When it comes to the latest in design, stylish furniture dealers Tricia Benitez Beanum, Alana Tang, Becky Goss, Tori Jones, Jonathan Sanchez-Obias and Pam Evans know it’s all about mixing vintage and antique finds with cool, contemporary pieces.
Meet Today’s Aesthetes Who Know What’s Hot In Furniture
Photo by The Ingalls
Manifesting Design Destiny
Design is in Tricia Benitez Beanum’s DNA. A second-generation antiques dealer, she also wears the hat of stylist, designer and owner of Pop Up Home in Los Angeles. In her recently opened flagship space, Beanum has created an environment for anyone with an appetite for vintage flare. “I want to show how it can be elevated and not so kitschy,” she says. Beanum makes that case here, surrounded by a mix of old and new, including a Maitland-Smith coffee table, ‘70s De Sede sectional sofa and Ann Weber artwork. “Right now, people are looking for special pieces that translate into all genres of design and stand out among a sea of neutrals.”
Photo by Amber Fotus
Set In Discovery Mode
Meet Alana Tang, owner of In The Comfort Of which opened in Seattle in 2022. With a penchant for modernist, mid-century and space-age finds sourced everywhere from estate sales and antique malls to private owners throughout the Pacific Northwest, Tang still can’t turn away contemporary pieces if they meet her standards. “I consider design, form and function in everything I buy,” Tang says. “I was offered a lounge chair and ottoman set by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia, and while I mainly focus on vintage, it checked all the boxes so I had to have it.” As for the current landscape today, Tang is excited by the adventurous spirit many are taking in finding their style, and by watching clients put things together in ways she never would have thought to.
Photo by Lesley Unruh
Happy Curated Hangout
Step inside The Flat in downtown Westport, Connecticut, and you’ll feel as though you’re walking into the home of a chic friend. That was precisely the goal when Becky Goss opened the doors in 2016. She imagined a place to interact with customers and share stories of the treasures within. “I still believe in local, one-of-a-kind shops where you know the owner,” Goss says. “Stop in, see what’s new, have a conversation and get off your screen!” In the highly curated familial space, not one specific period or style dominates. Because after all, a good room is all about thoughtful layering. “I’m not afraid to take vintage or antique items and reimagine them for the modern home.” Case in point: the one-off mid-19th century Biedermeier Recamier reupholstered in a bold Robert Kime fabric.
Photo by Read McKendree
Gravitating Towards Island Time
Tucked away on windswept Block Island, the contents of Tori Jones Studio reflects the classic New England aesthetic found outside the studio’s walls. “I gravitate toward American antiques,” says Jones, a self-proclaimed magpie who splits time between the Rhode Island enclave and New York. “We’re passionate about antique patchwork quilts, painted furniture, wicker and rope.” A former editor, Jones still taps into her prowess for discovery and storytelling in the elements she curates, stocking ready-made Hobnail Czech glassware and Sabre flatware, as well as showcasing contemporary artists from the Hudson Valley to the UK. For Jones and her customers, there’s nothing like the thrill of originality. “I think the people who shop with us are looking for items with some soul. It’s an Amazon world, but there is an authenticity, timelessness and durability to antiques that can’t be replicated.”
Photo by Kris Tamburello
Minimalist Miami Vice
Jonathan Sanchez-Obias’ Miami storefront, Primaried Studio is a sleek and minimalist paradise. The rotating portfolio of furnishings, however, are the real scene-stealers, hailing largely from the 1960s through ’90s. Pieces like the ’80s black Quebec 69 Spider Chair by Les Amisca and the purple Ribbon Chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort hold court on the gallery floor with furnishings by contemporary designers like Kouros Maghsoudi and Atelier Caracas for Studio Boheme. Knowledge of the past and a keen eye on the current state of design makes Sanchez-Obias a trusted source for clientele primarily consisting of first-time homeowners and renters looking to invest in their growing furniture collections. “I am always meeting people who are looking to mix vintage pieces with new designs in their homes,” says Sanchez-Obias.
Photo by Hector Sanchez
Nod To French Connection
Pam Evans’ brick-and-mortar store Maison in Birmingham, Alabama, is a nod to French style, from which she is infinitely inspired. “Paris is always a good idea!” swoons Evans. “I love the culture and their chic sense of style, from food and fashion to interiors.” Shabby chic French finds aside, Evans’ offerings span provenance and genre (her M.O. is pairing modern art, like these abstract works on paper by Addison Ryan, with midcentury furniture), but collectively lean towards the neutral, patinaed and oversized. “I tend to buy large pieces, like these wooden Belgian spheres, a midcentury chandelier five feet in diameter, or a pair of nine-foot columns.” Such unique finds are most often scooped up by designers and architects who look to Evans’ wares for adding character to their spaces; the sort of acquisition the antiques veteran still gets a thrill out of after two decades in the business.