This somewhat worn old platter ($1 at a charity thrift shop!) now serves as a place to keep all my “vanity table” items, and also odd bits of jewelry.
Even before I had a place larger than a bedroom to call my own, I always found thrift stores a valuable spot to find so many odds and ends to add color and character to a space. I’m a bit of a magpie in that I pick up a lot of things that catch my eye; I’m not a very focused collector at all! Plus I tend to be drawn to pieces that are a bit less than perfect and are cheap… for some reason those are the ones that always want to come home with me. But I also like them even more if they aren’t just the sort of thing to sit around a “look pretty”–but can serve some other purpose, like being used as a container for other things. A nice marriage of vintage charm and practicality (and budget!). I thought I’d show you a few of my favorites and give you an idea of what I like to keep my eyes open for while thrifting. While giving you a sneak peek around the house! I plan on doing more interior decorating related posts going forward, since I enjoy it so!
It’s holding hats right now, but this estate sale find hat box will eventually be used to hold fabric scraps in my sewing nook.
Old tea cup saucers are really useful–I have a hole stack of them that I bought at 1/2 off day recently. This one holds some fossils from Sailor Husband’s collection.
I think this old crate came with me when I moved here (so it was my mother’s originally), but it now sits in the living room holding all my records.
This pretty china pot has a lid somewhere, but I have used it for ages to hold writing tools and scissors near my sewing nook. It’s a good weight for that, plus it’s pretty and colorful!
One of my favorite containers: this silver-plate bowl I found at Goodwill last year. It now holds our starfish and coral collection! I like to let silver go a bit tarnished; I’m not into the super shiny look.
Another inexpensive Goodwill find: a silver-plate tray. Originally purchased to put Christmas cookies on, this has worked well on the living room table since as a display piece.
What are some of your favorite household decor items to look for? Do you like thrifting/antique shops or discount stores best? Bonus points if you have pictures of favorite finds in your home!
I love your vintage finds, and the creative use you make of them! My house is full of old thrifted stuff too, which I mostly bought on sites like etsy or ebay… I especially have an addiction to 1950′s stuff
my favorite is probably an early 60′s light blue suitcase that stands next to my sofa in my room..I hide in it all the other thrifted treasures that somehow don’t fit in the decor of my house or that I sell in my shop.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/creativepaws/3444507849/in/set-72157618627493264/
and a set of yellow kitchen canisters where I carry all of my artistic tools like pencils, watercolors and brushes… but generally I have an addiction especially to china and really anything cute even if it’s mostly useless
Please keep posting pictures of your home, they’re very beautiful, Casey! Hugs,
Caterina
http://aretrogirl.blogspot.com/
Your thrift store finds are so beautiful, great value for your money. I like how your tea cup saucers have fossilised bone instead of biscuits.
)
Arianne from A + B in the Sea
That is an awesome place to store records. Mine just sit in a big rubbermaid container! I need to display them, they are works of art!
Oh my! I have always admired that little china pot you have. It has always added a nice, little bit of color wherever it is. I think one of my favorite pieces is that large wooden bowl. I think that was a freebie from Nana. After trying it all over the house, I think it has found it’s home on the mantle. Then I can admire it whenever I go into the room. There is a picture of it in the header of my blog.
Mom
The thrift stores in my area are both depressing and expensive (how does that work?) but I’ve had good luck with sales at local antique malls. I seem to be a housewares fiend: I’ve got more pitchers and mixing bowls than anyone in her right mind could possibly need. And vases. And I don’t even like cut flowers.
Casey, I love this post! You have made beautiful thrift scores, and reading about what you pick had me nodding my head. We have a similar style–imperfect, inexpensive, and (usually!) unfocused. I can usually never find a specific thing I am looking for, so I just try and let it be serendipity.
Wow! I have that same hatbox. But I use it for hats!
Great idea and great pictures.
I used to do more thrifting than I do now (mainly because of budgeting issues).
I love tins for storage. I have quite a few of them. Some are new with handles that hold sewing supplies, scrapbooking supplies, etc. But some came from yard sales. I love baskets. I use them for storing sewing and scrapbooking things. I have a couple of thrifted baskets that hold some of my many cookbooks. I have a little china plate that is on my dresser for the junk that comes out of my hubby’s pockets.
