Don’t Overpay at Antique Malls: Curated vs. Cluttered Pro Shopping Tips
Hey friends! Do you love wandering the endless aisles of an antique mall? I always find myself stopping in a beautifully curated booth, completely inspired and ready to spend my entire budget right there. But as soon as I start flipping over price tags, reality hits—many of those styled pieces carry a heavy markup.
While those gorgeous displays are great for inspiration, you can often find the exact same items for a fraction of the cost tucked away in dusty, cluttered, and overlooked booths. Today, I’m sharing my tried-and-true tips to help you look past the staging, dig out the best deals, and avoid overpaying on your next antique mall trip. Let’s go shopping!
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Curated vs. Cluttered Antique Booth Shopping
It’s easy to be swayed by a beautifully displayed antique booth and just as easy to walk past an unorganized, cluttered one. However, if you are attuned to what you are shopping for, you can overlook the clutter and hone in on the true value-priced treasures. Let’s talk about the advantages of each type and why they work.
A Curated Vendor Booth: Pros and Cons
Let’s face it, we all love a pretty display. It helps us to visualize how these vintage and antique pieces will look in our homes. A well-curated booth offers displays of items that work well together and keeps the eye moving from item to item. A well-curated vendor has mastered maximizing small spaces with vertical stacking and grouping collections.
Their booths also offer plenty of cozy appeal, such as light fixtures, architectural elements, mantels, and rugs. Therefore, their space feels like a home instead of a booth.
Although some of these lovely booths offer great prices, most are heavily marked up. A large ironstone vase caught my eye in one curated booth because I purchased a similar one for $5.00. This one has a crack but was beautifully displayed with a price tag of $89.00. I’ve decorated with mine more times than I can count; the wind once blew it off my gazebo table, and it fell into the pond without cracking. It was well worth the $5.00.
Pros and Cons of a Dusty, Cluttered Booth
The advantage of an unorganized or cluttered booth is that the vendor most likely wants to move their product quickly. If they are looking to sell more quantity vs. quality, their prices will be more reasonable.
However, the downside is they don’t worry about creating curated vignettes, and their items are a hodgepodge of all styles. It may not be as easy to identify quality pieces. If you are a visual person, you may find it hard to be inspired by a treasure under a pile of yard sale junk. But I have some tips to help you find your treasures.
Can you spot the treasures in the cluttered spaces below? The vintage Woodard-style iron table set gets lost under the clutter of the first booth. And I had trouble spotting the set of ceramic Staffordshire dogs because my attention was on the orange macrame frog, or maybe it was the gentleman bear. LOL
How To Shop Like A Pro and Get the Best Deals
The best way to shop like a pro is to know what you are looking for and have a general idea of what is a reasonable price. Not all curated booths are overpriced. On this one shopping excursion, I found some great deals in beautiful spaces and some jaw-dropping prices in others. So come armed with your list and beware of the curated display trap.
10 Antique Items Worth Digging For
Let’s take a look at some antique items that are worth digging for and where you may find them for a steal.
Heavy Stoneware and Antique Crocks
A cluttered booth may use stoneware and crocks to hold smaller pieces. Look under tables, on the floor, and on top of cabinets for the best deals. You can use your treasured finds to hold floral arrangements, small Christmas trees, and kitchen utensils. See more ideas at Vintage Stoneware Crock Decorating.
Woven Baskets
I never leave a unique basket behind if the price is right. They add instant warmth and texture to any room. My Decorating with Vintage Baskets is filled with creative ideas. Woven baskets are often filled with small items or hung from the ceiling. Look for handcrafted and slightly damaged ones for good deals.
Vintage Demi-Johns and Amber Bottles
A great way to add texture to your vignettes is with vintage demi-johns and old amber bottles, which are great for fall decorating. Check for damaged woven coverings for the best prices on demi-johns. You may find amber bottles tucked inside cabinets or under tables. If these items are front and center in the booth, the prices are most likely high. See more decorating ideas at 9 Ways to Decorate with Demi Johns and Rustic Fall Decorating with Amber Bottles.
Old Books
When you see a display of antique & vintage books such as this booth, you can bet the prices are top dollar. Instead, look in the cluttered booth, or better yet, many old books are donated to charity thrift stores, and they sell for cheap. Learn more about decorating with old books in 10 Creative Ideas with Vintage Books.
Wooden Bowls, Cutting Boards, and Breadboards
Vintage wood adds warmth and texture to any vignette. Vintage wooden bowls, cutting boards, and breadboards are always in my cart when shopping. However, beware because there are many reproduction pieces that will fool you. Even at antique malls, I saw several pieces that were not authentic. Be cautious if they have a large selection and several look identical. In one booth, I saw these reproduction pieces along with several larger dough bowls.
If you want authentic antiques, look for items that are unique and have natural markings that only come with use and age. Also, genuine pieces will most likely have a higher price tag. I’ve never regretted the splurge for a good bowl or breadboard.
Ironstone Dishes, Pitchers, Tureens
I have been collecting ironstone for years, and I’m still drawn to the simplicity of these pieces. I don’t need any more, but I can’t resist a deal. There are so many ways to use these versatile pieces, and you can see more ideas at Thrifting for Ironstone Pitchers.
