Professional Strategies That Will Transform Your Treasure Hunting
Watch any interior designer at Round Top and you'll notice something immediately: they move differently. While the rest of us wander through barns in a happy daze, designers work with precision. They have lists. They have measurements. They have a plan.
And then they find incredible pieces that seem to fall into their laps.
It's not luck. It's strategy. And you can steal every single one of their tricks.
We talked to designers, watched how they shop, and compiled the professional playbook for Round Top. Here's how to shop like a designer — even if you're just furnishing your own home.
Before You Leave Home
Know Your Dimensions (Exactly)
This is the single biggest difference between designers and everyone else.
Designers don't just "know" they need a console table. They know the wall is 72 inches wide, so the console can be a maximum of 60 inches. They know the ceiling is 9 feet, so the mirror above can be 36 inches tall. They know the outlet is on the left side, so a lamp needs to go there.
Before your trip:
- Measure every space you're shopping for
- Note maximum width, depth, and height
- Include doorway dimensions (can you get it in the room?)
- Take photos of each space
Upload those room photos to Round Top Finder's Room Match tool before your trip. The AI analyzes your decor style, color palette, and aesthetic, then recommends vendors who carry pieces that complement your space. It's like having a preview of the show tailored to your rooms — and it works for client projects too.
- Note the light — is it north-facing? Sunny?
- Write down existing colors and materials
One designer told us: "Don't just go empty-handed. Have your space plans and maximum sizes mapped out. If the space only allows for a credenza 70 inches wide, that's your max. Period."
Create a Shopping List by Room
Designers organize their shopping by project — or in your case, by room.
Example list:
DINING ROOM
- Table: 84-96" long, max 42" wide
- 6-8 chairs (don't have to match)
- Sideboard/buffet: max 60" wide, 20" deep
- Art for east wall: 40-50" wide
- Chandelier: need 30" clearance from table
ENTRY
- Console: max 48" wide, 14" deep
- Mirror or art above
- Small lamp or pair
This transforms aimless wandering into targeted hunting.
Arrange Shipping Before You Go
Designers never scramble to figure out how to get a dining table home. They know before they buy.
Before your trip:
- Research shipping companies (Rolling Hills, Distinguished Transport, You Ship)
- Get rough quotes for your region
- Understand the process
- Save contact numbers in your phone
One designer had her shipper arranged to pick up from multiple venues, blanket wrap everything, and deliver to Arkansas. No stress, no scrambling, just buying with confidence.
At Round Top
Start with a Route, Not a Venue
Designers don't just pick a venue and wander. They plan a route based on what they're looking for.
Example approach:
- Morning: Blue Hills (furniture focus, comprehensive)
- Lunch: Rabbit Rabbit (refuel)
- Afternoon: Marburger tents (deals on unique pieces)
- Late afternoon: Market Hill (curated, higher end)
They also know which venues are better for what:
- Furniture: Blue Hills, Marburger, McLarens, Excess 1 & 2
- French antiques: The Compound
- Lighting: Marburger (Janet Webb), various throughout
- Rugs: Everywhere, but negotiate
- Accessories/styling pieces: Market Hill, Big Red Barn
The "Run" Strategy
On opening morning at venues like Marburger and Big Red Barn, designers literally run to their favorite dealers.
"At opening bell, people run to their favorite dealers. We're running to Bird Dog."
If you know what you want and who has it, early admission and a fast start can mean the difference between getting your dream piece and watching someone else carry it away.
How to do it:
- Research vendors before you arrive
- Know exactly which booths you want to hit first
- If coming with friends, split up and text finds
- Move fast, decide fast
Let Pieces Guide Your Design
Here's a secret: designers don't always have everything figured out before they shop. Sometimes they let Round Top finds dictate the direction.
One designer found a pair of chairs with deep teal fabric and realized: "This is going to give us the design direction for the whole room." The fabric colors became the palette for the entire parlor — grass cloth walls, accent colors, everything pulled from those chairs.
Another found alabaster lamps and a matching stone-top table. "Our entire color palette for the bedroom is going to be dictated by this beautiful stone."
When one piece sets the direction, Round Top Finder's Find Similar feature helps you complete the vision. Snap a photo from any vendor gallery, tap "Find Similar," and the AI searches across all vendors for visually similar items. Chain the results to discover pieces you'd never have found on your own.
The lesson: Stay open. Sometimes the piece finds you, and then everything else falls into place around it.
The Pairs Rule
Designers know something most shoppers don't: pairs are worth three times as much as singles.
