Can we please talk about thrift stores for a minute? You might be thinking, “YUCK, NO!” I know, I know. I am also not immune to the mildew/foot aroma that permeates your nostrils and distracts your brain upon entering the thrift store. Also the fact that your hands immediately feel dirty even though you didn’t physically touch anything yet.
I am here to be your personal Jillian Michaels and demand that you push right through your discomfort! Ignore your instinct to run away! If you don’t hurry up and get to the back of the store first, some extremely old lady may shove you out of the way to snatch up your treasure for her knickknack collection! And everyone knows little old ladies don’t need any more knickknacks…
Thrift stores are full of treasures if you can keep an open mind. Many homeowners today are gravitating towards the collected over time “curated” look in their home décor and furnishings. They no longer desire the matchy-matchy, all pieces included look of the 80’s and 90’s, and they most likely have an antique or heirloom that they want to work “with” their brand new pieces. There is a new appreciation for vintage, sparked in part, by a “green” philosophy, and a desire to be environmentally conscientious. Thrift stores are a wonderful resource for those who have these particular sensibilities (but also have a limited budget or limited heirlooms). And hey, it’s for charity, and what’s not great about that?!
There is no better place to start when striving for the “collected over time” look than at a thrift shop. Especially if you are looking for a quick decorative solution, i.e. shelf filler, while you are still taking the time to collect items that you really love. Here are some items that I recently purchased from my local thrift store to help quickly pull together the shelves in my office:
The image above is a group of accessories I selected specifically for their color/finish, and size (the largest is 6″ tall). These smaller items look great on top of a stack of books or grouped with larger collectibles in groups of 3. The largest vessel was $.99 but the others were $.39-$.59 each. That’s right friends, CENTS each!!
The second group I selected specifically for their shape and height, knowing that in order for them to live together cohesively, (and to go with my intended look) they would each need a coat of paint. I wanted them to fall back and become part of the overall “look” without slapping you across the face, so I chose to paint them all antique white, the same color as the shelves themselves. These items were $1-$2 each.
Below is what I used to paint my new shelf fillers. It’s Rust-Oleum and it’s my favorite spray paint because of it’s great coverage. Buy it here: https://amzn.to/307UMs1. This color is Heirloom White, which I have used hundreds of times. It’s is a nice pale ivory color (not too yellow). This project took less than 1 can.
As a side note: Don’t even think about spray painting without one of those handy spray paint can squeeze grips that attaches to the top of the can and presses the nozzle down for you. Rust-Oleum spray paint grip: https://amzn.to/3fxkF9o This accessory changed my life! Trust me and save your poor little index fingers/thumbs (and any other body part that may be used to spray paint after your index finger straight up quits on you half way through your project)!
Here is the end result. Can you spot all of my thrifted accessories?
Don’t let the designers on TV fool you by making it look so easy, this is a look that takes patience and time because it is thoughtfully and intentionally composed. My goal for these office shelves were to utilize them for storage as well as for displaying some of my personal items, like my family photographs, and favorite books (and to make it all work together). The filler items that I added really help to pull together the overall look on these extra long 10 foot shelves, without spending a lot on retail accessories for the sake of getting it done. You will most likely have to move all of your objects around many times (and back again) until you get the look that you want.
Style is 100% personal so have fun, use what you think looks good, and don’t be afraid to play with it! Later down the line if you find something you like better, (or that has more meaning to you) you can switch stuff out guilt free because your initial investment was so little.
For more office inspo, check out my home tour. Happy decorating!
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