![BUY, KEEP, TOSS, ENJOY](https://cdn.magzter.com/1357654756/1681810578/articles/O7pnMbaXT1681893794104/BUY-KEEP-TOSS-ENJOY.jpg)
For many years, I set my alarm to ring at five on Sunday mornings. I'd slip out of bed, leave my young husband sleeping, and dress in the dark. My friend Anna waited outside in an SUV. We drove on the empty streets of our Southern California neighborhood to the coffee shop, which was supposed to open at six but rarely did. If luck was on our side, we carried out extra-large lattes for the drive and arrived at the flea markets just before seven-Pasadena City College on the first weekend of the month; Rose Bowl, the second; Long Beach, the third; and Santa Monica Airport, the fourth just as the vendors, many of whom we knew by name, were setting up their stalls.
We strolled the aisles slowly. It was our time to talk. Our problems and our hopes were legion. Anna and I were just beginning our home lives. She had two boys; I had one. I'd begun my life as a swap-meet goer in college when I'd rented a cottage in Berkeley, California, that was surrounded by berry bushes. My preference was for waffles with more berries than batter, but the juice from them wrecked an electric waffle maker after only a few months. I found an old cast-iron over-the-burner contraption at the swap meet for a dollar.
WHAT I KEPT: DINING ROOM
Orchard Ware dinnerware with dogwood blossom motif, service for 40; four Audubon bird charts on wooden dowels; Mikasa china in white with gold edging; cowbells
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Elle Decor US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2023 edition of Elle Decor US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![A SISTER STORY](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/zj5Yqas_w1723189337525/A-SISTER-STORY.jpg)
A SISTER STORY
Jewelry designer Brent Neale Winston and her decorator sibling, Ramsey Lyons, recast a historic Long Island home.
![GEM OF A PLACE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/h9b_j1r6_1723189052489/GEM-OF-A-PLACE.jpg)
GEM OF A PLACE
A jewelry designer and an architect transform their Manhattan apartment with dazzling color and pattern.
![South by Northwest](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/Hrz3vkcpS1723188913411/SOUTH-BY-NORTHWEST.jpg)
South by Northwest
For the interiors of a family home near Silicon Valley, Ken Fulk creates a visual feast inspired by Argentine culture.
![because the night](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/aH2i-HWK01723188765092/BECAUSE-THE-NIGHT.jpg)
because the night
Fashionista Vincent Ho taps designer Darren Jett to bring sensual glamour to a Brooklyn apartment.
![And How!](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/R-CJX9n7a1723188597591/AND-HOW.jpg)
And How!
Decorator Nick Olsen transforms a Sag Harbor home into a Hamptons retreat with an irreverent humor.
![At Peace](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/TwaXE6QoX1723188345810/AT-PEACE.jpg)
At Peace
Miminat Shodeinde carves out a minimalist haven in a West London row house.
![SO OVER THE RAINBOW](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/dO9Z5j8M81723187862352/SO-OVER-THE-RAINBOW.jpg)
SO OVER THE RAINBOW
Stone color trends seem to ebb and flow at a monthly clip, but mixing black and white is forever.
![But This is My Home](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/e7s4tjoil1723187601459/BUT-THIS-IS-MY-HOME.jpg)
But This is My Home
One writer discovers that living in an architectural icon can be a blessing and a curse.
![VIBE SHIFT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/7eUbMvSdS1723187519260/VIBE-SHIFT.jpg)
VIBE SHIFT
In London, a fashion designer and ceramics star branches out with his first textile collection.
![HE'S GOT A FAST CAR](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/2242/1792780/55VujFIDt1723186028503/HES-GOT-A-FAST-CAR.jpg)
HE'S GOT A FAST CAR
Ralph Lauren's new furniture collection is powered by his lifelong love of automobiles.