Amanda & JP are the powers behind Post Design Collective, a space for artists, creators and of course lovers of vintage furniture to connect, collect and share stories. Both in the midst of completing their Masters in Architecture, Amanda & JP are passionate experts in the different eras of design which has complimented their business of buying and selling beautiful vintage furniture pieces from around the world.
Here's a question that has been on our mind for a while. A lot of us are living in small apartments downtown. What are 5 tips you would share to anyone looking to make the most out of a small living space?
Declutter. Less is definitely more when it comes to organizing and decorating your space.
Select a few enjoyable and meaningful pieces to you to fill your space. Ideally, everything that is out has a purpose.
Lighting is key! Ceiling lights are great but filling your space with lamps and different levels and temperatures of light will allow you to go through your day with ease and will greatly open up your space.
Plants are great! They bring life into your space and the pop of colour makes a space pop.
“Light” furniture, whether it be light coloured, visually light (“light feeling”) or space saving can really help open up a room.
With the growing popularity of vintage design, it’s not always easy to find amazing pieces at a good price but you two seem to have it figured out. What are 5 things you’ve learned overtime about searching for unique furniture pieces (at a reasonable price)?
Hard to say, there really isn’t a formula to find, source, or curate items. Yes, we do have a collection, however this is only a small fraction of what is ever available, at any scale. If we had to give 5 pieces of advice it would be:
Look everywhere. You never know where something will pop up. Be on Facebook, Kijiji, Instagram, Reddit, Blogs, etc. We've had some great finds pop up when we were least expecting.
If you're interested in collecting vintage, like up to 70 year old vintage, be ready to deal with blemishes or breaks. People skip over pieces that are damaged but if you're willing to mend cracks, patch holes, reupholster, source a part, or get one remade, that's where the fun and the best finds are.
Be ok missing out on items. Demand is higher than ever for this stuff and sometimes you don't get something you want. It's definitely one of the frustrating things about what we do, but that's ok. There will be more!
If you like it, be ready to pay! Going off of our last point, demand is high and we often pay over asking price. Bidding wars happen so know your max and fight for it!
Make sure you are going after pieces YOU like. We focus on quality, design and pieces that we love but we also know our style is constantly shifting. Focus on what you like and stay flexible and you'll have a lot of fun.
In sneaker culture right now, faux-vintage/aging is a big thing and it looks like that’s making its way to furniture as well. What are five ways to tell or things to look for to know if furniture is actually vintage / authentic?
We run into this question a lot, especially in our situation of day-day sourcing. We think there are 3 key things.
The best overall message is to simply be knowledgeable with what you are purchasing. We as curators at Post Design do our best to learn as much about the piece before purchasing, listing, and then passing that knowledge down to the new owner, being 100% confident in all the pieces we sell. If we are not certain, we do not list as an authentic piece.
Look for any signs indicating that it's an original, whether it be a stamp, label, sticker, Certificate of Authenticity, weld profiles, screws used (yes even this), weight of the item in some cases, thickness of ply and amount of layers, etc. And even then, unfortunately in some cases it is hard to authenticate.
There are authentic pieces that are new, and still made by the original manufacturer, so that’s another thing to keep in mind (eg. Herman Miller, Ligne Roset, etc).
This interesting dance of new production vs vintage production vs replica(tion) vs original is extremely interesting in itself, and is actually largely the topic of my (JP’s) Thesis. I could go on about specific nuances and how economic shifts and social behaviour has shaped these markets, along with controversial brands, pieces and designers. Maybe in another chat!
Who are five designers/makers anyone looking to get into vintage / mid century design should become familiar with?
A loaded Question! We are going to include inspirational designers from the Bauhaus, Mid-Century, and Memphis era (that really influenced these movements), but also some newer, more contemporary designers/accounts that we enjoy. These designers were not just known for their designs, but rather how influential they were on the world of design, the production of furniture and the change in social perception of design.
Bauhaus: Marcel Breuer
Mid-Century: Alvar Aalto / Eero Saarinen / Charles + Ray Eames
Memphis: Etorre Sottsass / Memphis Group
IG accounts to checkout:
@chair.only (Catalog)
@onlyonceshop (Vintage Catalog & Shop)
@vitradesignmuseum (Vintage Catalog + Informative)
@furniturearchive (Vintage Catalog)
@furniturefolder (Vintage Catalog)
(Bonus) Alexis Christodoulou (@teaalexis) (Designer, not vintage though)
If you could travel anywhere in the world to hunt for furniture (and shipping them back was not an issue haha), where are 5 places you’d go?
Brazil. You know those huge puffy couches? They're called the Percival Couch. That's Brazil!
Anywhere in Europe (Germany, France, Denmark, etc) of course!
Japan. They have such an interesting culture when it comes to architechture. A wild fact: Many homes in Japan have only a 20-30 year lifespan and then they're torn down and rebuilt. When new ownership takes over, the building is worthless and all the value is in the land. Read more here.
Lastly, do you have a top five finds of all time?
This always changes!
Eames DCM Dining Chairs in Maple by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller, Circa 1970
Danish Teak 4 Bay Wall Unit by Erik Buch
Mr. Chair by George Mulhauser for Plycraft
Tamara chair by Arrben Italy (chrome w patina leather)
Rosewood Model 71 Dining Chairs by Niels Moller for J.L. Mobelfabrik (Set of 8)
