5 Questions

Sloane Solomon's Sacred Objects

by Lauren Doyle on November 02, 2011 at 03:30AM

Found Design is a dangerous place. You could walk in looking for a simple gift for a friend and walk out with a new dining set (or loveseat, or credenza). The store is such a treasure trove of smartly-restored found objects that you can't help but want a piece of it. Lucky for you, the prices aren't too bad. And the mother-daughter triple threat of Susan, Sloan and Paige is always willing to help.

I sat down recently with Sloan Solomon to talk design, inspiration and a few of her favorite things.

Your shop is called Found Design – where are some of your favorite places to look for things?

We go to estate sales - that's one of our favorites - because Auntie Mame-like weird, eccentric women have lots of really cool things from all eras. Our other favorite places are weird thrift stores all around Miami. And... I probably shouldn't say this, but we love trash bins and dumpsters and the side of the road; people throw out some real treasures.

Do you have a favorite era, in terms of design?

Definitely 1950s. Mid century modern - I love and live for that stuff. The lines are so beautiful; it's like any other time period. The 1950s are so isolated in time that they just can never be repeated. It's such a distinct style of furniture. I love it.

You creatively restore and reupholster your pieces. Where do you shop for fabric?

We shop all around; we try to do locally-sourced everything, that's kind of our angle. We like to use a place called SpoonFlower.com; they have all sorts of screen-printed fabrics from all over the world. But...we like them because it's artisanal small-batch fabrics, and they're super-affordable and because they're silk-screened they can print it any weight you want.

Where are some of your favorite places to go in Miami in terms of atmosphere?

I love The Standard. I think it's really funky and you can do anything there from BINGO, to drinking, to laying out by the pool. I like The Raleigh for its style – that pool is just amazing. Bird Bowl – a bowling alley in Hialeah – for pizza and beer and bowling. I'm not very posh, I mean, you can't go to The Raleigh every night. Oh, and Jimbos...now that's a place with character.

What are your sacred objects?

In the store, the bar, most definitely. We also have a rocking horse. That's one of my favorite pieces. And in my home, I have these two very strange brass lion sculptures that my grandmother gave me when she passed away. I don't know what they're for – they're very strange – but I love them dearly. I also have a picture of a dead squirrel holding a handbag covered in glitter that says "Party Animal" in this really beautiful gilded frame that I just love more than anything. I get really polarizing reactions to that one.

◀ Previous Article Next Article ▶