Stacy Harvie
How would you define your home's style?
I am a Maximalist stuck in Fisher-Price purgatory thanks to my two kids.
I love color, pattern, tradition and memories! I have my grandmother’s buffet in my living room and it just thrills me that it is full of coloring books and puzzles and Candy Land. She would be so tickled to know that it is full of all these little treasures from her great-grandchildren.
How did you get into "hunting" vintage and antique treasures?
Out of need. I moved around so much when I first moved to DC and I kept having pieces that wouldn’t fit in doorways of the charming English Basements I lived in. So I had to get creative to redesign my apartment after each move and couldn’t afford to constantly refurnish apartments.
What is your favorite find to date?
We live right down the street from Mount Vernon, the home of President George Washington and both my husband and I are huge history buffs. Back in the day, classrooms and schoolhouses would often have a print of George Washington as an ode to our first President. I had been hunting for one for as long as I can remember and FINALLY found one at a local flea market. I saw it across the parking lot and went running and screaming at it. I really blew my chance to negotiate a deal on it but it didn’t matter because I wanted it regardless.
What do you collect?
I am fascinated by collections. I think the stories and the history behind items are so fascinating. That was the reason I started Capitol Vintage Charm School. In Charm School, I interview and record my conversation with collectors so they can educate us all on their passions. My hope is that these lessons help anyone watching be able to better identify an object when they see it out on their hunts. For example, I would see holes on the bottom or the back of Staffordshire Dogs and had no idea what they meant. Now I know they are part of the way they were made and are often a key to the age of the piece. It is such a pleasure to watch people talk about what they love. They light up in these interviews and their joy is infectious!
I’ve started to collect one of every item I cover on Charm School episodes. It has been so much fun to learn about these items and then see them in the wild. I almost tripped on myself (and gave an old man a concussion) trying to get to the Toby Jugs I just bought.
Is there a collection that you aspire to start?
I am on a real flatware kick these days. I love mixing different collections on my table.
Do you have a piece that you regret not buying… essentially, the one that got away?
Nothing that keeps me up at night. This is actually my personal hell - the idea of letting something get away. So I impulsively buy it and then usually regret it because it wasn’t what I thought or I got too caught up in the moment and didn’t notice flaws.
On the flip side, is there a piece that you regret purchasing?
So much. But I like to think of those pieces as little learning moments. I am trying to be so much more mindful in my shopping. I am trying to take a deep breath, let my excitement settle and really investigate a piece. Inspect it. Rub my finger around the edges to feel for chips…hold glass up to light to see if it is cloudy…really give it a look over.
Preferred place to "hunt" for vintage and antique pieces... Auctions? Flea Markets? Estate Sales? Antique Stores? Facebook Marketplace? Craiglist? Local Thrift Stores? Specific Websites?
Everywhere from thrift stores to yard sales. I live for a good Estate Sale. I love seeing people’s homes – how they used them and how they lived in them. I get so sentimental about it. Thinking of how happy they were around the dinner table at Christmas. Or thinking about how they raised families there. Wondering if they stepped on toys while trying to clean their kitchen? There is absolutely nothing better to me when a family member is there to tell stories about the items.
I went to an estate sale recently where the granddaughter of the previous owner was there. I had purchased this really beautiful Vintage Radnor Staffordshire Bone China Floral Bouquet in a Footed Bowl for my Etsy shop and the granddaughter told me that they were used as centerpieces for her great-grandmother’s 90th birthday luncheon. She described the tables and how happy her grandmother was to give this gift to her mother. It was such a precious memory and I was so honored she shared it with me and this item will go on to have new memories in new homes.
Do you prefer to "hunt" alone or with the company of others?
I don’t want to hunt with someone who isn’t there to really dig or that just wants to follow me around. My favorite hunts are with my Vintage Best Friend (VBF), Anna Weaver (@annaweaverinteriors). We’ve started sharing video of our hunts on Instagram and we have the most fun doing this together and egging each other on. Also, it is so fun to hunt with someone who knows about things you don’t. We are constantly teaching each other about time periods and items.
What essentials do you pack in your purse when you're out treasure hunting?
I never leave home without a magnet, a rag and an eraser. A magnet will tell you if an item is solid brass (if you get a pull it isn’t brass because brass isn’t magnetic so a pull will tell you it is brass plate with something under it like steel, etc). A rag will help you wipe away dirt. An eraser will remove tarnish…this is my absolute favorite trick when looking at silver. I often have a hard time figuring out if the silver is tarnished or the silver plate is peeling off. Rubbing a white school eraser over it will remove it if it is tarnish.
Any tips for negotiating or securing a better deal?
Just ask. You won’t get a discount if you don’t and as long as you are polite about it, I think you need go for it!
Are you an impulsive shopper and buy pieces that you don't have a spot for, or do you primarily stick to your list?
So incredibly impulsive… I can’t say no to pretty china. It is my kryptonite.
What mistakes do you think people make while shopping for vintage and antique pieces?
Being too scared to repair or clean something so they don’t buy it. I am always amazed at the common household items or kits around these days that you can buy to repair items. The power of a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser will alter your entire world!
What is the wildest experience you've had while pursuing an antique or vintage item?
You sure meet some characters doing this. I don’t know that I have just one story that sticks out but I have had a lot of laughs while hunting.
Do you have any advice for someone who is just getting started with Auctions, Flea Markets, Estate Sales, Antique Stores, etc.?
Get on all the websites and start to pretend shop. You will learn what items are called and what they sell for so you’ll know when you’re getting a deal and when you aren’t. I spend hours on Etsy and Ebay, etc, looking at pretty pieces that catch my eye and then I say, for example, “that vase is called XYZ and made by XYZ, I wonder what else they made” and start web searching.
Favorite Instagram accounts pertaining to vintage or antique items?
Eddie Ross, hands down. That man can do no wrong in my opinion. I love every detail he perfects and every table he styles. I study his book and his Instagram. He’s brought me endless hours of inspiration and knowledge!
Stacy Harvie is the owner of Capitol Vintage Charm, an online vintage store and resource guide to help people identify, restore and decorate vintage. Stacy is a mom, a wife and vintage hoarder. She grew up in Louisiana and made her way to Washington, DC. Stacy lives with her husband, two small children, and a china collection she tries to hide from the eye rolls of her husband and the breakable fingers of her kids.
Follow along at @capitolvintagecharm , check out www.capitolvintagecharm.com, and shop Stacy’s finds via Chairish and Etsy
Photos and content provided by Stacy Harvie.
