TREASURES FROM THE PAST: WHY THRIFTED FINDS MATTER
There’s something about a thrifted piece that carries a kind of quiet magic. It’s not just about the price or the patina — it’s the story. The one it’s already lived, and the new one it gets to tell inside your home. I’ve been collecting vintage treasures for years (inherited quite a few when my mom passed away in 2005), and each one feels like a tiny anchor — to memory, to meaning, to something slower and more soulful. Here’s why I choose thrifted over trendy, and why these pieces matter so much to how I’m building a home with heart.
Why I’ll Always Choose Vintage First
It’s true what they say….they just don’t make things like they used to. Vintage and antique furniture, specifically, is built of good stuff. Real wood frames. Solid. Sturdy. Yes, some has veneer overlay, but the core parts are solid wood. And decor pieces – also, not made like today’s decor pieces, unless you’re investing in quality from companies like Arhaus who make it a point to support artisans & build/craft heirloom pieces. All of these reasons are why I’ll always choose vintage first. Especially if I can find furniture pieces that just need new fabric.
What I Look for When I Thrift
I’m a bargain hunter. And I have zero problems wading through junk to find the good stuff. I shop in Round Top twice a year (Spring Show & Fall Show). Mostly, I’ve been shopping for my own specialty event rental collection & items for The Taylor’d Home (my etsy shop). But over the next few years, I’m going to be shopping for my home. And that will really change how I hunt – because it’s now personal. Previously, I would think: will this rent or will this sell? Now I’ll be looking through “new” eyes – I’ll be curating a Taylor’d collection for our home.
I’ll be on the hunt for vintage books, brass objects, wooden objects, earthenware, textiles, side tables, tchotchkes, lamps & other furniture pieces. And I’m so looking forward to that!! And I won’t turn down something I can refinish, especially if the price is right!!
Pieces I’ve Found & Loved
During my Fall 2024 Round Top trip, I found a card catalog piece that I will be turning into a side table for my podcast studio/library/4th bedroom. It needs a little TLC but I was STOKED to find one in this condition and for the price.
I scored a round pedestal table from an auction that needs some refinishing, but it’s a well-built piece and will be a beautiful addition somewhere in my home!
How Thrifted Treasures Guide My Design
Once I have a vision for a space, I make it my mission to curate pieces that will bring the space to life. But sometimes, it’s the piece itself that sparks the rest of the space. This happens in my event design. I can go for periods of time without any spark and then I see something that reignites my creative brain and then it magically comes together.
Slowing Down to Create a Home with Heart
That’s the true magic of thrifted finds. You’re never going to find it all at once. You can know that a piece is out there somewhere, and it may take you some time in finding it, but that’s the beauty of vintage. It will eventually find you, allowing you to curate a space that’s magical to you and your family. It’s way more thoughtful. Sparks stories when guests visit. And provides an intentionally lived in space with treasures that already have a story. Instead of buying it off the retail shelf, give thrifting a go. You never know when you’ll find something, but you won’t find it if you don’t go!!
