One of the most enticing parts about antiquing is that you can never be too sure of what hidden treasures you will stumble across! However, at first glance, it can be quite overwhelming to find that one treasure through all the clutter at your local vintage store.
What should you keep your eyes peeled out for when thrifting?
Antique Furniture
From chairs to stools, side tables to dressers. The choice of timber and style is important too. It doesn’t have to match all the other pieces in your home, but it does have to work in harmony with them.
Antique Prints/Paintings
I’m always partial to hand-drawn sketches or lithographs, as they tend to be a neutral balance in any of my living spaces. However, try to find a painting or print that speaks to you, as this will be that missing link you’ve been searching for on that empty wall.
Antique Silver or Ceramics
I adore ironstone, and try to source similar shades of white if possible. I also find that aged silverware can be extremely useful in any kind of purposeful or decorative manner. For example, a silver pitcher or planter pot, are perfect vessells for your floral arrangments or plants.
Antique Linens
Just give me lace, embossed fabric, quilts, quilts and more quilts anyday! They will save you so much compared to buying them full price at the store, and there’s nothing more homemade and comforting than a handstitched heirloom!
Antiques are too expensive!
Though this bears true for many valuable pieces, most of the antique items I have collected in my home, were actually very affordable. For instance, some of my larger dressers and desks cost less than half the price compared to purchasing their brand-new counterparts. And they are made of solid wood, with the sort of craft and materials that are difficult to find nowadays. More recently, this shopping haul of mine was purchased with petty cash, and you will often find that a lot of stall owners are more than happy to drop the price of an antique or vintage item.
Why bother to invest in antiques?
No matter the price tag, they are always a worthy investment for your home and the future. They encourage a humble repurposing of materials that have stood the test of time. Their history is always a wonderful talking point for visitors, and they are the key to making your house go from feeling like a page out of a magazine, to a timeless, cosy interior.