What originally began as two businesses—one dedicated to consigning furnishings, another to antiques—has merged to become a single institution in the Alexandria community: Evolution Home. This locally owned store is a far cry from the big-box home stores you might be used to. Its mix of secondhand and antique home furnishings is carefully curated to appeal to people of all tastes, regardless of your specific design styles.

Much of what Evolution Home has to offer has been consigned by customers just like you. The store accepts everything from comfy chairs and throw pillows to artwork and glassware, given that it's beautiful and in good condition. However, where Evolution Home really deviates from tradition is in its collection of in-house dealers. More than 25 individual dealers bring their antiques and vintage pieces to the store to sell, and each dealer's section is a little bit like its own shop within the larger store.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Artondra Hall