Eliz I missed that sweet compliment...darn. Thank you many months later. I found ebay to be the best option for bargains, but the other two places I shopped were School House Electric and Rejuvination. I purchased a few pieces from School House and they went out of their way to first find the cheapest way to ship them (I'd called NY but they have a NW Location so they processed it out of there) and they rushed the order because well I was in a hurry up and finish mode :) Rejuvination was my main non-antique source for lighting. I purchased several fixtures (repro) and love the quality, but I also purchased a few antique pieces. Here are a few in place... This one is hard to photograph because the room is so small...it's hanging from three chains but you can just see it. It came from ebay out of France: My entry hall light from Rejuvination (repro): The kitchen fixture (I have three, two like this and the third is inverted): You've probably seen my infamous chicken..the only non antique style, but still unique fixture in the house: Master Bedroom: Library: And a few more (ok lots) that aren't in pictures yet. Someday I'm going to have to take pics of each fixture. My bathroom are flush mount 1912 cast iron exposed bulbs...I adore them!

Just because something is coming back in style doesn't mean that it will be it's old version. The brass that's been popping up in decor magazines isn't the bright lacquered brass from the 80's or the "antiqued brass" from the 70's. It's more of a "natural brass". Not bright and shiny, but not dark and aged either. Somewhere in between. More of a muted gold. If resale is that long away, I wouldn't worry about what's in style now or what may be coming. Worry about that 24 months from now. Hardware and lighting are quick easy fixes that won't take more than a week to accomplish and you'll have the perspective of two more years of changing styles to choose your products from.

I'll bet there is an army of fellow GWebbers....Houzzers? who would help you hunt! How far would you be willing to drive for your treasure? Then set up your search area and enlist the aid of those of us who live close enough! Or list potential search markets and we can help that way! My kids have dubbed me the "Bargain Queen".....not quite in the same class as High Priestess, but I'm nothing if not tenacious when bargain hunting!

Used quite a lot of vintage, mostly lighting but some other stuff too pros-uniquiness of course. and quality that you can get for a percentage of a price you'd get for something fairly mediocre, or a very small percentage of a price you'd pay for something great cons-time; need to tweak sometimes(not every time, not even with European lights..depends. and often it's something you wouldn't know to ask about. you ask about wattage and voltage, and wiring, and everything's great; then it arrives and you realize: the socket is different..no Home Depot will help you. Only very good speciality stores. Know where to find them first. Or: online. And should be from Europe. Or: there's a canopy but it's too narrow. Doesn't cover the electrical box. Stuff like that. Know what to ask though and where and how to tweak it-you'll be fine. Won't save time. Will save tons of money. Will give immense satistfaction. Other things except lighting..lets see..we bought that totally charming small vanity..sink on the stand. Custom made by somebody local..he's gone, kids were selling it. Now the question-how to attach it to the wall? lol. That's not a vanity that is supposed to stand and will be fine. But the guy who made it-either didn't finish, or didn't think it through so our GC finds some guy who's ironsmith, he figures out what to add as to attach it, he paints it for us since many years in storage and got rusty, etc. Additional work. Effort. Looks cute as a button though. and we had to think of something not standard-a very narrow place. But was the GC so so happy with us having to tweak our vintage lights(they all are throughout the house except for the dining one, and a guest bath-but a guest bath one I bought new only when I lost hope that vintage ones would fit..)), or when this cute vanity had to be taken back and forth and whatnot? Nah..they like things to be standard and ready. But. All in all he was a great guy. He worked with us. Got less happier during the remodel, well us too..normal process. In the end we love the house he does too. Now the doors..the doors need to be put on a frame. Should be self explanatory right? well..there are some dumb people in the world and you're looking at one lol old doors can be amazing. my dream. now they'll cost you what, several hundred on some flea market? forget how much you saved on them, since the frame will be like couple grands? they need to make it, to fit it exactly..it's a whole day work for one person who knows what he does. maybe two or more depending on a door, and how complicated it is. now vintage pulls and drawer knobs-these should be easier. I'll know pretty soon:)