I enjoy the look of a collected home. One filled with old items that serve a purpose and are pleasant to the eye.
A few months ago I was able to go on a little antiquing trip by myself (This was a huge deal with a newborn!). I enjoyed getting out on my own for just a bit and I came home feeling refreshed.
Since that trip I’ve had time to place my finds around the home and discover where they function best.
I’d like to share the things I found and how I styled them so that you may take away some inspiration for your own home!
Find a little inspiration for styling antiques in your home. We’ll talk kitchen items, artwork, practical items, and more! Sometimes we see so many pretty items at the thrift store or antique market, but how does one actually make them ‘fit’ in the modern home? Maybe this will help a bit!
Let’s break this down into categories:
Artwork
This includes paintings, drawings, and needlepoint. I always keep an eye out for these kinds of items.
I found two art pieces:
- A print in a gold-colored frame. The scene is of a country hillside featuring farmers and cottages. $15
- A canvas print of autumn trees by the lake. The title is ‘Lake View’ and the artist is Freddy Peterson. $1
Tip: I usually don’t go for prints because I’d rather have a real deal, but I’ll get them if they are a great price. Both of these were just that.
How I’m Styling Them:
I like to layer items I have on shelves. The artwork in the back, a candlestick in front, books off to the side, a pair of theater binoculars in the very front.
I’m on the lookout for a few more pieces of artwork to layer in on this shelf, but I haven’t found what I’m looking for just yet.
I haven’t used the autumn artwork yet, but I plan to bring it out this fall.
Tip: don’t rush at the first piece of art you find (or any antique for that matter). It may be a great deal and beautiful…but if you don’t fully enjoy it…it will be back in storage in no time. I know from experience. Keep looking, have patience, something will show up that you enjoy even more!
Kitchenware
Pots, bowls, jars, utensils, and so on. I enjoy finding an antique item to replace my modern kitchenware.
Here are a few items I found for my kitchen:
- A medium-size ‘honey pot’ (I don’t think it’s an actual honey pot, but that’s what it reminds me of). $14
- A small, brown, stoneware butter crock with a wire bail. $6
- A Ball Ideal pint-size mason jar with a wire bail. $3
How I’m Styling Them:
I replaced my white cookie jar with the honey pot to house my wooden spoons, whisks, and a few other serving utensils. This sits out on my counter because I use these kitchen tools multiple times a day!
I use the brown jar to store my green tea. This is another item I like having out on the counter because I drink tea each day.
The Ball mason jar contains our raw honey. I prefer to leave this next to my tea jar since I sometimes add a bit to my green tea. But with spring came ants and they found the honey jar, so I stuck it in the pantry for now. I’m hoping to bring it back out soon because I loved seeing the warm color of honey in my kitchen!
Baskets
My basket collection keeps growing, but you know what? I use every one I have!
- I came home with one: a well-loved sewing basket. The inside has a red pin cushion attached to the lid, and the whole thing just smells old. An old book kind of smell, if you know what I mean. $4
How I’m Styling It:
I wanted to have a ‘sewing corner’ in our living room just because it seems quaint and old-fashioned. Those are two words I love!
In the corner I have a chair that I covered the seat cushion on. You can see how I did that right here. Next to the chair is my crafting cabinet. On the walls are two wooden candlesticks that I painted a creamy white. I threw a comfy pillow in the chair and placed the sewing basket next to the chair.
This set up will work for now, but it will need to change once baby Elliot is crawling and getting into everything!
Miscellaneous
I found two little items that I plan to use as little additions somewhere in the house.
- A set of two wooden bobbins wrapped with beige thread. $8
- A wire egg separator. $3
How I’m Styling Them:
They haven’t found a home yet, but here’s where they are for now.
I hope this sparked some inspiration of items to look for and a few ways to style them! I don’t antique or thrift as much as I could, but I thoroughly enjoy the entire process when I get to do it.
There’s something so special about using old items again. I like to image the stories they’d tell if they could speak: the people who crafted them, whoever used them, where they’ve been, and how much history they’ve been through. I enjoy incorporating that kinds of history and culture into our home.
Looking For Some Inexpensive Ways to Spruce Up Your Home?
- How to Cover a Seat Cushion With Drop Cloth
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- How to Make a Pillow Case From a Placemat
- Easy DIY Table Runner From Drop Cloth
Lovely! Thanks for sharing. 🙂