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A Home Decor Thrift Store Haul

September 05, 2024

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Shopping in thrift stores always brings me great joy.

I don't know why exactly.

Maybe it's the thrill of the hunt, the bargain prices or the really interesting things you can find on those crowded and (sometimes) dusty shelves.

Fabulous Home Decor Second Hand Finds

I think I like that part best, especially since everything in the retail stores looks so similar today.

Um...boring.

However.

While I'm always up for a visit to one of my local shops, finding treasure is never guaranteed.

Some days are a total strike out, and while I still enjoy browsing, it's always more fun to take something home.

Well, a few weeks ago, my daughter and I went out one afternoon and hit the jackpot.

We went to two stores and scored big.

Here's my haul.

Let's start with my favorite, shall we?

This lamp was $4.99 and it's a rusty, vintage, gorgeous mess, that I cannot wait to update.

I have to be honest, I bought this at Savers, a shop I never go to, since I like to support small charity thrift stores, but it was worth it.

Vintage Art Deco Glass Boudoir Table Lamp

It has no shade, but the details were too pretty to pass up for that price.

Which, by the way, was unbelievably good since I found these two similar lamps for about 30x what I paid. Yowza.

My second favorite...this gorgeous red floral, oil painting. It's the real deal, done on a canvas, like my paint by numbers art, and then framed. Perfect for my home.

Unfortunately, it was $40 and not on sale at the Salvation Army. So I left without it.

Hand Painted Rose Oil Painting
See how I updated it here

When I got home, I decided I couldn't live without it and went back, where the kid at the register told me that the next morning it would be 50% off and since it was almost closing time, he would honor that sale price.

I think I actually jumped for joy at the register.

Up next, I found this darling American Girl Doll wooden washstand. It was another $4.99 Savers' score.

American Girl Doll Furniture Washstand Retired
See the creative makeover/ upcycle here.

Isn't it darling? 

It's missing one towel bar, and it's a bit rough overall, but I have an idea to make it useful and doll it up a bit. No pun intended. 

Ok, maybe a little intended. 

Another true treasure in the $4.99 category was this pair of Johnson Brothers tea cups and saucers.

Johnson Brothers Castles Tea Cups and Saucers

You may remember that a few years ago, I thrifted a trio of square salad plates in the same pattern for $15 each. So this was a deal.

Clearly, there's no work to be done here, but I can't wait to display and use them.

Hot water anyone? 

Of course, I couldn't leave with just one pair of red items, I also took this pair of red checked curtain panels home with me for $2.50 each.

They were on clearance.

Buffalo Check Curtains packages

I have no idea what I'm going to do with them. I already have several sets of red checked curtain panels I made myself, but the fabric alone was worth way more.

And if I can't find anything fun to do with them around here, maybe I'll offer them up in next month's giveaway.

I have a neat idea for this ceramic candle stand.

Ceramic Candle Tray White Scroll

For $3.99 it was lovely on its own, but I also saw a clean palette for fall.

I felt the same about this wooden Give Us Our Daily Bread plate.

Give Us Our Daily Bread Wooden Plate

Again, only $4.99 and I saw a blank canvas that I could get crafty with...decoupaging or painting.

That is, until I got home and did a quick google search to see what I had and decided to hold off. 

While I'm not sure my plate is really from the 1940's, as this listing suggests, I wouldn't like to mess with a valuable vintage or antique piece. 

So at this point it goes in the wait and see pile.

Unlike these wooden scroll brackets that are brand spanking new.

Scrolled Wooden Cornice Brackets

Wrapped up in plastic and ready to be refinished.

They were 50% off, so I scored both for three bucks. I've seen them online for $25 so I was excited about purchase.

I grabbed this scrolled pumpkin candle holder, too. 

Scrolled Metal Pumpkin Candle Holder

It's a little beaten up, but I think with a little love it could be a super cute addition to my creative pumpkin collection.

I was also over the moon when I spotted these two framed vintage style floral painting prints in a tiny local shop. Aren't they lovely?

Vintage Style White Floral Paintings

$5.00 each and the perfect colors for either my family room or my bedroom.

I haven't decided exactly where they'll go yet, but I adore them.

Ok. So my last purchase has me in a bit of quandary.

I went to the thrift store looking for a lamp for my family room and found this darling vintage light.

Floral Gold and White Ceramic Vintage Lamp

It was part of a pair, but I only needed one and even though it was $25 I went for it.

And brought it home to find out that it really didn't work in the room. Ugh. 

That's the one drawback of thrifting...no returns.

So now, I'm stuck with a $25 lamp that doesn't really work for me. I'm thinking of just donating it back to the thrift store so they can sell it as a set again.

I guess you win some, you lose some. 

Somehow though, things seem even their way out.

You see, I also was generously gifted a few items from my dear friend, as she was cleaning out her mom's house.

She knew my style and picked a few things for me, including...

This gold framed floral painting.

