How I Got into Appreciating Vintage Antiques
How I got into searching for antiques is probably not something you would have guessed. I actually did not find anything vintage beautiful at one point. I really was all in with newer is better, new is better quality and anything old is junk. That was until my boyfriend, now husband, took me along with him on his excursions antique shopping! I really had no interest but the more and more I went he taught me so much and so did just browsing all the fascinating objects. Now him and I are always on the hunt for upgrading our home with the mid-set “the older the better”. And so far we have had success!
Where to Start with Decorating your Home?
Antiquing has to start with patience, especially when it comes to decorating your home. Why? You might ask. Well, unlike your neighborhood Target no two items are the same. You really have to take baby babysteps and study areas in your home that could use some pep!
For example, I love going by the less is more rule. With most antique lovers they love MORE and Lots of everything! Yet, I find the beauty in the simple things and appreciating something at face value.
Incorporating Vintage Antiques in your Design Plan
The home we currently live in right now is 122 years old, so there are lots of awkward areas that need help but nothing “new” seems to work. For instance we have 4 bookcases that are too shallow for books and vary in different heights as well. That being said, because of the bookcases awkward sizing I needed to find items that enhance the shelves instead of cluttered them!
One way I did that keeping my eye out for candle holders! There are so many different shapes and sizes that you should be able to find something in your liking a bit faster than lets say a dresser.
These two beauties came from my local St. Vincent De Paul! Which brings me to where you could find antiques to decorate your home!
Where to Find the Treasure!
In our experience we have found our greatest pieces very unexpectedly! Our usual go to’s are:
- St. Vincent De Paul or Local Thrift Shops
- Facebook Marketplace
Going to these two places first may help your budget because a lot of time people just want to get what ever it is out of there home with little to no payment! That being side it doesn’t mean its not worth it, or valuable, it just means the person really may not know what they have!
Other places to check out:
- Antique Malls/ Stores
- Flea Markets
- Auctions
Layered and Collected with an Industrial Fur-trade Feel…
When it comes to determining how we want our home to feel we found our selves going more industrial sprinkle in with some extreme vintage fur-trading vibes with some boho elements. You are probably thinking to your self “well that sounds insane!” And while it does its end up just being a very minimal collected option.
What do I mean? By that I mean we picked 3 main questions we ask ourselves when we come upon an item we desire.
Is this item metal, wood, or stone?
What is the history?
Can we put it to use?
If the item we are pondering about checks off two of the three questions it most likely is a winner being that the price is what we would prefer.
Everybody’s got a Story and so does Everything
As most people many items you find have a story connected to them wether you have to look it up or you are receiving it from the person that lived through it. There is a more valuable aspect to having the story to be able to really appreciate the history that is behind what it is you have. That being said it isn’t a necessity but is a very rewarding perk!
Bringing Old with the New
So now that we know where to antique, what you might like for a style , you are probably thinking about how you may begin this journey. Well its fairly simple, instead of trying to fill in spaces in your home replace what you have with vintage antiques you fall in love with. Doing this will allow your to really gage what style you really enjoy!
Our Great Find!
This dresser here is a perfect example! We got rid of both of our dressers due to ware and tare but just couldn’t cough up the money to buy something cheap, flimsy, and new. So we used and old bookcase in the mean time. That is till we found this beauty on Facebook Marketplace! There owners of this piece received it as a gift for their wedding in the 1970’s! And we only purchased this for $50! It is not only beauty but sturdy! So sturdy that it ALMOST broke my finger! Each door weighs at least 20 lbs.
So pick a room and find what you would love to replace and start your hunting! The journey of finding the perfect items is what hooks most people to find true vintage antiques.
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Great post about antiques!
This post is near and dear to my heart. I’ve grown up with antiques and have been an antique seller for quite a few years. I agree, it requires a lot of patience to find the right pieces, but it’s so worth it!