I’ll have to take some pictures of some of my fav storage pieces.
I have a tin tray I got at my daughter’s yard sale that I put all the grand’s lotions and potions on.
I like the way you have displayed your “treasures”.
Oh my goodness! I have that SAME white and pink floral platter that you picked up at the charity auction! My grandmother gave it to me last christmas and said it had belonged to my great grandmother. I LOVE it, and perhaps I need to get it out of the cabinet and show it off a little better!
Lately I’ve been picking up odd little sewing machine drawers at antique malls. I got them to hold my postcards for when I do craft shows, but I’ve found that they come in handy to hold little things around the house too!
You’ve shared some great ideas
Most of my favorite home items are from our family. We keep everything because they usually have a story. Family-bilia? So I have a lot of 50′s items and furniture from my Great Aunt, who had fabulous taste. Some items and furniture from my Grandmother, who had another style, but equally fabulous taste. Silver service and china/glass sets from the 30′s and another stylish Great Grandmother. It gets a bit crowded in here!
I have the same issue with Thrift stores. The less than perfect items become “Aww, no one is going to want this poor (insert item here). I’ll give it a home”. Many of those have become my favorite and most treasured possessions.
I love the tray on your coffee table. I have a footstool for a coffee table and keep searching for the perfect ‘hard’ surface to put on it to support cups/glasses. For some reason I was obsessing over the perfect wooden tray but…. your idea works even better I think. Thanks!
Blue Ball jars with zinc screw lids are great for storing food. I have a small Ruby glass collection, a pitcher and a few bud vases. There’s an old glass candy dish that holds my boyfriend’s wallet and phone when he’s visiting. I like the old pretty things to balance out modernity.
I’m so looking forward to more interior decorating posts…probably because I’m 7 months pregnant and don’t need to be reminded of all the fun things I can’t wear! LOL
Hubby and I love antique stores for furniture and other household stuff. We look at it as an investment: good, solid antiques will last and last, because, well, they already have lasted a long time! They can be pricey, but you’d pay a pretty penny for something new of similar quality, and it wouldn’t have half the charm of the old.
Love the way you use second hand to add character in such lovely ways! Your post has a few ideas for what I need next time buzzing through my head
I LOVE old hat boxes, mine sits right next to my bed and is full of junk I need, but don’t want to put on display!
Ayesha x
I love looking at treasures people find throughout their travels. You have found some beautiful things! But what caught my eye was your bottle of Stella perfume. At one point I was in love with that scent, but then a man entered my life (now husband!) and he didn’t care for it. So I have an almost full bottle sitting lonely on my shelf. Would you like it?
mmm… I’ll have to start posting pictures too, but I’m also a very unfocused collector which is why I love thrift stores, random-city! I love your starfish collection and blue bottle, your house speaks to quite a subtle nautical theme… at first I thought the fossils were bits of fabric or lace, totally confused my eyes.
ha, i know where chowchilla is! im from california! haha. i have my records in a milk crate, they dont fit perfectly, but it does the job.
I love how you think outside the box with you home-decorating! I’m also a fan of pretty+practical+cheap =)
When thrift-shopping I really try to avoid buying thing that are for decoration or “this could come in handy sometime”, I have way too many things already! However, kitchenware… I just can’t help myself, I always check out the kitchen stuff first =) Here’a a link to an old post with some of my first and also favorite finds. http://swinginvintage.blogspot.com/2009/06/loppisfynd.html Unfortunatly it’s all in swedish, I hadn’t begun translating my posts yet at the time. The kitchen aid has been used a LOT, and it only cost about 12 $. Don’t regret that buy any day, despite the problem with storage. =)
pretty things! I had that hatbox (why did I give it away??!!)
pretty photos too Casey!
Love all the elegant photos. I love finding unique vases and old photos to decorate with.
The Crate – Is your mother from that area then? My father grew up on a farm in Chowchilla. Was a surprise to scroll down and see it there