Celebrity Life, etc.

Interior decorator Kari Whitman scours antiques store, flea markets and a client's existing inventory before even thinking about new furniture. "The craftsmanship is often better in older pieces," says Whitman. "For Jessica Alba's house we bought almost every piece used."

At left: Whitman shows Alba vintage crystal chandeliers.

—With reporting by Glynis Costin and Kate Meyers