Kindred Spirits: The Picker Sisters

Have you been watching Picker Sisters?

Tara Gentile turned me on to them and I've fallen completely in love with their show, the concept behind their show as well as their style & their methods!

Tanya & Tracy are interior designers who have been road tripping around The States searching junkyards, barns and roadside hideaways for items that can be transformed into one-of-a-kind furnishings.

With their vision and a lot of help from their patient contractor, Alan, they've turned industrial metal carts into splashy poolside lounge chairs and rundown road signs into crave-worthy headboards. 

All of their finished pieces take up residence in their L.A. store, but rarely stay long before being swooped up by homeowners seeking truly original furnishings.

So what makes a $20 cart worth hundreds or even thousands in their store?

Time, vision & resources.

You're not paying for the materials that go into crafting these pieces, you're paying for the time they spent searching them out, the unique vision they've applied to repurposing them, and the detail oriented contractor who made their vision a reality.

I relate to this. Big Time.

When vintage lamps and shades have seen better days, others write them off as "junk". I see rarity, character & potential.

With my creative vision and ability to see past the "ugly", I give new life to discarded pieces and find them homes where they'll be treasured by those who appreciate owning handcrafted pieces of history.

But, it takes a whole lot of time, energy, vision, and a team of professionals to create the finished product.

Not only do I work with some fabulous restoration/repair folks, but I utilize my designer resources to scout out the best fabric. The spray booth in my studio allows me to recolour lamps year round and my guy helps me hunt down the best of the best at every antiuqe show, vintage market, thrift store & auction week after week after week.

You really must check out the show to see just what I'm talking about. I bet that, just like me, you'll fall head over heals for their process, their pieces and their spunky personalities.

Comments

[Kerby | postcard printing]

I also love the show! Their pieces are awesome. Designing is way even easier and fun because of the interesting ideas featured on the show.

[Margie]

Neat show! I haven't seen it before, but now it's going on my DVR list. I think a lot of people only think of the cost of materials, not the time, creativity and energy that goes into revamping an old piece.