"Never split up a pair. Things have been together for 240 years. If you don't have a spot for a pair, give one to a relative — someone you can get it back from."
When you find a pair of anything — chairs, lamps, candlesticks, mirrors — think hard before passing. Pairs create symmetry, and symmetry is design gold.
Budget Allocation on the Fly
Designers don't just spend blindly. When they find multiple pieces they love, they stop and do the math.
One designer described taking a break mid-shopping to review furniture budget allocation: "We've seen a lot of things. She's got a specific amount she can spend. So we're figuring out what's most important, what we're allocating where."
How to do it:
- Keep a running list of "maybes" with prices
- Midway through your trip, review the list
- Prioritize: What's essential? What's "nice to have"?
- Make decisions, then go back and buy
Designer Secrets for Better Deals
The Tent Rule
"If you see a tent, they don't want to take that stuff back with them."
Tent vendors — the ones who travel in for the show versus year-round building dealers — are significantly more negotiable. They've hauled inventory across the country. They don't want to haul it back.
Building vendors with air conditioning, beautiful displays, and permanent setups? Their pricing is firmer.
The Smell Test
This sounds like a joke. It's not.
"If you walk into a building and it smells good and there's air conditioning, just turn around and walk out — unless you're there to spend a ton of money."
Beautifully merchandised spaces with lovely scents are almost always the most expensive. That doesn't mean you shouldn't look — the inspiration is valuable. But know what you're walking into.
End-of-Show Timing
Designers who want deals often come at the end of the show. Vendors are tired. They don't want to pack up. Prices drop.
The trade-off: less selection. The best pieces sell on opening day. But if budget matters more than getting a specific piece, the last weekend is your friend.
The Price Hint
Don't just ask "what's your best price?" Give vendors something to work with.
One shopper described: "I gave him a hint on where I wanted to be on pricing on any rug I was going to buy. Then he was like, 'Alright, buy this one and this one,' and we made it work."
What Designers Actually Buy
From our research, here's what designers were actively hunting:
- Lighting: Always. Chandeliers, pendants, sconces, lamps, floor lamps.
- Rugs: Antique, Turkish, Persian. Always checking, always negotiating.
- Art: Original pieces, not prints.
- Dining tables: Antique sizes that don't exist new (96" x 36" for example)
- Entry pieces: Consoles, mirrors, statement furniture
- Seating: Unique chairs, settees, benches
- Case goods: Credenzas, chests, armoires
- Accessories: Plates, decorative objects, things to style shelves
And increasingly: tapestries (rare and expensive, $15,000+, sell fast).
The Professional Mindset
It's Research, Not Just Shopping
One first-timer described her trip as a "research trip" — even though she bought plenty. The mindset matters. You're learning what's out there, what things cost, what vendors you love.
Even if you don't buy on this trip, you're building knowledge for the next one.
Relationships Matter
Designers don't just transact. They build relationships with vendors.
"You make little family units here. Even if you're burnt out, you have to come because it's like going to a family reunion."
Vendors remember designers who come back. They reach out when they find the perfect piece. They negotiate better with people they know.
Introduce yourself. Ask questions. Learn the vendor's story. These relationships compound over time.
Done Is Better Than Perfect
Designers make decisions. They don't agonize for hours over every piece.
"If you love it, buy it. It will not be there when you come back."
The designer mindset isn't about finding THE perfect piece. It's about finding great pieces that work. They trust their gut, make the call, and move on.
Your Designer Toolkit
Before You Go
- Measure every space (width, depth, height, doorways)
- Create room-by-room shopping lists with max dimensions
- Research shipping options and save contact info
- Research vendors you want to visit
- Plan your route by venue
Pack in Your Bag
- Measurements saved in your phone
- Photos of each space you're shopping for
- Tape measure (for checking pieces)
- Phone charger
- Notebook or notes app for prices/locations
At the Show
- Hit priority vendors early
- Keep a running list of "maybes" with prices
- Let pieces inspire direction
- Never split up pairs
- Do budget check-ins mid-trip
- Make decisions and buy
The Bottom Line
Designers aren't lucky. They're prepared.
They know their spaces. They know their dimensions. They know their budget. They have a plan — but they stay flexible enough to be surprised.
Most importantly, they trust their eye. When something is right, they know it. And they buy it.
You can do all of this. You don't need a design degree. You need a tape measure, a plan, and the confidence to trust your gut.
Start your prep at Round Top Finder — upload room photos to Room Match, browse vendors by style, save your favorites, and build your route before you arrive. The pros come prepared. Now you can too.
Round Top Finder — Shop like a designer. Available on web, iOS, and Android.
