Vintage Décor Inspiration: Favorite 20+ Treasures & Stunning Styling Tips

Looking for ideas to decorate with vintage finds? Styling vintage decor in a modern farmhouse, cozy cottage, or traditional home creates a curated and cozy aesthetic. Today, I’m sharing my top 20+ treasures, along with tips for decorating with vintage decor. When paired with new decor and antiques, vintage styling helps you create unique, eye-catching displays.

Let’s begin with my favorite 20+ thrifted vintage treasures. I’ll share how I incorporated these unique finds into my home decor. Learn multiple styling tips to create a relaxed elegance with a time-worn appeal. You can adapt these timeless, affordable ideas to make the home aesthetic of your dreams.

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Decorating with Vintage and Thrift Store Finds

Y’all know that I love budget-friendly vintage styling. Shopping thrift stores, flea markets, and antique stores is my favorite pastime. I love the thrill of the hunt and finding a bargain.

This year, I’ve been fortunate to find several of the items on my thrifting must-have shopping list.

I thought I’d share my favorite finds and styling vintage decor tips today for Thrifting with the Gals.

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 meet monthly to share thrift-store shopping ideas and how to decorate with our treasures.

What is Vintage Home Decorating?

Decorating in a vintage style doesn’t mean all your decor has to be antique or vintage. Vintage home decorating can work with any design aesthetic, from modern to rustic country. In fact, decorating with vintage is very on-trend.

What is Vintage Decor?

Antique dealers consider vintage decor to be at least 40 years old. Whereas an antique is at least 100 years old. However, I find that many items are labeled vintage even though they are much newer.

This applies to furniture, tableware, kitchenware, bric-a-brac, clothing, art, books, etc.

Why is Styling Vintage Popular?

There are several reasons why styling vintage has become so popular. Many people collect vintage items for nostalgia and value. Most vintage items are of better quality than newly produced decor. You’ll find that wooden items are typically made of solid wood rather than particleboard.

In a time of throw-away furniture construction, you will find that vintage furniture was made to last.

In addition, decorating with vintage items is a sustainable and eco-friendly decor option. Saving items from landfills and reducing the need for new production are top of mind for eco-conscious consumers.

One of my favorite vintage finds this past year is this solid wood Shop Desk. When I saw it for 50% off at a Habitat ReStore, I quickly loaded it into the back of my vehicle. The quality craftsmanship and cute little drawers were hard to resist.

I’ve styled it with a few simple thrifted mirrors stacked on top and a flicker candle and candle ring.

Copper Finds for Vintage Styling

If you have followed me for a hot minute, you know that vintage copper is always on my shopping list. I love styling vintage with old copper.

I have three special pieces that we found, and I’ll show you how we styled them.

First is the double-boiler copper pan.

We found it while thrifting in Wilmington, NC, this past summer. It is displayed on our cooktop along with the vintage spice jars and DIY Copper Spice Rack.

The square copper container with blue-and-white porcelain handles was found at the French Farmer’s Wife’s final barn sale.

It was fun to add a small tree for Christmas, but now it holds kitchen dish towels. I’m sure I’ll be adding herbs and other plants to the container as we move into Spring.

And probably my favorite copper find was this huge vintage cauldron.

This was also found while shopping in Wilmington, NC. I knew immediately it would hold my Christmas tree; however, what to do with it after Christmas?

The solution was to add a few of my vintage quilts. It adds a cozy feel beside the deconstructed chair.

Antique Ideas For Decorating

I know we are talking about styling vintage finds; however, I did find a true antique that I have to share.

I have been looking for an authentic antique farm table since we built the farmhouse. Everything I found was either too short or small, too rickety, or too large.

However, we attended a picker’s festival and brought home the beauty. It’s solid walnut and perfect for the space.

I’ve only had the piece for a couple of years, but here are some antique ideas for decorating the farm table.

After being inspired by the NC Pottery Hwy., the antique farm table was filled with vintage and new pottery to create a rustic table centerpiece last fall.