Gold Framed Floral Painting

And this set of dessert plates in a caddy, that I had intended to decoupage for fall, but turns out we've been using them for snacks, so they stay this way.

Dessert Plate Charger Set

This colorful flower basket metal doorstop that has become a window decoration.

Metal Flower Basket Doorstop on a window shelf

And this gorgeous gold mirror. Clearly her mom had great taste.

The mirror is not my typical rustic cottage style, but once I got it home, I realized that maybe I needed a little more glamour around here.

Vintage Style Gold Wall Mirror
 
So I hung that mirror all around the cottage and, funny enough, it inspired a makeover in every room it visited.

It was the catalyst to remove the wallpaper in the family room.

The spark that prompted some fabric changes in the living room.

And urged me to order these wallpaper samples (in blue and red) for my daughter's room and the bathroom.

I told my friend that her mom was redecorating my house from heaven. 

Which is just fine by me, because as I said...great taste.

Now, I'd like to say that's all folks, but to be 100% honest, I bought and received several more things, but I'm a little tired and I'm sure you are, too.

So I'll just leave it all here and share the rest of my finds when I make them over or display them.

In the meantime, I need to stay out of the thrift stores.

At least until October.

😉

What have you found lately?

Happy Thrifting, Friends!

Kim Signature


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  1. Ant wait to see your future make overs of the treasures found. You find some great things. Have a great rest of the week. Hugs. Kris @junkchiccottage.

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    1. Thanks so much, Kris! I'm excited to make a few changes to my decor and to get crafty. Have a great weekend!

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  2. Wow, your treasures are pretty amazing! I'm glad you went back for that beautiful painting! So many dear treasures, and what special gifts from your friend too! Indeed, you have your work cut out for you, but that is the delight of treasure hunting! I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

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    1. Hi Marilyn! Thanks for the visit and taking the time to comment. I'm glad I went back for that painting, too. Every time I see it, it makes me smile! Happy weekend!

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  3. Oh my I love everything you found! I need to take you thrifting with me....you seem to find the really good stuff.
    I'm going this week with a friend so hopefully I'll discover something fun too. I need absolutely nothing. Except I do need some inspiration....or motivation?.....to start decorating for fall. It's just not in me yet. And I live all year just to enjoy fall.

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    1. Thanks so much! There's not always a lot of great stuff around here, I think I just got exceptionally lucky. I hope you found some good things with your friend...and you're enjoying the beginning of fall and the decorating that goes with it!

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  4. I like EVERYTHING ... the prints are fantastic... flowers, flowers, flowers. ;-) I cannot get enough of flowers.
    xx oo
    Carla

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    1. Heehee...I love flowers, too!! You can never have too many pretty posies popping about! 😉

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  5. I just can't get over the luck you have!!! What treasures! My favorites are the pumpkin and the adorable door stop. Your friend was so generous. What few thrift stores are in my area are pitiful. One day I'm going to convince my husband to go on a thrifting vacation. I just have to find where all the good thrift stores are!!! Happy Thrifting:)

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    1. Isn't that door stop just darling? I adore the colors and I think that a thrifting vacation sounds absolutely fantastic!! I may have to convince my husband to do the same. Happy Thrifting to you, too!!

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  6. I love thrift stores too! My favorite items are amateur paintings. My apartment is filled with them. I love all of your finds. - Briana from Texas

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    1. Briana, I understand the allure! I am loving the painting I found. Now I'm on the hunt for more!!

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  7. Kim all of your finds are beautiful. But the frames and that mirror are absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to see what you do with them. Remember rub n buff is your best friend 😁

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    1. Thank you!! I was thinking about using Rub and Buff!! I have some on hand...

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  8. That's so nice that the Salvation Army let you have the 50% off the beautiful painting! I agree with others here that you find the best things thrifting and it is so disappointing to leave with nothing. I haven't been thrifting or antiquing in over a year but I am overcome with desire to go after reading your post. I think my absolute favorite of your finds is the little dollhouse washstand. And I don't even have a dollhouse but it would be adorable in so many places. I think I would have had to take home those red checked curtains too!

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    1. Isn't that washstand just darling, Dewena! That's what I love about thrifting...you never know what you're going to find. I hope you get a chance to visit a shop soon and you find some treasures! Happy Fall!!

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  9. Great finds, Kim. I love that mirror and the fact that it has inspired you to redecorate. I can't wait to see what you do!

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    1. Thanks Ann! It really has started a whole new round of decorating!

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  10. I love seeing what you discover, Kim! I’m especially smitten with the JB teacups, the scrolled pumpkin and I love that gold mirror from your friend! Can’t wait to see how that inspired you.

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    1. Thank you, Kitty!! I have to say, I've become a real JB fan myself. I can't believe how inexpensive the teacups were. I love using them and can't wait to display them this fall! Happy Fall!!

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  11. Kim,
    I loved seeing everything that you snagged...Looking forward to seeing what you will do with those treasures....
    Hugs,
    Deb
    Debbie-Dabble Blog

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