Opening vintage furniture store Foundry had been designer Yvette Freeman’s dream for years; she waited until she found the perfect U Street location to make it a reality. Photograph by Erik Uecke
Freeman scours estate sales, rummages through old barns, and combs Parisian flea markets to find pieces to restore and reupholster— “the older and uglier, the better,” she says. Photograph by Erik Uecke
Every object at Foundry has been cherry-picked by Freeman, who loves to tell customers the stories behind her pieces. Photograph by Erik Uecke
“Our motto is ‘Past, present, and possible,’” says Freeman, whose passion is collecting. “Anything can be made beautiful.” Photograph by Erik Uecke
This Union Jack chest ($2,800)—restored and handpainted by Freeman—boasts original hardware. Photograph by Erik Uecke
“I guess I’ve been having a hide moment,” says Freeman of pieces like this church pew ($1,600) and midcentury modern armchairs, which she’s refinished in cowhide. Photograph by Erik Uecke
This Chesterfield sofa ($1,245) was too beautiful to recover, says Freeman. “It’s like a Ralph Lauren bomber jacket—the rougher it gets, the better it feels.” Photograph by Erik Uecke
The bench ($395) was originally a row of seats in a Knoxville movie theater—Freeman uses a similar set on one side of a farm table in her kitchen. Photograph by Erik Uecke
Freeman’s store and barn (where she holds monthly tag sales) are overflowing with vintage suitcases ($50 to $125). Photograph by Erik Uecke
This 1940s silk chandelier ($565) came from an estate in the French countryside. Photograph by Erik Uecke
“I’m truly a traditionalist,” says Freeman. “I was taught to write a thank-you note and to use my good silverware every day.” Photograph by Erik Uecke
