Winner's Circle: Robert and Gretchen Groebel
“Gretchen and I have known each other since we were kids. We grew up in the same town and we ran in the same circle of friends. Our lives went different directions but came back together, and we have been married fifteen years now.
I developed my love of vintage shopping when I lived in Connecticut. There was a terrific flea market on 25th and 7th Avenue. It was about the hunt; it was about finding really interesting things, and you could always find something. As we got married and traveled in New York, we used to do this on weekends and you would always find something. We have done this continuously since we have been together.
The thing we love about Everything But the House is the diversity of the items for sale and the opportunity to look. It’s like going to a flea market but not having to stand out in the rain or the cold. It’s really about the discovery for us and the opportunity to find something new that we didn’t know we were looking for." -Robert Groebel


EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Oscar de la Renta Coated Houndstooth Chenille Spread Collar Jacket

EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Contemporary Slipcovered Chair-and-a-Half with Throw Pillows

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Leif Janek Abstract Acrylic Painting, 21st Century

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Oil Painting of Barn Scene With Two Dogs

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Yamaha RX-V465 AV Receiver with Teac and Acoustic Audio Speakers

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Victorinox Diver Master 500M Wristwatch

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Halftone of Women's CHS Champs Team

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K Citrine, Topaz and Amethyst Ring


EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Blenko Glass Vase with Viking and Other Glass Bowls

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Mexican Sterling Necklace

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Jack Meanwell Expressionist Oil Pastel Drawing

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Sterling Abalone, Amethyst, and Sapphire Jellyfish Earrings

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
William J. Greenwood Coastal Landscape Oil Painting, Late 20th Century

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Bronze Sculpture of Bamiléké, Cameroon, Building with Figures

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
José M. Lima Seascape Oil Painting, 2023

EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Contemporary Chrome Finished Table Lamp

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
St. John Rhinestone Toad Brooch

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
14K 0.50 CTW Diamond Crossover Ring with Fancy Color Stones

EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Loose 0.36 CT Diamond

EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Alexander Calder Double-Page Color Lithograph for "Derrière le Miroir," 1975

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE ON INCORPORATING VINTAGE PIECES INTO A HOME?
It is terrible to think that everyone goes through life assuming everything matches. There should be some tension among your objects so that it begins to describe who you are. I think it’s important that a piece speaks to you or that you have some level of connection to the object. And utility is important; you shouldn’t buy something just to look at it. If it was designed to be used, you should use it.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DECORATING STYLE?
It is definitely eclectic, it tells a story and it’s not contrived. The things that you see in our house connect us to one place or another, one event or another or continue the story of what we brought here together, so it’s evolving. This is a reflection of who we are; our collective point of view. You can pick anything in our home, and we can tell you its story is or why it’s here.
WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK TO EBTH?
It’s the hunt, the curiosity of seeing what other people have collected over time. I often find myself looking through everything from the first page to the last because you never know if there’s something great on the final page.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE EBTH FINDS?
The first piece we bought was a painting that reminded us of an older version our youngest son. Out of all the rooms, it has made its way into our bedroom, so it’s personal and we’ve made it our own. I’ve never seen anything like it before, and the fact that it fits perfectly inside the fireplace is an added bonus. Then there’s the 19th-century porcelain Chinese figurine by the chair. It’s an earthquake detector. The story behind it and how they’re used make it a really cool and unique piece to have.