The Art of Collecting: Inside Richmond’s East Coast Expo

East Coast Expo Returns to Richmond for Its Second Annual Show

Bringing together approximately 70 exhibitors, East Coast Expositions offers an opportunity to discover everything from fine antiques and decorative arts to books, jewelry, art and other one-of-a-kind finds. The 2026 exhibitor roster includes dealers from Virginia and beyond, with participants traveling from states including North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and Maryland.

Discover Antiques, Art & Design

Creator Kipton Currier originally designed The East Coast Expo to offer a fresh take on the traditional antiques show, bringing together historic pieces, contemporary design and craftsmanship in an immersive shopping experience. The organizers describe the event as “a place where heritage and beauty are reimagined for a modern audience.”

Among this year’s exhibitors are Virginia favorites such as Tracy deShazo Interiors, Voudrais, Spruced & Co. Design, Verve Home, Elizabeth Gray, Gates Antiques, Gum Tree Farm Designs and David Meelheim Designs. The lineup also includes dealers from up and down the coast, including Kabinett & Kammer of Franklin, New York.

For those interested in the intersection of antiques and interior design, the expo will also feature several interior designer partners, including U-Fab Interiors, Bridget Beari Designs, Marble Moon Interiors with Mid Century Morris, and Case Design with Paloma Home Interiors.

A Weekend for Collectors and Design Lovers

Whether you’re searching for a particular piece or simply enjoy browsing beautiful objects, the expo is designed to encourage discovery. Exhibitors represent a wide range of specialties, from fine antiques and decorative arts to ceramics, books, jewelry, artisan goods and more.

Image by Jenny Stoltz for Wine & Country Life

The event also offers several ways to experience the show. First Access Shopping begins Thursday, September 17, with two hours of early shopping, live music and a French-inspired afternoon snack bar benefiting the Richmond SPCA. An Early Friday Shopping Pass provides another opportunity to explore before general admission begins. General admission runs Friday through Sunday.

Come for the Antiques, Stay for the Party

Adding to the weekend’s festive atmosphere, Barboursville Vineyards wines will be poured during the event. Wine & Country Media, Style Weekly and Thibaut Wallcoverings are among the event’s sponsors, bringing together several renowned design-minded names for a weekend centered on collecting, entertaining and style.

And for those who believe an antiques show is the perfect excuse to dress up, there’s an especially fun incentive: anyone wearing a ballgown gets in free.

Meet the Designers & Dealers Bringing the Expo to Life

With dozens of dealers, designers and makers participating in this year’s East Coast Expo, the event offers plenty of opportunities to discover new names alongside familiar favorites. Among those bringing distinctive perspectives to the second annual show are Kipton Courrier, Kabinett & Kammer and Richmond designer Susan M. Jamieson of Bridget Beari Designs.

Kipton Currier

The person behind East Coast Expo is Kipton Currier, owner of East Coast Expositions. Currier only turned to antiques and collecting in recent years. She has described the shift as a “midlife antiquing virus,” recalling that a visit to Winterthur or the Foire de Chatou outside Paris may have sparked her interest. What began as curiosity developed into a fascination with historic objects and, eventually, the idea of creating an antiques show of her own.

Kipton Currier, Owner & Founder of East Coast Expo

That idea became reality in Richmond in January 2026 with the inaugural Virginia Antiques Expo. A major winter storm forced the event to close early, but the show still drew roughly 3,000 attendees and brought together dealers, artists and other exhibitors. Currier’s approach was to make antiques and collecting accessible to a broader audience without losing the expertise and discovery that define the traditional show experience. That philosophy continues with the upcoming East Coast Expo.

Kabinett & Kammer

For an entirely different approach to collecting, look for Kabinett & Kammer, the Franklin, New York, shop founded by artist, designer and collector Sean Scherer. The contemporary curiosity shop brings together antiques, art and natural wonders, reflecting Scherer’s background as an artist as much as his knowledge of historic objects. Kabinett & Kammer is among the exhibitors at this year’s East Coast Expo.

Scherer bought his first antique at 16 and went on to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Whitney Museum of American Art’s Independent Study Program. After moving to the Catskills in 2002, he opened Kabinett & Kammer in 2007, developing the shop into a highly personal mix of vintage prints and charts, taxidermy, antique boxes and 19th-century utilitarian furniture.

Rather than organizing pieces around a particular period or decorating style, Scherer brings together objects by color, shape, texture and character, creating unexpected groupings that reflect his artistic approach to collecting. That philosophy extends to his books, including Kabinett & Kammer: Creating Authentic Interiors and Sean Scherer’s Vignettes, and visitors who bring copies to East Coast Expo can meet Scherer and have them signed.

Bridget Beari Designs

Richmond designer Susan M. Jamieson, founder and principal of Bridget Beari Designs, brings a specialty in one of the most powerful elements of an interior: color. With more than three decades of experience, Jamieson has built Bridget Beari into a multifaceted design brand encompassing an interior design studio, 200-color paint collection, wallpaper line and home store in Richmond’s Fan District. Her work has appeared in publications including ELLE Décor, House Beautiful, Southern Living and Traditional Home.

Jamieson’s first book, Bridget Beari Color Rules: A Guide to Choosing and Using Color at Home, was released in March 2026 and offers a practical approach to selecting colors that work with a home’s architecture, purpose and personality. The book has since received both a National Indie Excellence Award and a 2026 International Book Award in Home & Garden.

At East Coast Expo, Bridget Beari Designs will showcase its Colors paint, Papers wallpaper and a selection of antique and vintage furnishings from the Bridget Beari Home Store, along with copies of Color Rules. Jamieson will also take part in book signings and other events during the show.

Planning Your Days at the 2026 East Coast Expo

The second annual East Coast Expo takes place September 17–20, 2026, at the Old Dominion Building at the Richmond Raceway Complex, 600 E. Laburnum Avenue in Richmond. General admission begins at noon Friday, September 18, and continues through Sunday, September 20.

With dozens of dealers, designers and makers gathered under one roof, the East Coast Expo offers a chance to browse, collect and connect—all while discovering the stories behind beautiful objects. And whether you arrive ready to hunt for a treasure or simply appreciate the artistry on display, don’t forget the ballgown.

Booth Talk Schedule

Friday

• 1 P.M. | Book Signing + Color Rules with Bridget Beari Designs (Booth #66)
• 2 P.M. | Setting the Table with Case Design + Paloma Home (Booth #64)

Saturday

• NOON | Sailor’s Woolies with Earle E Vandekar of Knightsbridge (Booth #43)
• 1 P.M. | Book Signing + Color Rules with Bridget Beari Designs (Booth #66)
• 2 P.M. | Setting the Table with Case Design + Paloma Home (Booth #64)
• 3 P.M. | Antique Prints with K&S Fine Arts (Booth #62)

Sunday

• 11 A.M. | Imari with Gates Antiques (Booth #40)
• 3 P.M.   | Rose Medallion & Rose Mandarin with Jackson’s Antiques (Booth #17)

Navigate the Expo