Home Interior: My x Thrift Store Shopping Tips: How To Decorate on a Budget

Great ideas for creating a fashionable dwelling solid on a small-scale budget My 10 Thrift Store Shopping Tips: How To Decorate on a Budget

By now, most of you lot reading my spider web log know that I dearest thrift stores.
My thrifting began out of necessity, but over the course of study of the past times few years, it's genuinely give-up the ghost something I do for fun. I realize I'm kinda weird, as well as I'm cool amongst that.

Thrifting is basically a beautiful synergy of my 2 favorite things: decorating as well as treasure hunting.

I've been a thrifter for thus long now, that when I demand something for our house, I almost e'er examine to thrift it first. It's really difficult for me these days to pass the large bucks on something at the real store when I know I tin pose inward a footling extra travail as well as detect something I dearest for $5 at the thrift store. That beingness said, I can't detect everything I demand at a thrift store. Some things receive got to live on new. Like my couches, my mattress, as well as my toothbrush. But, I've learned that I tin purchase what I demand to at retail, as well as thus fill upwards inward the gaps at the thrift store.

Thrift store's got gaps, I got gaps, together nosotros fill upwards gaps.
Anyone?

So, today's post is nigh the 10 basic dwelling solid decor items you lot tin detect at thrift stores. Before nosotros start, you lot demand to know that the thrift stores inward our expanse aren't anything special...at all. They are absolutely filled to the brim amongst junk nobody wants. 99% junk, 1% awesome. The telephone substitution is frequency. I receive got nigh v local thrift stores I like, as well as I examine to banking venture stand upwards for them out i time a week. I've been gathering photos for this post for over a month, thus I didn't simply walk inward i twenty-four hr catamenia as well as detect all this materials at once. It took a lot of time.

This post is to present you lot that the proficient materials exists.
It's out there.
So, if you lot acquire discouraged because you're coming upwards empty handed inward your thrifting adventures, don't give up.
You've got what it takes, girl.

Now that we're done amongst the pep talks as well as prefaces, let's acquire started amongst the 10 basic items you lot tin detect at thrift stores. I'll give you lot some ideas of what I would do amongst each one, but the possibilities are genuinely endless.

#1. Dressers

Dressers are a groovy detail to thrift. I normally run into 2-3 dressers every fourth dimension I give-up the ghost to our local thrift stores. Most of them aren't anything special, but every thus oftentimes you lot tin detect an amazing i for $50-$100.

Here are a few groovy examples that I found.

I dearest this french provincial dresser. It's similar the sassy footling sis to my older as well as wiser chamber dresser. This dresser would facial expression amazing inward distressed nighttime greyish chalk pigment amongst the existing hardware spray painted gold.

This mid-century modern dresser would live on gorgeous inward a fun color (maybe coral or aqua), amongst the existing hardware spray painted gilded or silver. I dearest the wheels on it, too.

Just squint your eyes until those lamps disappear.

When buying a thrifty dresser, detect i amongst a classic shape inward decent condition. If it has whatever imperfections that I tin easily gear upwards (like scratches that demand woods filler or a unloose leg that needs a novel screw) I volition overlook them if the toll is right. When thrifting, I examine to call upwards that I'm non buying my side past times side identify unit of measurement heirloom. I'm simply looking for affordable slice of furniture that I tin build facial expression awesome inward the meantime.
To run into the thrifty dressers I've redone, run into here, here, or here.

#2. Tables

Whether it's desks, destination tables, or dining tables you're looking for, you lot tin detect them at a thrift store. Here are simply a few groovy options I flora over the past times duet months.

These distressed light-green destination tables are super cute for $20 each. I dearest that they are a slightly dissimilar shape as well as color.

This side past times side tabular array has seen ameliorate days, but if you lot tin facial expression past times what's there, you'll run into that it has groovy legs as well as would facial expression groovy amongst a footling pigment as well as glaze.

Also, I may receive got catch the candleholder was a giant tabular array salt shaker at first. I blame that picnic basket.

This side past times side i was inward much ameliorate condition, amongst barely a scratch on it. I don't dearest the woods color, but I experience similar this i has some potential, too. It has a sleek, modern shape that would facial expression groovy painted amongst some shiny lacquer.

