Unless you live in a small town or far from a city, it is hard to find a store with antique and vintage pieces that isn't ridiculously overpriced. This is certainly the case in Washington DC. So we happily welcome the latest addition to the hip U Street area, Fit to Be Tan, a little shop with a lot to offer, from vintage knick knacks to rare antiques.
The cozy shop is full of fun little finds, including a unique vintage cigarette box, a beautiful reupholstered high-backed arm chair and loads of beautiful mirrors and lamps. Brought to you by local interior designer Paul Corrie and his husband Steve Ewens, Fit to be Tan showcases unique hand-picked pieces Corrie has found scouring the country's estate sales, thrift stores and antique shops. Last year, Traditional Home honored Paul as the favorite Young Traditional designer for 2010.
But here's the really interesting part: Behind the homewares storefront is a sunless airbrush tanning salon (hence the "Tan" in Fit to Be Tan). Yes, a rather unexpected combination. So you can browse upfront and then get sprayed a golden glow (without getting skin cancer!) in the back. I haven't checked, but I am pretty sure this is the first store to combine homewares with tanning! The tanning booths will be open for use late March 2012 but the homeware shop is already up and running!
(Images: Paul Corrie Interiors/Denis Largeron)
Store History
- Founded: 2012
- Founded by: Paul Corrie and Steve Ewens
- Headquarters: Washington DC
- Sister stores: Arlington studio
Fit to Be Tan is a housewares shop in front and custom tanning salon in back, created by interior designer Paul Corrie and his husband. A treasure trove of carefully selected vintage and antique knick knacks, furniture, lighting and accessories.
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Four-P...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
Yes, another vintage store on U Street! There are already many in the area, but I always enjoy them, particularly if they can offer a range of prices.
I clicked on the website and some tanning salon website came up.
Same here
To be fair it looked like a nice tanning salon...
Yeah, the tanning salon is in the back.
next time we visit d.c., I am putting my foot down and a day will be spent in the u street area even if there still aren't any good restaurants.
Apparently it's a spray tan/antiques store.... wow that is a bizarre combination.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/antique-shopspray-tan-venue-opening-on-u-street/2012/02/16/gIQAvpDHKR_story.html
And apparently I didn't bother reading the last paragraph of this post. However, it's annoying that the website linked to in this post has nothing to do with the antique store side of things.
Why share the link when all you get is the tanning salon side of this business? Total let down, especially since I'm beautifully brown all year round, and have no need for a tanning salon.... I am glad to know this place exists though. I'll be heading over soon!