Why do you think people are so drawn to antiques with history and character?
Aside from the sheer quality of materials and craftsmanship, I think it’s because people love a story. It taps into our curiosity and emotion and creativity. I think antique furniture and objects connect us through time and space. To think most of these items survived multiple wars and now reside in an American suburban home ... Does that not somehow make you curious about its previous life and the people who housed that piece before?
Why do you source most of your antiques from France?
I have a long history with France. My mother married a Frenchman 34 years ago, and we moved to France when I was 16. I have lived there and visited many many times. It is a second home to me and always will be. Importing from France is really a win-win for me. I have so much fun learning about history and natural resources that inspired the creation of the pieces I come across, and I find people in this industry are equally as passionate about their history and culture and eager to share, which makes it even better.
Your mother lives in France and helps with the business. How special has it been to share this experience together?
I just feel so lucky we both had the willingness to even try. We've always made an amazing team, but this has really helped us grow individually and evolve a bit from a simple mother-daughter duo into two adults who share responsibility and passion for something. I don't know a ton of people who can say they have that with a parent.
How often do you travel overseas, and what does a typical sourcing trip look like?
I usually go to France three times a year, two of which I ship containers. The early summer trip is usually just for sourcing and exploring new areas.
What are some of your favorite regions, villages or markets to explore?
Of course, I am partial to Lyon which is my home away from home. Specifically, Les Puces du Canal which is a large antique ‘flea market’ that I have been visiting since I was a teenager. Most of my vendors are in Lyon, and at this point, they are practically family. In addition to Lyon, I try to pick a new area to explore each year.
How do you decide which pieces are worth bringing back to The Punch Bowl?
Easy, I buy what I love. I figure if I think it's good enough to put it in my own home, that someone will love it and if they don't then I'm not stuck with something I don't like!
Have you ever found a piece with an especially memorable history or provenance?
I have come across some interesting pieces, a monastery table from Marseille that was once in a great dining hall of a local monastery, but we found it in the basement of a market covered by years of dust. My most recent fun find just came in on the latest container — a trunk that once belonged to the Bourbon family. The House of Bourbon is one of the oldest European royal dynasties originating in France in the 13th century and continues to endure. France’s most famous kings were descendants of the Bourbon lineage. I don't think the trunk is quite that old. It likely belonged to a distant relative and was found in the royal apartments in Limoges, which have been closed for quite some time.
What’s one item you found that you could never bring yourself to sell?
This is easy. It is actually the piece that started this whole thing. Back in 2018, I found this massive carved walnut secretary desk sitting outside of a market stand. To this day, it may be the most incredible piece of furniture I've come across. We priced shipping every which way you could imagine, and no matter what, we were paying more than triple the cost of the piece. Finally, we priced the cost of an entire container and realized, yes, it's more money, but it made more sense financially. So, in late 2019, I shipped my first container for resale to Little Rock and sold those items out of my booth at Midtown Vintage Market, and here in 2026, I am typing these answers out while sitting at my secretary desk that truly belongs in a castle but lives with me in an old house downtown Little Rock.
I have so much fun learning about history and natural resources that inspired the creation of the pieces I come across, and I find people in this industry are equally as passionate about their history and culture and eager to share, which makes it even better.
To think most of these items survived multiple wars and now reside in an American suburban home ... Does that not somehow make you curious about its previous life and the people who housed that piece before?