Design Within Reach

Lei Chic Great hair, cool clothes, killer Pradas—you’ve undoubtedly mastered grown-up style. But your furniture is still suffering from growing pains.

A threadbare futon and hand-me-down dining set from your parents? That may have worked back in college, but it’s time to stop kickin’ it so old school.

So check out Cathy's Marketplace, the just-launched local shopping website offering up a mix of upscale new and gently used furniture, home accessories and artwork.

Everything on the site is filtered by interior designer Cathy Lee, co-owner of RSVPstyle, the Honolulu-based home décor company known for its tip-loaded website, do-it-yourself instructional DVDs and decorating workshops.

Sellers submit their pieces, which are inspected for style-killers like scratches, stains and broken bits and then posted at deep discounts. Buyers can then purchase the items from them directly via the site.

Furniture styles range from contemporary and shabby-chic to Asian and island-inspired. Current finds include everything from an ebony dining table slatted with funky grooves to a Korean Elmwood medicine chest to a hand-painted French Rococo nightstand.

And the accessory mix is equally eclectic. Think tropical oil paintings, carved wall mirrors, and modern floor lamps—even a Swarovski crystal chandelier and a four-and-a-half foot tall teak Indonesian gong.

Plus, Lee posts weekly videos loaded with helpful hints for common design dilemmas like room coordination and making the best use of small spaces, using items taken from the website.

Just what you need to get your home looking as good as new.