PAIGE'S TIPS ON HOW TO SHOP VINTAGE

Vintage is in my blood and brings me so much joy! It provides soul, stories and uniqueness that I crave to the spaces I create, live and work in.

With that said, I’m bringing back one of my favorite blog topics I’ve shared in the past for our LOOK BACK, LOOK FORWARD series.

Before I jump in, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world that our property is smack dab in the middle of the Round Top Antique show held in the spring, fall and winter. And, only one mile to town square for year round shopping, dining, and all the fun this magical town provides.

I’m also blessed to have had the opportunity to travel throughout the US and Europe on vintage buying trips and to had the opportunity to learn from the best of the best! Tim and Carol Bolton of Carol Hicks Bolton Antiquities out of Fredericksburg, Texas mentored us in the beginning of this crazy journey of ours.

So, to say I’ve shopped a few vintage markets over the last fifteen years, would be a bit of an understatement. Because of that, I’ve received a lot of questions on how to shop vintage, may it be at a flea market, antique store or online shop like our Modern Vintage Shop here.

So, I’m sharing a few tips to help when you’re ready to add beautiful, soulful pieces to your home, business, or event.

SEARCH FOR PIECES YOU'RE DRAWN TO

Vintage shopping can sometimes be equated to a sport. If you’re at a flea market or vintage shop - you’re going to want to dig! Look in corners, search under tables, and filter through piles. Look for shapes, colors, textures, and anything else that speaks to you. Even if you're not sure what to do with it at first, if you love it, you’ll find the perfect use for it.

Example 01

I found these vintage corbels at a garage sale and didn't have a clue where I’d use them. But they really spoke to me and I couldn't pass them by. A year later, we started to build the Boho cottage and I immediately knew I wanted to use them in the master bedroom as an alternative to a traditional headboard.

THINK ABOUT THE EASE IN WHICH YOU CAN REPURPOSE A PIECE

When shopping for vintage, there are some pieces that are purely décor and others that can be repurposed into everyday items, like lighting, planters, headboards, or memo boards. Think about ways you can incorporate the pieces you really love into items that will be useful in your home.

Example 02

We found these three vintage flour sifters, a gauge, and coffee sacks at a pop up vintage market in Los Angeles. We reached out to John Petty (a fellow vintage dealer and light maker) to create a chandelier for our No. 1450 living room. We also used the coffee bags we found as café curtains in the kitchen instead of using traditional cabinet doors.

Example 03

We loved the look of this old mattress spring, and luckily it was in surprisingly good shape when we found it. Functionally, the wires can be used to stick notes and flyers on it, so we decided to turn it into a memo board for the entry/welcome area of the cottage. 

We also loved the look and texture of this bee skep that had been transformed into a chandelier and still had some of the honey comb on the inside. It’s one of our guest’s favorite upcycled pieces in the No. 1450 cottage.

Example 04

Do you love plants? Look for interesting tins, baskets, deep dough bowls, hat molds and other pieces that can easily be made into planters and terrariums. We created this succulent terrarium in an old WWII Bacon Tin and share How To Make It Here.

Example 05

There are always great ceiling tins and architectural pieces to be found at the antique shows. These types of pieces are great to hang as wall art or to make into a headboard like we did in our No. 1450 cottage. 

PUSH YOURSELF IN CREATIVITY

If you find something amazing that you simply cannot leave behind, do some major brainstorming as to how you can use it. Consider needs you already have in your home and think outside the box to see if the amazing thing you found and makes your heart flutter can fit those needs. For inspiration, browse Pinterest, Instagram, website and magazines to see how other people have you used similar pieces in creative ways. 

EXAMPLE 06

We're asked all the time about these sconces above the daybed. They’re actually made out of cow feed sifters. We found them on one of the Round Top shows and absolutely loved their texture and shape. We welded on brackets to hang them, lined the inside with burlap, added an inexpensive light we found at Home Depot, and voila! Three beautiful and unique wall sconces for our guests to enjoy.

Shopping vintage is obviously a big part of our Modern Vintage style and lifestyle. The tips listed above are all the reasons we love shopping vintage: connecting with a piece or story, renewing old things to new life, and challenging ourselves creatively. Another big reason we love it is because it can often be less expensive (not always) than items you find at home stores and will certainly be more unique and conversation starters.

We hope this information has inspired and helped you prepare for the next vintage outing you take. And, if that outing takes you to Round Top, we’d love to host your stay! Click here to see our property and book directly.

xo,

Paige

Photos by Natalie Lacy Lange, Public 311 Design, and Haylei Smith