​Vintage shop owner, Mendy Michalec shows us around her home.

​Growing up in the 70’s, my childhood home in southern Indiana was filled with “harvest colors” as seen on Tupperware containers my mom had stuffed in her cabinets.  However, for years I admired white (all shades of white), so naturally when I built my first house in the 90’s I used white on everything.  Be that as it may, raising three kids with all white was not wise so I threw in the towel.

Fast-forward to being an empty nester with a new house built like a 1920’s craftsman style home, I was able to feed my inner spirit.  While the house was under construction, I was thrifting and forging for all things chippy.  I wanted anything that resembled my grandma’s old front porch swing.
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My fireplace mantle was my first score.  It was taken out of an old home in Lakeland and had all of the bones and crackle that I was looking for and “she” sits proudly as one of my focal points in my living room.  

​You can not miss the primitive kitchen island as you enter the house.  I found it by sheer luck at a tractor show.  The man that sold it said it was a general store counter found in Wisconsin.  My husband disassembled it in order to build it up high enough to sit at and he added the gorgeous granite on top.  An old salvaged door from India became my pantry door.  We were able to retro-fit it to swing out to expose all of my canned goods and such.  And, Bella, my crowned resident deer head sits above it with all of  her bling and girl boss flare.

​Down the hall, my bedroom received some “chippy love” with huge closet barn doors salvaged from a barn in Alabama.  And, they expose just a tad bit of faded pink to blend with all of my whites.  My husband was able to save the original hardware which adds to the overall appearance.  Always “trust in the rust”.  
My massive bed took several guys to bring it into the house.  It was brought over from England and I painted it with antique white General Finishes and I distressed it.

​Being a “picker” of sorts, I like to scavenge for statement pieces to use for accents.  So, on one of my hunting trips at a flea market I discovered the most amazing column.  It was the perfect piece to put my boxwood on top of to liven up the living room.  You can never go wrong with natural elements to give a white room life.

Sunbury Antiques Market
Located at Kempton Park Racecourse with over 500 stalls.  Takes place the 2nd & last Tuesday of each month.  It’s wise to get there early. The market is advertised from 6:30am – 2 but most vendors leave by noon.  It’s free and about 45 minutes by train from London or 15 minutes by cab or Uber from the Heathrow Airport area. www.sunburyantiques.com 

Ardingly Antiques & Collectors Fair
This is a biggie and happens 6 times a year with over 1500 vendors from all over Europe.  The two day event is on a Tuesday & Wednesday.  It’s a little pricey, 20 pounds to attend on Tuesday (good for both days) or 5 pounds for Wednesday only.  Plan at least an hour by train from London or stay near the Gatwick Airport and be 20 minutes away.  www.iacf.co.uk/ardingly 

After searching for those English treasures be sure and treat yourself to traditional fish & chips whilst planning your next British shopping adventure!

* Connie Gilbert retired from Delta Airlines after 35 years as an International Flight Attendant.  She travels to England several times a year to search for treasures.

Vintage Junkie, is located on the Street of Shops at Renningers Antique Center in Mt. Dora, Florida.  Stop by any Friday, Saturday & Sunday to discover her Treasures from Travels! 

This is Marketplace At Rivertown.  We are a three story, 7,000 square foot multi-dealer vintage mall located in historic downtown Deland in Central Florida.  We are the only store in downtown Deland with three floors of shopping. ​

The city of Deland was founded in the late 1800s.  Our building was built in the 1920’s and is mostly still in its original condition.  With it’s wide staircases and a mezzanine that overlooks the entire first floor this good old building is filled with a lot of charm.  There was a Western Auto here in the 1950’s thru the 1970’s.  Children from all over the area would come to pick out their Christmas gifts as the third floor was known as Toy Land from October through December.  Following that, the business became an antique mall and remained that for many years.  When I took over the business in August 2015, I began transitioning Marketplace at Rivertown to where we are today; a multi-dealer Vintage Mall offering you Deland’s most eclectic shopping experience. ​

From vintage to mid century to antique and upcycled, we’ve got it all!  We have over 35 dealers so there really is something for everyone including, jewelry, vintage clothing and accessories, handmade soaps and scrubs.  We have lighting, industrial, kitchen wares, records, primitive, ephemera, collectibles and even a Mantiques section!  We have a great selection of custom painted furniture as we are a Premier carrier of Dixie Belle chalk mineral paint.  With over 60 colors to choose from you can become a DIYer or have us paint your piece for you.  Looking for something new to do with your friends?  Schedule a paint class with us!  You will even see over a dozen vintage mannequins throughout the building.  Let their outfits inspire you or take your picture with one and enter our mannequin selfie contest on Instagram. 

By Ed Kindle, Five Katz Antiques