Creative Display Ideas for Vintage & Thrift Store Finds: Pro Tips

How To Style With Vintage Treasures Collectibles

There are so many options for displaying your collectibles; I’ll share them with you, along with some great visual inspiration.

I get many questions about what I do with my thrift store finds, and I honestly display almost everything I find. Maybe not all at the same time, but almost everything is something I use in my home decor.

I love to collect, but I don’t have collections like some of the ladies that inspire me. So today, I’ll be sharing some pro collectors with you, along with some of my meager collections.

Thrifting with the Gals

Do you love the thrill of the hunt? The ladies from Thrifting with the Gals are all sharing tips about using your thrift store finds today. In addition, Brooke from The Junk Parlor is joining us with her fabulous budget-friendly thrifting tips. Be sure to check the end of this post for all the links.

(Posts on The Ponds Farmhouse may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See the full disclosure details here.)

What is a Thrift Store Collection?

First, not everything has to come from thrift stores. You may find many items at yard sales, flea markets, estate sales, and antique shops. So, I’m referring to anything you have collected.

I have many collections, and I don’t always style everything together. However, my first pro tip is the smaller items look best when grouped and displayed together.

What Is A Collection?

I’ve been told that if you have three of any one item, it’s considered a collection. Because I love so many vintage items, it’s hard just to collect one thing. Therefore, I’ll share some of my largest collections. A favorite collection of mine is vintage copper. I’ve continued to add to my collection with vintage French cookware and thrift store finds.

• Vintage Baskets
• Old Dishes and Serving Pieces
• Ironstone
• Breadboards and cutting boards
• Vintage and Thrifted Copper
• Old Rolling Pins
• Milk Glass
• Vintage Garden Statuaries
• Brass and Silver Candlestick Holders
• Crocks
• Old Clocks
• Transferware Pitchers and Platters

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but I know you’ll forgive me. What is your favorite thing to collect? Let’s see if we have any of your collections on display today.

Displaying Vintage Treasures on the Wall

A favorite way to display vintage treasure collections is on the wall. You can see beautiful collections of plates, platters, copper, breadboards, and more hanging on a wall for a lovely display.

Plates and Platters – Thrift Store Finds

One of the easiest and budget-friendly ways to decorate a wall is to create a plate gallery. Plates, platters, and vintage pitchers can be displayed in every room of the house. When thrifting, look for pieces in similar colors that you can display together. Usually, random plates can be purchased for much less.

How To Display Vintage Thrift Store Finds in the Bedroom

I recently shared 5 Easy Bedroom Ideas for Spring. For this bedroom update, I pulled together all my thrifted blue & white transferware pitchers, platters & plates to display. You can see the impact of the entire collection on the room.

Several dishes and platters are displayed on the wall, while several transferware pitchers are nestled on the mantel among vintage books used as risers.

Plate Gallery Wall In Dining Room

When I purchased a vintage European gathering basket and hung it over my dining table, it changed the whole area, and my plate gallery wall was born. I now switch out the plates seasonally and love how easy it is to create an interesting display.

Living Room & Staircase Vintage Dish Displays

I also recently added dishes to our living room entry wall and once again, I change them out seasonally. It completely refreshes the space without spending a fortune. All of these plates are hung using Command Velcro Strips.

If your collection is small, consider framing the collection of plates with a vintage picture frame. The frame allows you to display smaller pieces until your collection grows.

If you want to see more ways to use vintage frames, read 19 Ways To Up-cycle Vintage Frames.

Click Images for Resources

More Vintage Treasures and Collections for Wall Displays

One of my favorite wall collections belongs to Jenn at Down Shiloh Road. I love how she displays her collection of vintage shifters. Check out the vintage ironstone treasure in the corner cabinet as well.

You can create a gallery wall. It’s a creative option for displaying vintage photos and old picture frames. Check out How To Hang A Gallery Wall Without A Mistake.

How to Display Smaller Thrift Store Collections

One of my favorite thrift store finds is vintage kitchen utensils. There are several ways to display smaller items, and here are some great tips.

One of my favorite collections is vintage rolling pins. Most of mine are thrift store finds. This is an example of a collectible that completely loses its value when not grouped together. Placing them in a vintage toolbox creates one of my favorite vignettes.

Another stylish way to decorate with vintage treasure collections is to display them on a plate rack. This DIY plate rack is perfect for displaying the budget-friendly breadboard, copper, and ironstone.

Tablescapes With Vintage Treasures And Collections

Creating a pretty table setting is another of my favorite ways to display collections. It gives me an outlet for my obsession with dishes and vintage tableware. When you use collected pieces, the table is so much more unique and interesting.

Jadeite Collecting

Emily at The Thrifted Table is an avid tableware collector. Her St. Paddy’s Day tablescape is stunning with her jadeite collection.

Vintage Clock Collection

My friend Michele at Vintage Home Design used her collection of clocks to ring in the New Year with this fun New Year’s Eve Tablescape Centerpiece.

Adding old clocks to the shelf above the bed gives the display a whimsical feel.

Cabinets and Hutches Perfect For Thrift Store Finds

Another perfect way to display your collectibles is to gather them all together in a great vintage hutch or cabinet. Here are some stunning displays that will take your breath away and make you want to join us for Thrifting With the Gals every month.

Our vintage cupboard is filled with nothing but thrifted treasures. Many are damaged pieces that cost pennies, but you’d never know it with clever display techniques. Check out How To Turn Cheap, Damaged Thrift Store Finds Into Stunning Decor.

Just look at this stunning collection of Jadiete from Katie at Baker’s Nest. And Debra at Vintage Crushin introduced me to Ironstone and how to know if it’s the real deal. Look at her many vintage treasures, so beautifully displayed.

Lindy at Lindy’s Blue Rabbit Cottage has been collecting Blue & White Dishes since she was 5, starting with her first tea set, which is proudly displayed here. And what’s more beautiful than a primitive cabinet filled with vintage canning jars & vintage crocks? Shelby at Exceeding Joy perfectly displays her vintage treasure collection.

The antique honey-pine hutch creates a warm display area for this hodgepodge collection of ironstone dishes and pitchers. Most of my finds are budget pieces, and some are stained and well-used. Check out Decorating with Antique Furniture in A Modern Farmhouse for a full view of the hutch.

Unique Display Options for Collections

We recently added a DIY Copper Pot Hanger to display the copper pot collection above the kitchen window. The pot-hanging rack was an easy, budget-friendly option for displaying a curated collection of copper pots.

Another place where I like to display collections is above my kitchen cabinets. It’s a safe place for valuable antiques and seldom-used items, and I like to switch it out seasonally. It’s also a perfect spot for fragile items.

Right now, I have several of my wooden pieces on display with my French dough bowl filled with dried hydrangeas. Although they are a few years old, they will continue to look great as long as they are out of reach of busy hands and sunlight.

You can see more at How To Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets For Modern Farmhouse Style.

Resources

More Thrift Store & Vintage Treasures Inspiration

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the collections and collectors who inspire me when I’m out Thrifting with the Gals. Now it’s time to see what tips and tricks my friends are sharing with you this week. Next up is Ann at Dabbling & Decorating from Maine. Click on the highlighted names to link to each post.

Stacy Ling at Bricks N Blooms / Kim at Shiplap & Shells / Rachel – The Ponds Farmhouse / Ann – Dabbling & Decorating / Kristin – White Arrows Home / Brooke – The Junk Parlor

If you enjoy learning more about decorating with thrift store finds, check out 9 Unique Vintage Bedroom Ideas or Where to Shop

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