This side past times side tabular array was a groovy find. I don't love the chairs, but I think you lot could update them a flake past times re-upholstering them amongst some bold cloth (Navy as well as white stripes, perhaps?) I generally simply similar the pedestals on the table. The tabular array could live on groovy if paired amongst dissimilar chairs. I also think simply using i of the pedestals every bit a base of operations for a circular tabular array top would live on great, too. The entire laid amongst vi chairs was nether $150, which even thus makes it a groovy deal.

#3. Sideboards & Armoires

Sideboards as well as armoires are a footling harder to come upwards by, but when I detect one, they're normally pretty great.
I lately came across this one, which may receive got been the coolest i yet.

Finds similar these are pretty rare, but they do happen. This was such an amazing find, as well as I would pigment it vivid light-green or blue, or fifty-fifty yellow.
Although, the crimson is great, too.
As awesome every bit it was, I simply didn't demand it as well as had to walk away. It's super slow to give-up the ghost a hoarder if you lot thrift a lot. Over time, I've pretty much figured out how to avoid those hoarder purchases. If I receive got to halt as well as think about an item, I demand to walk away. You should exclusively purchase the materials that makes you lot jump upwards as well as downwards when you lot detect it. Every fourth dimension I receive got to measurement around as well as think nigh something, I destination upwards regretting the purchase later.
Learn to trust your thrift gut.

This sideboard was also pretty cool. It would require some work, but you lot could easily re-coat it or pigment it.

#4. Chairs

I come upwards across chairs all the fourth dimension at thrift stores, which may receive got been evident past times the fact that I've redone over 10 of them. If you lot follow me on Instagram, you lot may receive got seen when I happened across some totally awesome crimson tufted chairs at a thrift store for $15 each. I'm certain these were scooped upwards inside the hour, every bit they looked to live on build new.

It's every bit if the universe is telling me to decorate amongst red. I'm ignoring him for the fourth dimension being.

#5. Headboards

Thrift stores are a groovy identify to detect onetime wooden headboards. I painted an onetime wooden headboard for our invitee bedroom and it was a inexpensive agency to create a dainty identify for our guests to stay.

The larger headboard inward the moving-picture present below would live on pretty cool if painted. The small-scale i is at nowadays from a 1980's beach condo, but its curved shape would build a groovy base of operations for an upholstered twin headboard. I examine to facial expression past times what's in that location as well as think of dissimilar ways things could live on used.

(See how I upholstered our primary chamber headboard here.)

#6. Lamps

Thrift stores receive got onetime lamps everywhere.
I think they reproduce after they acquire there.
All you lot demand is a few coats of spray pigment as well as a modern drum shade, as well as you lot receive got a groovy looking light for agency less than you lot would pay for elsewhere.

Most of the time, I simply detect a unmarried light past times itself. That apace becomes a hoarder situation, as well as at i fourth dimension I had v lonely thrift store lamps simply waiting for the soulmate that never showed up. These days, I've learned to concord out for a pair. The below lamps were a groovy find. You could give-up the ghost along them every bit they are, or spray pigment them to complement your decor.

The below light has a groovy shape, peculiarly for $5. It could live on easily updated past times spray ikon the brass a brighter gold, as well as spray ikon the crimson component a dissimilar color (like aqua, emerald, or white). You could also simply pigment the entire thing. Add an updated drum shade as well as voila!

See my thrifty footling light makeovers here and here.

#7. Frames/Mirrors/Art
Thrift stores are a groovy identify to acquire inexpensive decor for your walls. However, you lot receive got to live on willing to do a footling work.
The below mirror looks pretty outdated at starting fourth dimension glance. But, imagine it amongst the frame spray painted a vivid gold, or fifty-fifty a glossy turquoise or crimson (Just because I don't decorate amongst crimson doesn't hateful I can't appreciate crimson done right!). For $10, that could live on a full arguing piece.

I posted nigh this side past times side slice on my Instagram a few weeks back. I'm certain everyone catch I was a crazy at first, but I had a plan. I got this giant v pes tall impress for $5. I incertitude I volition ever purpose the bold impress that's inward the frame (although I volition salve it inward instance I ever desire to do something amongst it), but the existent argue I bought it was for the giant frame. I'm working on a giant ikon for my office, as well as this giant frame is the perfect size. It would live on nearly impossible to detect a frame this massive as well as this dainty for $5 elsewhere.