I couldn’t resist a couple of tablescape ideas for Christmas. Our supper club table was decorated in a cabin theme. For a red-and-white tablescape, I used vintage milk glass paired with silver and vintage red tableware. Once winter arrived, an antique quilt was added for a warm winter tablescape.

Vintage Milk Glass for Styling Vintage Tables

Vintage Milk Glass has had a resurgence in popularity, and I was fortunate to find several new-to-me pieces.

I found a large collection at our CUOC thrift store and used those pieces to style vintage tablescapes with a red-and-white Christmas theme.

Milk glass compotes hold shiny, vintage brite ornaments at each place setting, and cake stands serve as risers for vintage vases.

A vintage milk glass lamp with an original paper shade caught my eye in Wilmington and looks lovely on the vintage entry dresser. I recently updated the shade with this no-wrinkle Napkin Decoupage technique.

Silver for Vintage Home Decorating

I’ve been searching for more silver pieces to add to my vintage home decorating. This year, several pieces were added to my meager collection. Styling vintage silver pieces adds elegance to your tables and countertops.

This silver trophy vase was my first find of the year, and I was ecstatic. I’ve used it ever since for table decorations, kitchen countertops, and mantel decor.

In addition, these silver goblets were a welcome addition to my tableware collection. They have been used on the dining table and as an addition to the winter mantel, holding a frosted pinecone.

A fun silver candelabra adds a lovely and elegant touch to our Christmas table. However, it looks lovely when styled alone, except for the brass bird salt and pepper shakers.

Vintage Brass: A Timeless Way To Brighten Your Home

I always look for vintage brass while thrifting. This large brass bowl is a favorite find because it makes a statement, whether filled with Christmas greenery, fall pumpkins, or spring flowers.

Brass candlesticks are so versatile. I have several collected in all shapes and sizes. Most come in pairs, but I like to mix and match various sizes and heights to create interesting tablescapes and mantel vignettes.

This brass leaf dish is a favorite find this past year. It has so much character and can be displayed on its own, or you can fill it with other decorative items, such as moss spheres for summer or Christmas ornaments for the holidays.

Tips For Decorating Vintage Baskets

Tips for decorating vintage baskets are so easy. I believe the beauty of handcrafted and vintage baskets speaks for itself. You don’t need much to create a stunning display when styling with handcrafted baskets.

Here are a few I added this year.

First, the gathering basket was another purchase at the Picker’s Festival, where I found my Antique Farm Table. It looks stunning, filled with just a few stems on the front porch.

Another French basket from The French Farmer’s Wife needs no adornment to add texture and character to a home.

Another French Farmer’s Wife find is probably my favorite. This vintage European gathering basket has been the centerpiece of our dining room table since its purchase.

And this $5.00 thrift-store find has shown up all over the farmhouse since Spring. It leans slightly to one side but has significant charm.

And finally, these large baskets are perfect for gathering and displaying foraged decor.

Styling Vintage Wooden Shifters

Styling vintage wooden shifters is another great way to add texture to your spaces. Whether you hang them on the wall, from a pegboard, or set them on a table, they are sure to add vintage charm to your decor.

This year, I added three more to my collection. One is large, like my previous finds; however, these two small ones had me doing a happy dance.

The sifters are stylish for holding seasonal decor such as flicker candles, Christmas trees, and pinecones. I’ve used them as containers for many seasonal displays.

They also make a statement when grouped together for styling vintage wall art. If the price is right, I’ll always find a spot for another sifter.

More Vintage and Thrifting Tips

You can see more tips and ideas in these posts.

• Thrift Tips – Where To Shop
• 10 Must-Know Thrifting Tips for the Savvy Shopper
• Discover Thrifting Secrets- Design Tips and More
• A Day Trip Thrifting In Southport, NC
• Thrifting with the Gals in Wilmington, NC
• Vintage Thrift Stores in Downtown Asheboro, NC
• 17 Reasons For Shopping Second Hand Charity Shops

Don’t leave yet because my Thrifting with the Gals buddies are sharing more thrifting tips with you next.

Kristin at White Arrows Home / Robyn at Robyn’s French Nest

Ann at Dabbling and Decorating / Rachel at The Ponds Farmhouse

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