A word of caution: when a vendor displays a huge selection of ironstone, beware. Instead, train your eye to pick out the white pieces amongst the clutter.
Vintage Art
Shopping for vintage art at antique malls is always on my list, but the prices are usually all over the place. I look for prints that are professionally framed or original art. A booth that is filled with art will be pricey, but a painting tucked into a corner will usually be better priced. I also love to find framed needlework.
I really liked how this cross-stitch piece was framed, and the price was reasonable. I still didn’t bring it home. I’m also regretting leaving this pheasant print behind.
Vintage Copper, Silver & Brass
Whether it’s a set of brass candlesticks or copper pots and pans, I’m always adding to my collections. I love to find unique bowls, figurines, and containers that will add shine to any display. Finding deals on these pieces depends on the vendor. The more unique the piece, the higher the price. Look for these shiny pieces hidden inside those cluttered spaces for the best deals.
I loved these brass reindeer but couldn’t justify the price for seasonal decorations. You can learn more about decorating for the holidays at Decorating with Silver and Brass for Christmas.
Vintage White Milk Glass
I love, love milk glass, and my collection is always growing. Just like ironstone, the pieces are so versatile and can be used in your decor year-round. Just check out 15 Stunning Ways To Use Milk Glass In Your Home, this Milk Glass for Fall article, and you will love 10 Amazing Christmas Decorating Ideas with Milk Glass.
The good news is that milk glass is reasonably priced, even in antique booths (usually). However, you can pick up bud vases and compotes at many thrift stores for a fraction of the antique mall prices.
Seasonal Decorations At Antique Malls
I’m always looking for vintage seasonal decor. Many antique malls will have sections dedicated to seasonal decorations. However, I find that locating holiday decor mixed in with evergreen antiques will usually be better priced. I found these two pheasants in one booth for a good price.
I didn’t bring them home because I recently found one at a thrift store for only 3.00. I updated it with a gold finish, and you can see more details in Updated Pheasant Figurine.
Antique Mall vs. Thrift Store & Yard Sale Shopping
I love to shop at antique malls, and I’ve found some wonderful treasures for my farmhouse. However, I still find the best deals at thrift stores. I thought I’d share a few pros and cons for both shopping strategies.
Pros & Cons For Antique Mall Shopping
Pro:
- Lots of high-quality antiques in one place.
- Curated displays in most booths for inspiration.
- Pleasant shopping environment with bathrooms. (always important! LOL)
Cons:
- High Prices
- Vendors know the value of their merchandise.
- Booth owners are not there to negotiate and may be unreachable while you are in the store.
- With so much to choose from, it can be overwhelming.
- Not all booths are curated, and some have some weird displays. Or should I say creepy!
Thrift Store & Yard Sale Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Great Prices
- Easy to negotiate prices
- Thrill of the Hunt
Cons:
- You have to rummage through junk to find treasures.
- You need to have an eye for how you can use the item.
- Smaller inventory
- May have to visit several shops or sales to find a deal.
Conclusion:
As a vintage and antique lover, I shop all the sources. The key is to shop often and come well prepared. Here are my tried and true tips.
- Make a list of what you are looking for.
- With so much to sift through, it’s easy to get distracted and overlook items that you truly are interested in.
- With a list, it’s easier to spot a treasure even in a cluttered booth.
- Refer to your list often while shopping to keep items fresh in your mind.
- Familiarize yourself with price points.
- This is easy to do by searching for similar items on Etsy or eBay before you head out.
- While in the shops, snap a photo and use the Google App to search for the image. You will see similar items for price comparison.
- Be open-minded.
- You may run across a true treasure that you never knew you needed. This happens frequently for me. I go shopping thinking, “I don’t need anything,” and that’s when I find so many wonderful items.
- Use the 72-hour rule or 48-hour rule.
- If you are unsure, leave the item. If after 72 hours you are still thinking about it, go back and purchase.
- Or put an item on hold for 48 hours if that’s possible. Then you don’t risk someone else scooping up your find. If after 48 hours you still can’t decide, let them return the item to the shelf.
- Always ask for the best price. Don’t assume the price is firm. I’ve had some wonderful price reductions when the shop owner calls the booth owner.
I hope you enjoyed today’s fun look at Antique Mall shopping and that you are now armed with a plan.
Thrifting with the Gals
Today’s post is part of our monthly series, Thrifting with the Gals. If you are new to our series, we are friends who share a love for vintage and thrifted decorating. We all live in different parts of the country, but we come together once a month to share thrift store shopping ideas and tips on decorating with your treasures.
Here are the Gals:
- Ann from Dabbling and Decorating finds her treasures as she travels between Vermont and Maine. She decorates both homes with so many vintage treasures.
- Robyn from Robyn’s French Nest loves to travel and bring her vintage treasure to her lovely Florida Home.
- Lora from Lora Bloomquist Create and Ponder is thrifting and picking up amazing roadside finds to decorate her home in Minnesota.
- I am from North Carolina and love filling my farmhouse and beach cottage with thrift store finds. I focus on budget-friendly decorating and DIY projects.
Robyn’s – Fall Decor For Coastal Grandmillennial / Lora’s – Upcycled Fabric Leaf Garland / Ann’s – Fall Scarecrow
