scene around them using only things we have in the shop so that they "go together" in the end. It's a great challenge because we only have so many neutral colored rugs or solid sofas to work with, so often times we end up power clashing.

May 14, 2017

Vintage Shopping in Tulsa: Tulsa Consignment Shops

May 14, 2017/ Ashley Daly

What is a consignment shop, you ask? Consignment shops take items on consignment (hence the name) which means the store doesn't out-right own its merchandise; they instead take a cut of the profit once something sells. The percentage the shop takes ranges from shop to shop–typically we see anywhere from 50% to 20%. Many genres of these shops exist–clothing, jewelry, kid's stuff, furniture. We only have eyes for furniture and home-related consignment shops, obviously. Some of these shops pack in the furniture while others more thoughtfully arrange the pieces. As such, your experience can vary widely while shopping vintage in consignment stores.

January 29, 2017

Secrets of a Shop Owner: Favorite Places to Shop Vintage (in Tulsa)

January 29, 2017/ Ashley Daly

We love a curated home carefully crafted with vintage, found, and new pieces. This adds depth and meaning to spaces. One of the best things about vintage pieces is that you have to hunt them down. If you want something specific (side table, a tall lamp), you have to go to lots of places to find the right one because vintage isn't something that's made in mass. It's pieces that have lived a life before, that have history, are from a certain era, and evoke a more individualized style than off the shelf at a big box store.

May 22, 2016

Our Top 5 Reasons Why to Shop Vintage

May 22, 2016/ Ashley Daly

Shopping vintage. A topic obviously near and dear to us Ashleys' hearts. We both quit our professional day jobs to run a vintage home shop afterall. Why is shopping vintage so wonderful you ask? Here's why!

1. You need old and new in your home. Ever go into a house and it feels like a catalogue or, on the other extreme, a thrift store? That, my friends, is because every home needs both old and new pieces to look balanced and pulled together. While there are always exceptions, only having new pieces in your space leaves it looking sterile and unimaginative, whereas only having vintage can give off a grandma vibe. That's why it's so important to mix it up and let the pieces complement one another to achieve an optimal look. The new lends your home a modern and fresh feel whereas the vintage gives it soul and character. One without the other wouldn't be nearly as beautiful. Let them work together for you.