Filed under: Fun Stuff, Design, etc, News & Trends
Kent Home; eBay
Fashion industry vet Michael Kalesti brings a mix of new and vintage home wares to his upstate New York shop.
After spending over 20 years on the wholesale side of designer menswear in New York City, working for labels Donna Karan, Hugo Boss and Calvin Klein, Michael Kalesti decided to pursue a retail endeavor of his own. This spring, after dabbling in restoring mid-century furnishings (he had a company called Rescue), Kalesti opened home furnishings shop Kent in Chappaqua, New York, an upscale suburb of New York City. The aesthetic is very clean, but by no means slick. The building itself is an old home built in the early 1900s. Kalesti gutted the space, which has been a storefront for about 60 years. He kept the original, rustic wood floors, but painted everything else white. Kalesti recently spoke with Marni Elyse Katz, a regular contributor to The Inside Source, eBay's online style magazine, about his work. What follows is an excerpt of that interview.
The shop carries smaller pieces of furniture, lighting, gifts, home accessories and collection objects that are a mix of new and vintage. "I look beyond the condition of things and that's what inspires me . . . It's crazy what people throw away," he says. While Kalesti's a regular on the estate and tag sale circuit -- he once bought a piece of pottery for $5 that was worth $600 -- he's quite partial to eBay. He says, "Owning a store and being committed to certain hours, it's great to have a resource like eBay that lets you find things without leaving the shop... and with enough margin to make a profit." (Never mind he actually bought a car on eBay Motors last August -- a Porsche Targa, no less.) The Inside Source sent Kalesti back to eBay to scout pieces and he selected a set of mid-century modern chrome chairs, George Briard tumblers and more. To read the full story, click here.
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The Inside Source, eBay's online style magazine, brings you the hottest goods and the latest trends, tips and shopping stories from leaders in home and garden, fashion and more.