In the living room, an antique
dry sink from a yard sale is
accented by a topiary and a
painting by Sarah's father

Fab Finds

Sarah Andersen and her husband, Peter, have thoughtfully grafted their style onto a tiny 500-square-foot apartment, located on the ground floor of a three-story house. In the living room, an antique dry sink (right) from a yard sale is accented by a topiary and a painting by Sarah's father.

Sarah, a jewelry and floral designer, who works just down the hill in her parent's home accessories and floral shop, Cross Road, had a highly developed sense of style at an early age.

This is a space that conveys a sense of style well beyond the newlyweds' years. Cabinets shedding layers of paint share space with iron grates, glossy pottery, and bamboo chairs that used to inhabit Sarah's childhood bedroom.

"I don't think I've spent more than $150 on anything in here," says Sarah. "Well, maybe I paid more than that for the dry sink."

 

Sitting at a table she bought at
auction and then painted, Sarah
plants a tiny glass greenhouse.

Years of scouring garage sales, auctions, flea markets-even the local dump with her artist parents taught her to spot a shapely table and how architectural salvage pieces can make artistic additions to the home.

Her parents advised Sarah how to buy, transform, and sell objects as her taste evolved or as she grew tired of them. "I am a total product of my family," says Sarah. "The core of everything I've done is formed by my family and how they've taught me to look at things."