So it turns out that Design Star wasn’t the only show to visit Asbury Park in the past weeks. Another HGTV show, Home by Novogratz, stopped by one of my mainstays, the Antique Emporium of Asbury Park, and picked up a number of items for the third episode of their new series. In it, Cortney and Robert Novogratz, married NYC designers with 7 kids and a take no prisoners design style, completely overhaul a 3 bedroom condo for friend and real estate developer Dave Barry and his family in Long Branch, NJ.

While I don’t see any “beachy” aspect to what they have done (a term they keep using), they have utterly transformed a boring and bland apartment with their trademark bright color and bold wallpaper, much in evidence here. I am not going to talk much about their design (but would loooove to know what you all think of it!) as I am more interested in their deployment of the antique and vintage pieces they find in Asbury Park. I tend to be a bit of a purist, so their devil-may-care approach is fascinating.

Just down the street from Shelter Home, which I wrote about in my last post, the Emporium is a huge group shop of all that New Jersey antiquing has to offer, from mid-century modern to country cottage to high Victorian. I have years of shopping history here, making finds for myself and my projects for others.

The designing duo find many items for their own project including a pair of yellow lamps and an easy to use as-is chandelier, which I had seen hanging there for sometime.

Without any changes, it becomes a funky but elegant focal point here in the daughter’s pepto-pink room.

Much less obvious is the way in which they use this gold ormolu and cherub mounted marble-topped table. For me, the storyline around this piece was the best part of the entire show.  Cortney sees it at the Emporium and has an immediate vision for it, at least in the way they have edited the show. He does not (he hates it actually) but she convinces him and they take it, planning to transform it with paint. Now I don’t remember ever looking at this table myself as it certainly is way too fancy for my humble cottage, so I cannot tell if it is even valuable (i.e. old and truly antique) or more likely in the “antique style,” but either way it is ugly in its excessiveness.

If it was a serious French antique, what a shame to paint it (I guess), but as I think it more likely is not, what a crazy and perhaps brilliant conversion. I am still not sure I agree with the tag line on the screen below. Maybe use high gloss paints to repurpose ugly and non-valuable antiques would be better?

Here it is almost finished and starting to make a believer out of me.

In situ, it looks better than I could have imagined.

Here is the rest of the room…

And the other end here (photo color a bit off – but both photos via HGTV)

Light fixtures and lamps tend to be one of the Emporium’s specialties. Any visit includes at least one pass through looking up at the ceiling and high shelves filled with 100 years or so of lighting options. This amazing mid-century Murano bubble glass cage lantern was a purchase this summer and went to light an entryway in Indianapolis.

There is a similar beauty available in Manhattan right now at the Las Venus boutique within ABC Carpet and Home or on 1stdibs…but add you need to add a fourth digit to the price of the Asbury one.

You should see the gorgeous blue and white ribbon glass version I got for myself for the upstairs hall. Unfortunately I am away from home, so no photo at this moment, but check back if you are interested as I will pop it in here when I get home. [Here it is!]

Each week I am waiting for someone to buy this bargain – a David Hicks style X stool. I can’t find anywhere to fit it in to my own place.

Just next door and attached to the Emporium is filled with garden statuary, urns and perfectly rusted wrought iron.

As for the Novogratz’s, my favorite take-away actually comes from an earlier episode. In my never-ending quest to figure out my staircase, here is another contender…

Antique Emporium of Asbury Park
46 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park NJ 07712
Phone: 732.774.8230

Home by Novogratz airs at 10pm on Saturdays on HGTV