How to Decorate With Thrift Store Finds | Part One

Follow my tips in this three part series that will show you how to decorate with thrift store finds! These tips will help you steer clear of the collected junk look and help you create a curated, polished home with your thrifted treasures!

The thrift store and I have always been closely acquainted. I grew up as the oldest in a family with five children on one income. Thrifting was a way of life!

wicker wall art, gold frame , and blue skirt used t decorate with thrift store finds — Recent thrift store haul

As a teen, garage sales and thrift stores were my ticket to wearing the clothes I wanted to wear instead of wearing any old hand-me-down. I quickly learned how much more bang you can get for your buck shopping second hand, and I developed an eye for seeing beyond a thrift store item to it’s potential.

My home is mostly decorated with thrifted, second hand finds. In fact, I have a hard time looking around and finding something that was bought brand new!

Thrifting Is Not Just For The Vintage Decorator

I want to be clear before we dive into my tips, that thrifting is not just for vintage items. Oh no!

Did you know that stores like Target and Kohls will donate their salvaged items to local thrift stores? These items will sometimes have opened packaging or a dent or a rip in the box, but the item itself is typically in excellent condition.

Brand new items from Target found at the Thrift Store!

I have a friend who scored a brand new 100% linen duvet cover that came from Target but she found it at a thrift store for less than $15!

There are so many treasures to be scored at thrift stores. Both old and new!

Now, let’s dive in and get you feeling equipped for your thrifting journey!

Decorating with Thrift store finds collected in one spor — Thrifted items from around my home that are easily found at the thrift store.

Tip One |Think of Style as a Revolving Door

This is more of foundational way of thinking when it comes to decorating with thrift store finds and design in general.

copper pan leaning against a wooden bucket — This little copper pan was a $5 thrift store find. Copper is a great example of a vintage item that is back in style again!

If you are new to the idea of decorating your home with thrift store finds, I encourage you to think of trends as a revolving door. All things come around into style again in some way, shape or form. Vintage is just another name for old, but it feels new and cool.

In Fashion

Fashion is a prime example! Have you seen that high waisted, straight leg, 90s style jeans have been renamed “mom jeans” and they seem to be replacing the skinny jean these days? Scruchies and crop tops are also back, and you guys…so are Doc Martins. 😬

I have feelings about that one.

In Interior Design

The same is true of interior design. The current trends are inspired from trends past, but they take on a different finish, shape, or color.

I mean, isn’t shiplap basically a white version of wood paneling from the 60s? To be fair, shiplap has very historical origins, but still.

Have you seen now how bright white shiplap is actually tending down, but painting it a dark, moody color is trending up?

vertical shiplap painted beige in a kitchen with a basket and white cloth hanging from a peg rail — This beautiful home belongs to Marynn at the blog Wildfower Home. Please go check out her blog. Her home is absolutely STUNNING!

Hanging shiplap vertically is also becoming more popular. Check out the photographer behind this gorgeous photo above to see more in her post about vertical shiplap.

Mid Century Modern style is another example. Thrifting an authentically vintage mid century modern style accent chair right now is trending for sure! In fact, they are hard to find at a cheap price on Facebook Marketplace because they are in high demand.

This cane and velvet barrel chair is the perfect example of a vintage chair that is back in style! This cozy home belongs to Haley @hayleythehomebody on Instagram. Her beautiful account is wonderful place to find more inspiration on how to decorate with thrift store finds!

Vintage inspiration in decor is everywhere! When I go to Target and look at the Studio McGee line, I see so many items that could be found at the thrift store, simply because they are vintage inspired.

My Point

If decorating with thrift store finds makes you worry that your home could look dated and frumpy, fear not! Certain vintage items are actually trendy. Once you get some of these tips under your belt and you know what your looking for, you can create a beautiful, curated home all while you decorate with thrift store finds!

vintage bookshelf decorated with thrift store finds — These sconces were a dark wood when I thrifted them, but with a coat of white paint and a pop of green they look fresh and cool! At least I think they look cool. 😉

I think that staying in tune with current trends, but at the same time incorporating some vintage items into your home will actually keep you on the cutting edge of style. It will also make your home uniquely yours, filled with pieces that have depth of character that no one else has but you!

large chalk board on the wall with a basket hanging underneath it that is filled with greenery

Tip Two | Decide On a Color Palette

When you decorate with thrift store finds, it’s important to have a color palette for your home in mind. This will help you with the feeling of overwhelm when you are out thrifting looking at a sea of items. With a color palette as your tool you may find items while thrifting that may not have noticed before.

This color palette doesn’t have to be a hard and fast thing that you can never stray from, but it is extremely helpful and it keeps things cohesive.

I once heard Joanna Gains say on an episode of Fixer Upper that when she is decorating she picks one or two accents colors for a room, and then keep everything else neutral. That has really stuck with me! I have found that tip extremely helpful when going for a curated, pulled together look with thrift store finds.

This home styled by Joanna Gaines is a perfect example of neutrals as the base with pops of a few select colors – green and muted blue. Note as well how the wood tones and metal tones are all similar.

As much as you can, you want to also want to curate your wood and metal tones. Try and stick to one or two tones of each for a room to keep things from looking cluttered.

3 Ways to Identify Your Color Palette

Look around what is in your home already. Identify the pieces that you truly love and could never get rid of and see if there are some common colors among them.
Pintrest! Create a board just for identifying your color palette and start pinning all the home decor photos that you are drawn to. You can even go beyond home decor photos! For me, so much of what speaks to me comes from nature. Pin any and all images where the colors make you feel good feels.
On Google or Pintrest search “brand color palettes”. This search will generate images with cohesive colors already put together for you!

I love this beautiful color palette by Blooming Design Co.

Tip Three | Do You Love Your Thrift Store Find?

Vintage flour sifter in front of a wooden bucket filled with dried eucalyptus and a white bowl — This vintage sifter is one of those thrifted finds that makes me inexplicably happy!

The most important thing is making sure you love the item you are wanting to style. It may take some trail and error to figure out what you love, and that’s ok. Paying attention to what you love can be like a muscle that needs to be worked. It may difficult to flex at first, but the more you use that muscle, it grows stronger over time.

Styling your home with items that you truly love can make all the difference in you loving your space. You can style your item perfectly, but if in the end you don’t really love it, that space will never feel right to you.

I have actually felt relief when I finally get rid of an item that just isn’t me and I have been forcing for too long.

chippy wood frame with a painting of cows in a pasture and a modern Edison bulb lamp

Finding Your Style Through Indentifying What You Truly Love.

By paying attention to what you truly love, you may start to notice that your thrift store finds have a commonality. Maybe you are continually drawn towards wicker or gold finishes. There may be a certain hue of blue that always draws you in. You may notice that branchy florals are the stems you always pick up as opposed to full blooms.

This is how your own unique style will be revealed!

kitchen shelf with a cream colored crock filled with wooden spoons and antique tin measuring cups — This thrifted crock drew me in instantly and I still just love it! Stay tuned for the second post in this series to find out it’s secret!😉

I feel that I finally hit my stride with decorating when I stopped looking to what is trendy to dictate how I decorate my home, and started paying attention to what items actually sparked joy in me.

It is a very satisfying feeling to look around your home and only see items that truly bring you joy! And for me, it is just the cherry on top if that item was a thrift store find that I scored for just a couple of dollars.