Over the past 30 years we have seen countless changes in downtown Manhattan. Oftentimes this leads to small neighborhood stores getting pushed aside by an influx of big box brands. To combat this trend, a group of innovative shopkeepers are adapting their stores to accommodate the changing atmosphere of the retail world. One such shop, Décor NYC on West 25th Street, is a luxury consignment gallery with exquisite furniture and home décor offerings. Countless shoppers turn to Décor NYC to find one-of-a-kind pieces to bring into their homes. The luxury consignment gallery includes mid-century pieces, classic modern designs by Cassina and Knoll International, modern Christian Liaigre designs, as well as chic B&B Italia contemporary styles.
With an elite client base, Décor NYC allows individuals with beautiful and luxury pieces to consign their furniture as they move from one grand apartment to the next. With the real estate market booming once again in New York, people are constantly moving, renovating and redesigning their homes and apartments; and that is when one can turn to Décor NYC for both consigning their own items and purchasing pieces for their new space. Interior designers and home owners continually stop at the gallery to see what new gems have arrived in the ever-changing showroom. Décor NYC serves a unique service in the luxury home market, a gallery where one can feel confident that they are buying well-designed, supremely-vetted, brand name vintage pieces at amazing prices.
Vintage fashion is continually considered the crème-de-la-crème and the same is true for furniture and décor for the home. Consignment shops are nothing new, the concept of selling your unused items at a retail or online store while receiving a cut of the proceeds has been around for decades. What has changed is the quality of goods that are now available on consignment and the way the customer interacts with the products. The ability to see, feel and experience vintage furniture in person is a luxury is specific to New York City and Décor NYC. Stop into the Décor NYC gallery and sit on a sofa. Experience the furniture as you might in your own home. With the assistance of the educated staff at Décor NYC, the customer gathers much more than just the facts and dimensions, which is often all you find online. At Décor NYC, the in-person interaction allows for a pleasurable and more worthwhile shopping experience. Only in downtown New York can you find a large showroom filled with designer products that have been consigned by their previous owners; the ever-changing real estate market and the accumulation of wealth in New York allows for the highest quality of furniture and decor to be available on consignment.
“We’ve had everything from single item, one-of-a-kind consignments, to pieces from entire New York apartments,” says Bruce Tilley, the co-founder and director of Décor NYC. And while items do not have to be custom or from designer brands to be accepted for consignment, they do have to be special and in excellent condition. “We do our research when accepting items,” noted Tilley, “not only inspecting condition and vetting provenance, but finding out as much information about each piece as possible from the consignor.” Questions like when was it purchased, what was the original cost, and what do you hope to make on the sale, are all important factors in determining a fair market value. “Our aim is to move inventory, so we typically price items 50% below the market value or the original price,” added Tilley. Décor NYC is store to add to your repertoire both as a buyer and a potential consigner. Every New Yorker has had moments when a beloved piece of furniture no longer works in a new apartment. These moments are the times to stop by Décor NYC and meet Tilley. He will work with you to consign the piece if possible or work in tandem with Housing Works, where Tilley was a founding board member, to find a place for the item. Décor NYC is committed to finding a home for every piece of furniture that comes into their gallery.
Whether you are buying or selling, a stop in Décor NYC will be well worth your while. Like all vintage and consignment shopping, it is best to do your research and to shop often. Unlike traditional retail, consignment galleries change like the weather. Since there is no back up inventory, what you see today may not be available tomorrow. You never know what you might find, perhaps an authentic, vintage Louis Vuitton trunk from 1926 or a set of Christian Liaigre “Barbuda” dining chairs, Paul McCobb buffet or a Danish mid-century rosewood credenza by Arne Vodder to Hans Wegner chairs. Art is another category you’ll find at Décor NYC; work by artists such as Louise Nevelson, Helen Frankenthaler, Robert Motherwell, Sol LeWitt, Annie Leibovitz and others. The possibilities are endless and we never know what will be coming in to the gallery tomorrow. Décor NYC is a true treasure chest of repurposed luxury at its best, right here in the heart of New York.