Although, it's been sitting inward my component as-is for a proficient calendar month now, as well as it's kinda growing on me. I demand to complete my ikon asap earlier this affair weasels its agency onto my wall.

I think it's glamouring me.

These days, I acquire almost all of my frames from thrift stores. Most of the fourth dimension I detect frames amongst mats as well as spray pigment the mats (like I did here), but in that location are times when I purchase thrift store fine art simply for the frame. I'm working on a projection correct at nowadays as well as these footling $1 thrift store frames volition live on pose to proficient use. They were originally wood-tone, but I've since spray painted them.

I've also gotten most of the mirrors inward my solid from thrift stores (like the i inward my closet). Sometimes, I come upwards across mirrors that are agency to a greater extent than unique than anything I could detect inward a retail store. Just call upwards to focus on the shape of the frame. You tin easily alter the color of the frame amongst spray pigment or rub as well as buff.

#8. Vases
Thrift stores are a drinking glass vase paradise. I tin normally detect them for $1-$2, as well as oftentimes times they are exact replicas of basic drinking glass vases you lot would spent $10-$20 on elsewhere.
My favorite thrift store loves to sprinkle pinecones inward the vases. I experience similar it's the same strategy every bit Crest attaching a mini mouthwash to the toothpaste box. Like maybe I'll examine out that pinecone as well as come upwards dorsum for more.
Classic thrift store upsell.

I dearest to facial expression for blueish as well as white porcelain at thrift stores. Ginger jars are i of my favorite finds. Some are ameliorate than others, but every thus oftentimes I come upwards across a really groovy looking one.

This peacock vase was really something I brought home. I'm pretty certain the peacock at nowadays upwards seduced me.

#9. Dishes
As you lot tin run into inward this post, my kitchen cabinets are filled amongst colorful dishes that I normally detect at thrift stores. I detect really unique dishes all the time. For example, I dearest these crystal emerald spectacles amongst gilded rims, at simply $9.99 for all 6. Those would facial expression fabulous on a bar cart.

#10. Small Accessories
Thrift stores are groovy places to detect fun footling accessories to trend upwards your home. These brass bookends would facial expression groovy on a desk or bookshelf. Some state that whatever decor inward the fowl identify unit of measurement is totally passé but I squawk at the mere suggestion. These footling fellas could bring together my nest anyday.
Officially tally: That's 2 bird-puns.

As a full general thrift store rule, I detect tons of gilded as well as silverish trinkets. I think the 2 giraffes inward the below moving-picture present would live on super cute inward a nursery. I would frame each i inward a shadow box as well as add together them to a gallery wall. I also similar the silverish bowl as well as the tiny silverish affair amongst the latch on it.

I receive got no catch what that is, but it appeals to my dearest of miniature things.

Candlesticks are some other mutual detail flora at thrift stores. They tend to all live on brass or drinking glass as well as circa 1985-1992, but sometimes you lot tin detect a footling diamond inward the rough, similar that fine art deco i below. You could exit it as-is or spray pigment the entire affair i color.

So, those are my 10 things you lot tin detect at thrift stores.

Now, let's practice.
We're going to purpose my component every bit an example. When nosotros moved inward to our solid iii years ago, the component looked similar this:

and after a lot of pigment as well as some thrift store shopping it at nowadays looks similar this.

I don't facial expression to run into this room inward a magazine anytime soon, but I do think it's a groovy instance of how you lot tin comprise thrift store finds into your decor. I did this entire room for less than $400, as well as all of the below items amongst arrows were secondhand (either thrift store, craigslist, eBay, or garage sale).

I've flora (through all my many failed decorating attempts) that it helps to mix the onetime as well as the new. So, I brought inward a novel chair as well as rug, as well as added a few updated accessories similar some of the frames on the wall, as well as the curtains. Some of the accessories I dearest the most came from the thrift store though, similar the footling gilded mug that I at nowadays purpose to concord my pens (previously seen here), the footling white vase, as well as the onetime wooden tray that I spray painted a high gloss black.

And that my friends, is all for today. Abrupt post endings seem to live on my specialty, thus I'll exit you lot amongst this:
Go forth, thrift, as well as written report back!