Expert guide to flea market success

Standing at the entrance to Scott Antique Market, a 366,000-square-foot jungle of furniture, rugs and home and garden accessories, an enthusiastic Eddie Ross rallies his troops of flea market fiends.

During the weekend, nearly 80 fans from as far away as Louisiana, Alabama and North Carolina will go on a shopping expedition with Ross, a New York-based designer and former contestant on Bravo’s “Top Design.” Participants — many inspired by the eponymous blog he co-writes with partner Jaithan Kochar, www.eddieross.com/, a digest of chic and affordable DIY design projects — paid $40 apiece to learn an insider’s secrets to flea market success.

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Elissa Eubanks/eeubanks@ajc.com

Former ‘Top Design’ contestant Eddie Ross and his partner are traveling the country this year to teach people how to efficiently navigate intimidating flea markets to find affordable treasures for their home.

MARKET DETAILS
Scott Antique Market
Open the second weekend of every month. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission for the weekend is $5. 3650 Jonesboro Road (from I-285, take Exit 55, Jonesboro Road). www.scottantiquemarket.com or 740-569-4112.

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“I love when he takes old stuff, like lampshades or dishes, and arranges them into something new,” says blog fan Cyndi Jackson of Suwanee.

Friends Alaina Nugent and Karen Borne drove through the night from New Orleans to catch Ross, a former style editor for Martha Stewart Living, in action.

“If we flew, we wouldn’t be able to take anything back,” Nugent explains.

Ross and Kochar are traveling throughout the United States this year to lead tours in America’s most noted flea markets. Scott Antique Market, a mega-market of 2,400 vendors filling two massive Atlanta Expo Centers buildings off Jonesboro Road the second weekend of every month, is among their favorites.

Ross’ mission? To teach people how to efficiently navigate intimidating flea markets to find affordable treasures for their home. All it takes is patience and imagination to re-envision a mink stole into an accent pillow, an antique cast iron stove into an entertainment center, or maybe vintage men’s suits as upholstery for dining chairs.

“It’s about real life decorating. Real life problem solving,” Ross says of his work. “I don’t have $40,000 to decorate a room or buy a $40,000 cocktail table. [Decorating on a budget] is the kind of knowledge I want to spread. That’s why flea marketing is so great.”

Be forewarned: This isn’t for the faint of heart. Fruitful flea marketing is as much about strategy and persistence as it is haggling. Luckily, this energetic designer with a seemingly endless supply of fresh ideas shares these tips:

Be prepared. If you’re looking for a specific piece, bring along accurate measurements of your space to make sure it will fit.

Start in the back and work your way forward. By doing the opposite of everybody else, you’ll beat them to the best goods.

Look outside, literally. Ross says to scan the booths outside the buildings for the best deals. (At Scott, many outdoor booths offer affordable garden accessories, though wares range from clothing to rawhides to sculptural objects.) Many vendors buy products from outside, bring them indoors and mark up the price.

Talk to the dealers. By getting to know them, you have a better shot at getting a good price now and in the future. And when bargaining, work with them. If they say $100, offer $75 — not $40. Insulting them doesn’t pay.

For best price, consider timing. Vendors will go to great lengths to not repack all of their goods and are often more willing to negotiate at the end of the day or last day of the market.

Root around. Check those cases of silver for affordable, gleaming treasures. Ross says he once discovered an eight-piece set of sterling silver salt cellar spoons at the base of a bin.

Use your imagination. Look past what something is for what it could be, Ross advises. Change an item by stripping it, repainting it, reupholstering or adding new fabric.

Mix and match. Ross points to china, linens, silver and glass to add quick and vibrant life to a table, but having sets (anything from four to 12) is key. Incorporate random pieces into those sets for an eclectic, yet grounded look.

Go back. Do one loop, then do it again to make sure you didn’t miss a gem.

Go often. You never know where — or when — you’ll find treasure. Plus, in this economy, it’s also the best place to find inexpensive, one-of-kind pieces to spruce up any space.