Chaletmomma

Friends today I’m thrilled to feature my friend Diahann Daniel a thrifter extraordinaire and shop owner.

Di Hello and thank you so much for popping by the Chalet for a chat! Hello Meryl Thank you for having me.

Please tell the readers a bit about yourself I’m Diahann I’m in my 40s I live outside Boston, MA in the Metro-West area with my hubs, daughter and our Havaneese pup. I was born in Trinidad, went to high school in the United States and lived most of my adult life in the United Kingdom in a little town called Stony Stratford. Named one of the best places to live in England.

I always like to ask regardless if you’re in the world of Design or not - Did you decorate your bedroom while growing up? I grew up with my grandmother and as the oldest grandchild I had full control of the house at age 10. I would spend hours changing the arrangement of furniture and I always loved to decorate. Later when I had my first flat,I saved every single penny I could on making that space feel welcoming and warm. It was important to me that my place was a place that people could relax and it was often the hang out spot!

Travel was a big part of my life at a young age. I starting flying at age 5! It has definitely influenced my interiors - as I was often fascinated by things that were so different to a traditional island life. From language to customs and social norms. People and their interiors really fascinated me. Today I still think, you can tell by the way that someone dresses, what their home is going to look like. Does a bold print dress make you anticipate a maximalist interior and bright colors? Interesting stuff! Oh I can see that and I agree with you.

My biggest passion was books. I would read anything you put in front of me and I’m still a lot like this. It’s my curious nature. I have many interiors books for inspiration but really I tend to decorate for me. Change is the norm around here as I thrift and enjoy pieces from different decades and periods. I definitely enjoy an eclectic mix.

How do you shop for your home? Do you set out looking for a specific piece or do you find a cool pieces and then think about where to add into your décor. Rarely do I have a physical list! I know what I love and I generally am ok with enjoying a piece for a while before selling it on. One rule, avoid anything with damage or that requires reupholstery…I also enjoy researching items and learning about the history. Lamps are my weakness… so much so that I’ve learned how to rewire them. I have lamps for each season! I tend to invest in larger pieces like a sofa or chair. Buy well, Buy once as my Granny would say!

Where and What you went to school for and What is your 9-5 gig? I went to school for Business and finished my MBA a few years ago. I also studied Data Analytics / Data Science and until a few years ago that was my role. My 9 to 5 now involves work leading corporate Strategy. It’s not something I saw myself doing but I thoroughly enjoy the creativity it brings as well as the analytical skills I need to use to create insights. I work in the Life Sciences industry and the company I work for very much aligns with my values, using science to make the world a better place.

“I sell Vintage for the modern abode.”

— Diahann Daniel

Tell us how did a nice British lady like you ended up in Massachusetts? My husband got rehired at a place he used to work at before… so after a year of him working here, we moved from England to Massachusetts. I wasn’t thrilled about returning to the snow! I took a few years off to settle my daughter in, who was very young at the time. This was the most important thing to me at the time and I was singularly focused. Having had the same experience of moving to another place, it was important to me that she felt like this could be a place that she felt she could live in. I couldn’t sit still for too long and that’s really how my Etsy shop Vintage Flicker got going. I started selling teacup candles, similar to the ones I’d made for my wedding then diversified into vintage. Mostly because, I just kept finding so much good stuff! It’s also how we furnished most of our home.

How long you’ve been in your home and what’s your favorite space? We’ve been here for 6 years now. My favorite space is the front room – living room. Simply because it has the most beautiful fireplace. It was the one thing that I was determined to fix as soon as possible. So I used all my Etsy sales money to make sure we saved it. Though our house was a foreclosure, it was in really good nick! But, it was indeed in need of some major repairs.

Have you always been a Thrifter? Did you frequent – Jumble Sales growing up? I didn’t know it at the time… but yes, I can remember going to open air flea markets at a young age. Even then, I loved the thrill of the hunt!

I’m so curious what’s the difference between Thrifting in the States and England? Secondhand is huge in the UK. It’s so much more the norm. Especially for students at University. There are tons of car boot sales on year round and it’s like a little community. There are also a lot more charity shops and I tend to shop there rather than antique shops as there are so many to choose from.

Here’s a two-part question: Best thing you ever thrifted – either by value or by design. And what’s your unicorn item - a piece you dream of. The Best thing is an amazing Tiffany bowl by Elsa Perretti. It was $40 and retails for around $1,000.00. I also recently found a Pre-Columbian Terracotta Rattle Pot - it’s worth thousands and I have it on offer on the site for $328.00. But the Tiffany piece, definitely is something I wouldn’t part with. Unicorn item … I don’t think I have one… but let me find some amazing lamps please. They are my weak spot!

The best piece I found in 2022 is our Antique Victorian table.

Please tell the readers what made you decide to become a Vintage Seller?Honestly, I am a doer. After working full time for so many years, running my own consultancy practice. I just didn’t know how to sit still. I also wanted to contribute to the household income. I didn’t need to, but it was important to me that I did. I already had experience selling handmade so it was easy to sell vintage because that was how I shopped anyway. I would say what really made it feel right was when some of the customer reviews started coming in. One in particular always make me tear up. A lady bought a bunch of Dansk plates, which unbeknownst to me were hard to find. These plates were used in her parent home. Her Mum had recently passed and Dad had just broke the last plate, which for him was a big memory of his wife. So finding these plates, was like putting a family memory back together. That’s incredible to me, that one second hand plate, saved from the landfill, could bring so much joy. There isn’t a ton of money in vintage… so moments like this…totally make it worth it.

How did you choose the name Vintage Flicker? My best friend came up with it. Originally I sold candles. I used to make teacup candles for wedding. And I did a few famous people’s weddings… yup! I can’t share names, but it was pretty cool that the idea resonated with so many. I don’t have the time now to make them in bulk, but I found it to be a lot of fun!

Even if I go to England for a week, I absolutely must visit the charity shops. My bestie Helen, also keeps an eye out for me. The challenge has been getting it back across the pond. I once had two carry-ons full of breakable items. It’s hard to leave the good stuff! Lately, I’ve been curating my shop for those that are into that British aesthetic, so you’ll find lots of dresser set candleholders and art deco pieces.

EVERY ITEM HERE IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

Vintage JJ Audubon Black Throated Grey Wood - Warbler Wales Book Plate Poster

Aynsley Bone China teacup and saucer.JPG

I’m sure it wonderful to see beloved pieces in others hands - what was the first thing you sold? The first thing I ever sold was a teacup candle for Mother’s Day. The first vintage things was a teacup and saucer set in blue and white for Country Living Magazine. I also sold a few old items to the TV show Lucifer. Fun times.

How has Social Media specifically Instagram effected your business? What about friendships with fellow IGers and or sellers. IG is very different to when I started. I miss having time for community. Whatsoldonetsy was so much fun. Meeting other sellers and seeing their cool stuff. Being self employed as a dealer can be a little isolating. Who do you talk to when somehow a package goes missing, or sales are down and you can’t work out why??? Just having a little cheer squad that totally gets you, and understands your passion, is just something you can’t underestimate. I’ve made so many wonderful friends and met some very cool and talented people. Many of which I would not have met, were it not for my little experiment, of selling vintage!

Any Plans for 2024? I want to grow my website Vintage Flicker that’s it!

Di a million thanks my dear for taking the time to chat with me! Friends go follow Di on Instagram, her Etsy Shop and her Website. Til next time be well and I’ll see you over on Instagram.