Pieces: Where to find furnishings from the past

There’s a reason why you’ll see things in Lee Kleinhelter’s store that you won’t find anywhere else. Many of the elements that make Pieces, her Buckhead shop, are vintage or salvaged items that she’s had repainted, reupholstered or reused.

When Kleinhelter started the business more than four years ago, she found many of the items she reworked on her own.

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H.M. CAULEY/Special

Baskets find new life as hanging lamps at the Buckhead store Pieces.

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H.M. CAULEY/Special

Traditional chairs are energized with bright, colorful pillows.

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H.M. CAULEY/Special

Buyers are more open to blending contemporary and traditional pieces when the colors are bold.

PIECES
Address: 3234-A Roswell Road, Atlanta
Phone: 404-869-2476
Web: www.piecesinc.com
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday

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“I was doing the ‘Sanford and Son’ thing, driving around in my car to find things and then schlepping them back to the store,” she said with a laugh.

Today, Kleinhelter, whose background is in interior design, works with several suppliers who find vintage items in need of her TLC. Many of the items have a midcentury style that makes customers nostalgic.

“A lot of people come in and reminisce about their childhood,” she said. “They wish they had that ’50s piece that belonged to their grandmother.”

Pieces purchasers aren’t afraid to mix the older accents with their new items from IKEA or Crate and Barrel, said Kleinhelter. “And most of my things work well with either modern or traditional looks.”

What you’ll find

Casual seating covers a variety of options, including Chippendale lattice-backed chairs repainted in bright red with brown covered seats; a set of vintage 1960s fiberglass basket chairs with a fresh coat of glossy white paint; or two high-back French provincial armchairs.

Several chandeliers, in black or white iron, hang from the ceiling. Table lamps feature bases of figurines, brass urns or acrylic blocks. Kleinhelter created her own hanging lamps, fashioned from woven baskets.

Mirrors, marble-topped chests, glass-topped coffee tables and chrome sidebars are in stock. Accent pieces are eclectic, from a wall sculpture made from cypress driftwood to a tall, carved owl.

Among the refurbished and refound items are some new additions. Kleinhelter’s collection of oversize pillows are made from fabrics she selects at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. There’s also glassware, silver-plated serving pieces, picture frames, sofa throws and candles.

Because Kleinhelter is a pet lover, there’s a corner of accessories for the four-footed patrons.

Best-sellers

Tables are top sellers, said Kleinhelter. “Consoles, end tables, sideboards are really big,” she said. And anything we paint white is a hit.”

Buyers also go for the owner’s collection of pillows in a rainbow of bright colors. “These are accents that can change the look of a room without spending a lot of money on a new sofa,” she said.

Trends

Kleinhelter sees more shoppers willing to experiment with bright, contemporary colors, even if they don’t have a contemporary home.

“In Atlanta, it seems that things are either very modern or very traditional,” she said. “Here, people find things to work in both styles.”