merchandise

What follows is a list of stores that Genevieve recommends to people.  I'm not sure where this information first appeared but you might find it helpful if you are looking for merchandise to re-decorate a room in your home.



FABRICS 

Where: Fabric Kingdom, 38th Street and Eighth Avenue
Why: This fabric store kicks butt! Two floors of everything you can imagine — from vinyl to silk, Korean patterns, Vegas tacky, tweed to velvet for great prices. Muhammad Ali is my favorite employee, a Ghanaian dreamboat saving for nursing school. Sigh. 

Where: Roosevelt and 37th, Queens
Why: A long train ride, but an amazing selection of BEAUTIFUL saris and Indian fabrics for next to nothing. This area is also great for really cool tinwork and small wood pieces. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

Where: Pearl River, Canal Street and Broadway
Why: A mart of Asian wares at way better prices than you could ever find above Canal Street. 

Where: Church Street Surplus, Church and Canal Streets
Why: Great metal surplus store, chunks of aluminum, filigree pieces and steel — makes my heart go pitter-patter. 

Where: Canal Street Surplus, Canal Street and Sixth Avenue
Why: Crazy bits of everything, from armor to little motors. I get a lot of ideas looking through the bins. 

Where: SGS Hardware, Eighth Avenue and 18th Street
Why: There is nothing like a neighborhood hardware shop, and these guys are like family to me. Hooking me up since art school, Stu and Patrick take care of my every need and threaten to beat up any boyfriend who doesn't treat me "right." 

Where: Canal Plastics, Canal and Greene Streets
Why: Hi!? Is there anything this store doesn't have in plastic? It's a sick wonderland of ideas. 

Where: Janovic Paints, Seventh Avenue and 22nd Street
Why: While home-improvement stores are good for a lot of things, the smaller paint stores often offer a wider array of paint products. I get all of my patinas and silver rubs at this store. 

Where: MXYPLXY, Greenwich Street and 13th Street
Why: I like this store a lot. Great metal, ceramic and innovative design pieces. I can't afford much here for the show but some small things. 

Where: Salvation Army, Eighth Street and 22nd Avenue
Why: Everyone knows this place; it's a staple in my shopping diet. 

Where: 17th St. Housing Project, 17th Between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
Why: There are a bunch of thrift stores along 17th Street in Chelsea that I shop at frequently out of proximity. A whole room can spawn from one item found in any of these places. 

INSPIRATION 

While I'm inspired by just about everything in life, inspiration in the form of a store translates into some of the following (these are just for looking, not for buying on a $1,000 budget): 

Where: Move Lab, Washington Street between Horatio and Gaansevort
Why: A big orange door leads you into the coolest "lifestyle" shop in town. From Icelandic-wool notebook covers to veneer lamps from Barcelona and Sarah Wooster (South Dakota) quilts, this shop satiates my design cravings as well as my wanderlust. 

Where: ABC Carpet and Home, Broadway and 19th Street
Why: One of my favorite store displays in town. So many ideas, from how to hang fabrics to different chandelier configurations, beautiful pillows and great wood pieces. I come here to understand how something is constructed, then I build it myself out of more interesting materials. 

Where: Anthropologie, 16th Street and Fifth Avenue
Why: If the genius that designs the visual merchandising were to design the clothes in this shop, it would be off the hook. I don't mind though; I come in just to see what materials the designer worked with that month, amazing displays and conceptual pieces.