The Design Trends We Noticed (and Loved) at Brimfield

We've freshly returned from our stay at the Northeast's sprawling antiques fair in Brimfield, Massachusetts, where we hung out with Pottery Barn (and hopefully you!) all week. Today, we're sharing what we noticed people were loving at the market, from mid-century modern chairs to birdcages.

One of my favorite parts about Brimfield is seeing what other people find. It’s impossible to see the whole fair, so peeking into the very full hands and arms of passersby can give you a sense of what’s in the fields, corners, and vendor stands you haven’t been able to weave your way through yet. It’s also very funny to see folks wrestling their treasures down Brimfield’s central road, Route 20, on the way to their cars—big, beautiful lounge chairs or shiny canoe paddles or double-handled lumberjack saws (seriously) on human legs.

Here area few of the things we noticed popping up again and again:

Everyone wants the mid-century modern look.

And it’s everywhere! Shiny wood—dark and light. Clean lines. We saw bar carts, chairs, side tables, tableware, pots, vases. We saw more than one person carrying one of these Danish-style chairs. I scored one for $50! (My luck was probably due to the fact that it was the last day, raining, and a dog may have nibbled on one of the arms. But still!)

Brass is big.

But also small. That is, it seemed to be the quirky accent of choice. We’ve been a big fan of brass for a while—see the Food52 Shop’s own collection of brass (in the shape of ladles, zippers, candlesticks, bottle openers, rivets…), and we saw it everywhere at Brimmy. It framed mirrors. It plated lamps, the feet of vases and lamps. I loved it especially on these very mid-century modern candlesticks.

Especially in the guise of animals!

The perfect balance of quirky and elegant. Events co-director (and Brimfield planner) Kate picked up this pretty horse head hook; I saw duck-shaped bookends.

Wickery or otherwise woven and cane-style statement pieces—and especially chairs!

It feels just the slightest bit country-style, and a little bit beachy, but think more of a California ’70s vibe. And think big—the pieces we saw were completely charming but not necessarily demure. (A related trend that will never go away, and thank goodness: baskets.)

Pick portraits that seem to stare right back at you

I read recently that when shopping for art, you should wait until something that seems to call right out to you, that you can’t forget, that chooses you. Many of the Food52 gang found striking portraits, or otherwise bold paintings—often already framed, too—at Brimfield this year. They’re just the things for starting a gallery wall, or filling an empty corner, or making eye contact with while giving yourself a morning pep talk.

Apothecary- or library-type cabinets for holding every treasure, ingredient, or folded linen

These were everywhere, both big and small. They’re easy to love: so many tiny drawers! Cute-as-heck hardware! Shiny glass doors! Depending on how big the drawers or shelves are, they’d be a great addition to a home office, a bathroom, or the kitchen. Think how cute a little one would be on your countertop, stocked with all your ramekins, kitchen shears, butcher’s twine, salt collection…

Ladders for everything but climbing.

Hang your coziest throw blankets on a tall, thin-framed one and stick it in the living room. Use a shorter one with wider steps as side table by your bed or favorite reading chair. Corral your shoes on it by the front door. Set your plants on it and position it in a sunny window. They’re unprecious, alternately elegant and quaint, and utterly functional.

Birdcages? Yes, birdcages.

We’re still processing this one ourselves—but we saw them over and over again. Over the top, ornate, and often very large, one would be pretty in an entryway or on top of a console, wouldn’t it?

We recently set up shop at the Northeast's sprawling antiques fair in Brimfield, Massachusetts with Pottery Barn. It was a blast, and we came back with a few ideas on how to mix vintage touches in with new furniture throughout the home.

Did you go to Brimfield? What did you get? Or, will you be going in July or September? Let us know in the comments!