Arabia’s spray-painted cups: Kia’s thrifting obsession—“I already have duplicates of many cups”
Kouvola-based 36-year-old Kia Peltonen’s collection of Arabia’s spray-painted cups gets daily use, yet she carefully guards one special purple cup. She spent seven years deciding whether to buy it. She also picks up other dishware and home décor items from flea markets.
I shop for... books, clothes, puzzles, dishware, and decorative items at flea markets these days. It’s rare to find coffee cups anymore, even though they used to be my main collectibles.
Sometimes I also buy... furniture that I can refurbish to my liking. Right now, I have a pine dresser awaiting a new coat of paint. The only thing left is deciding on the color.
I’ll never forget the time... I was at a flea market in Helsinki with a friend. She pointed out a well-preserved Finelli pot in the orange Orient pattern and asked if I already had one. I had my heart set on a coffee pot from that same series, but I loved this pot so much that I took it home, as well.
“It’s rare to find coffee cups anymore, even though they used to be my main collectibles.”
I’ve purchased far too many... coffee cups. I won’t part with my collection of individual spray-painted cups, but I’ve ended up with duplicates of many. Most of them deserve to be sold.
I have a keen sense... the moment I walk into a flea market, I can usually tell if it’s going to be a treasure trove.
My most recent find was... a wooden box I had already noticed in a store. I wanted to use it for planting later on, and luckily, I got it for a lower price this time.
These days, I’m mainly on the hunt... for décor items, because my husband and I have been decorating our new home since we finished some surface renovations. Of course, I’m still on the lookout for collectibles as well. One day, I hope to find a green Arabia Pop coffee cup or a breakfast set from Arabia’s Korona series.
You can admire Kia’s finds on Instagram at @kupillinenkauneutta
