Not to sound like a broken record, but it happens all the time: I’m walking through the East Village, a neighborhood I think I know pretty well, and I stumble upon yet another interesting little shop that I can’t believe I didn’t notice before. Recently, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I wandered into Old Village Hall.

Scott Hill’s store is filled with furniture (custom-made and vintage), found objects, and his own hand-screened fabrics. I learned that Hill designed windows for Ralph Lauren before becoming their creative director–from where he went on to open his own shops, first in Upstate New York and then in the East Village. I thought he described his angle nicely in an interview with NY Mag: “It’s not about being old; it’s about using the past to make something modern.” It’s an angle that’s well-played throughout the city right now, but I’m far from over it.