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" VIEW MORE PHOTOS    For Marie Moss, vintage is much more than a preference; it&amp;#039;s a way of life. &amp;quot;I like the idea of rescuing things that have lost their way, so I can give them a new life,&amp;quot; says Marie. Co-author with Barri Leiner of Flea Market Fidos (Stewart, Tabori &amp;amp;amp; Chang, 2002) and Flea Market Baby (Stewart, Tabori &amp;amp;amp; Chang, 2003), Marie has also built a business with Barri, M&amp;amp;amp;B Vintage, creating custom charm bracelets and necklaces from vintage pieces. &amp;quot;I really don&amp;#039;t like anything new,&amp;quot; she says.  She makes good on her ideas in her Illinois home, a rambling structure near Lake Michigan, which she shares with husband Stephen and daughter Maisy Hazel. Although the house itself is not old\u2014the transplanted East Coasters fell in love with the land first and designed the house later\u2014it was built with a vintage spirit and a style reminiscent of the summer homes of their beloved Nantucket and Jersey Shore.  &amp;quot;We put in transoms, beadboard, old porcelain knobs and sconces, randomwidth floorboards that look like those in an old farmhouse,&amp;quot; says Marie.  While she is an inveterate collector\u2014old stuffed dogs, shell art, outsider art and anything nautical are her favorites\u2014Marie&amp;#039;s one rule of thumb is that things must have a purpose. &amp;quot;No dust collectors,&amp;quot; says Marie. &amp;quot;Having collectibles that you use helps keep the clutter down\u2014just don&amp;#039;t get 200 of anything.&amp;quot;  The idea of purpose is what drives Marie&amp;#039;s collecting and her decorating. She sticks to neutral wall colors, preferring whites, buttery colors or khaki shades that don&amp;#039;t clash with displays of colorful collectibles. She also honors the past life of an object. &amp;quot;I leave finishes as I find them,&amp;quot; says Marie. &amp;quot;I&amp;#039;m not real handy, but even if I knew how, I wouldn&amp;#039;t touch things\u2014I just like them the way they are.&amp;quot;  Just the way they are, however, doesn&amp;#039;t necessarily mean just the way they were once used. An old wooden dollhouse may be one of Maisy&amp;#039;s toys, or used as a file box on Marie&amp;#039;s desk or in a bathroom for storing towels and toiletries. Tea bags and sweeteners find homes in glass jars or jadeite cups, and old shakers may hold talcum powder or glitter for Maisy&amp;#039;s crafts. Fun-to-look-at old buttons displayed in glass bowls are also handy for quick repairs. Vintage pails turn up as supply holders or, with glass jars inside, as flower vases. Stacks of old books appear in the living room or guest rooms for visitors to browse through. Tea towels become place mats, and vintage dishes and glasses come out at every meal. &amp;quot;It starts my day happily, when I can enjoy my things,&amp;quot; says Marie.  She&amp;#039;s also collected hundreds of children&amp;#039;s books for Maisy, which often end up as decorations, propped on shelves. &amp;quot;The illustrations are just wonderful,&amp;quot; Marie notes. Walls throughout the home are adorned with dog prints or outsider art, usually left unframed, just as Marie typically finds them.  Marie extends her philosophy to clothing, preferring to shop in vintage stores rather than mall outlets. &amp;quot;I like things a little worn,&amp;quot; she says. &amp;quot;They&amp;#039;re cozier to wear. Just buy what you love and use it, so it gets enjoyed, every day.&amp;quot;  Up Close with Marie What inspires you? The Jersey Shore, Nantucket, anything old, the way my daughter puts clothes together for her dolls.  How does your interest in vintage influence your style?  It&amp;#039;s not only a lifestyle\u2014it&amp;#039;s my work, how I decorate. It&amp;#039;s all-consuming. How do you keep things interesting with accents or collectibles? I like to give things a new use, so I might put my supplies in an unusual container, or throw a quilt over a chair for accent color. Do the changing seasons influence your style?  Not really. I&amp;#039;m always a seashore girl. I barely even wear socks. What items can&amp;#039;t you live without?  My family and dog, of course, and I love my very old L.L. Bean monogrammed canvas tote, my Nikon digital camera and my mother&amp;#039;s engagement ring, which I wear. What are your pet peeves?  Not trusting your instincts and letting someone else&amp;#039;s idea of style hide your true spirit. Which is your favorite room?  My office\u2014it&amp;#039;s a big inspiration and Maisy has a desk there, too. Where do you find most of your bargain items?  Everywhere\u2014tag sales, auctions, estate sales and travelling to meet with dealers. Which are your favorite colors? Navy-blue and bubble-gum pink. Do you have a favorite period or style?  Americana 1930s and &amp;#039;40s.  Ways to Display Marie offers some ideas for creating charming vignettes with thrift-store finds.  Don&amp;#039;t just sit down. Use old painted chairs as bedside tables, in a bathroom stacked with towels and jars of soaps, or in an entryway for catching totes and keys. Use mismatched saucers. Even if they&amp;#039;ve lost their cups, you can still use them as coasters or candleholders or soap dishes. They&amp;#039;re usually a bargain at thrift stores. Make it personal. I adore monogramming. Try adding a giant one to an old pillowcase. Cozy it up. Plunk down stacks of quilts and blankets in compatible colors and prints near chairs and sofas where they can be used. Get organized. Old silverware drawers and trays or vintage containers can hold desktop supplies or crafting items. Make your collectibles useful so you can enjoy them every day.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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