Raised by a father who loved to hunt for antiques, it is no wonder Kim Neal entered the vintage market herself.
Owner Kim Neal said she was inspired to open her vintage furniture shop by her father, an antique dealer.[/caption]“I grew up loving antiques,” she said of her father who spent 36 years as an antique dealer in the Austin area. “I always had a desire to have my own shop.”
In 2015, Neal opened Find, where she sells furniture and household items she refurbishes into what she calls “feel-good furnishings.”
The store offers customers three distinct shopping areas in which to browse. In the main showroom, Neal sets items, such as rugs, tables, chairs, lighting fixtures and pillows, into vignettes. In the warehouse area, people can see the project pieces Neal and her team are working on, and a loading dock displays outdoor furniture and sturdy, metal decor.
Neal said she loves to collect chairs, stools and vintage lamps for the shop. She also has an inventory of vintage mirrors and pillows made from old tapestries.
“I love the thrill of the hunt—of finding something and thinking, ‘This would be cool in somebody’s space,’” said Neal, a 16-year resident of Lakeway.
One of her more recent passions is salvaging items and transforming them into unique light fixtures, she said. Using a 76-inch-long grain tube, Neal said she turned the item into three different light fixtures. For those interested in the current modern farmhouse trend, Neal said she has some old factory lights she rewired for residential use.
The store, off RR 620, boasts unique pieces.[/caption]“Lighting is really a great way to differentiate your space and make your house stand out,” Neal said. “[A light] is a focal point piece. I think lighting is like jewelry. It can make a difference in a room.”
Throughout Find customers can browse Neal’s collection of vintage accessories, including old books, brass items and fence post items—objects intended to fill a shelf.
While the hunt and creativity drive Neal’s work, she said restoring antiques and vintage items is also the ultimate meaning of recycling.
“You’re giving a piece more life,” she said.
Items in Find run the gamut of styles, trends and time periods. Although Neal stocks quite a bit of mid-century inventory, it is not all she offers in the shop.
“The store lends itself to a mixed-up style,” she said. “It’s not sticking with one style. I’m more interested in a layered, one-of-a-kind space.”