How To Add Character to Your Home With Thrifted Finds
I’ve teamed up with two other blogger friends to bring you a Treasure Hunted Home Tour. I’m sharing how to add character to your home with thrifted finds along with some estate sale and flea market treasures.
All of us will be sharing our favorite thrifted, vintage and secondhand finds that add character to our homes.
I have been thrifting and estate sale shopping for years, and I can’t begin to tell you the treasures I’ve found over time.
So, come along and I will take you on a little Treasure Hunted Home Tour of my “new” farmhouse and share how to add character to your home with thrifted finds.
living room thrifted finds
So many of my favorite pieces in my home were purchased for a fraction of what new would cost, and they add so much more character. So many of the things in this photo were purchased at a thrift store, estate sale or at Round Top Antiques Fair.
My entry chandelier is an Aidan Gray fixture I purchased at a thrift store for $150. It would normally retail for about $1500.
My 8 ft. round dining table was $125 at a thrift store many years ago. It was a dated wood color, but a coat of white paint updated it for very little effort or expense.
and the dining chairs are IKEA slipcovered chairs. I found several of them on Facebook marketplace and only had to purchase 2 at retail price.
The side tables and entry buffet were all thrifted or passed down from my great grandmother.
One of my favorite features in my home are the large barn doors that divide my living room from my kitchen. They were purchased at Round Top Antiques show and originally came from a carriage house in Iowa.
These were so much less expensive than having them made new and have so much more detail and character since they had been aged with the weather over many years.
Each door is 6ft. wide and 10ft. tall and they are definitely the focal point in my home.
salvaged front door
We found my front door at a salvage store for $450. It is oversized and has the original brass mail slot in it. Most new doors we found this size were $1500-$2000 and didn’t have nearly as much character.
thrifted and second hand kitchen finds
When we started planning to build our “new” farmhouse several years ago, I began scouring thrift stores, flea markets, vintage shops and estate sales for unique pieces for our home.
We collected things for 2 years as we went through the design and build process. I wanted to add aged pieces to give our home character, but also stay on budget.
We were able to accomplish this by being patient until I found the perfect thing at a good price. I was also consistent with return visits to places I often have luck finding things.
This large kitchen hutch was purchased at Round Top and is probably my favorite piece in my home in addition to my carriage house doors.
I had been looking for quite a while for the perfect piece for this wall. I wanted something to fill the space so I didn’t have a lot of wasted wall space. When I spotted this one, I knew it would be the perfect fit.
It was the end of the Round Top show, so I asked for the best price and was able to walk away with this beauty and not blow my budget.
The barstools at the end of my island are IKEA chairs, and I found this pair on Facebook marketplace for $20 for the pair. The legs were black and I painted them white and had washable linen slipcovers made to cover the chairs.
laundry room inspiration
My laundry room door was also a Round Top purchase at the end of the show, so it was only about $100. I had planned on painting it, since I don’t use any color in my home. But, decided I would lose the amazing patina so I left it.
It has the original hardware and I love the weathered and worn look of this door. I only wish I knew where it had been in it’s previous life.
My laundry room sink is a European animal feeding trough that I found at an antique shop in South Texas and the countertops are butcher block purchased at IKEA.
And no farmhouse sink is complete without cute babies!
reclaimed bedroom ceiling
The ceiling in my bedroom is 12″ tongue and groove wood we salvaged from a barn tear down. My plan was to paint it white, but my husband wanted it left natural, and obviously, I lost that battle. I found out about the barn tear down on Facebook marketplace.
The church pew at the foot of my bed was also thrifted and was about $40. It was an original wood color but had some damage on the edge of the seat, so I sanded it down and painted it white.
It weighs a ton and I love the unique character it adds to my bedroom.
vintage fireplace mantel
The mantel on my outdoor fireplace was from a 100 year old home being torn down. I found it on the 5 mile app and paid $100 for it.
The detail on it is amazing!!
kitchen/sitting room thrifted finds
Even if you’re not building a new home, but you want a vintage, farmhouse or cottage style, you can achieve the look by collecting pieces you love and adding to them to your home over time.
I think it’s important to make a house your own by adding things you love, and not necessarily what the trend says you need to do.
If you purchase decor, accent and architectural pieces at really great prices, then you can spend your budget on anchor pieces, fixtures, furniture and appliances.
more thrifted treasures that add character to my home
Think outside of the box when looking for things to decorate your home. For example, this vintage artillery basket holds umbrellas by my front door.
And this vintage shuttered door stands at the end of a hallway to add character to an otherwise blank and ordinary space.
I hope you enjoyed this post about how to add character to your home with thrifted finds and are inspired to find unique items for your own home.
For even more inspiration head over to see @shopfarmhouseliving home here and Shannon’s (mylittlewhitebarn_) home here.
Also, for a more in depth video tour, click below.
blessings,
Be sure and Pin It to remember it….
You might also enjoy my post about estate sale and thrift shopping.
https://vintagehomedesigns.com/estate-sale-shopping-101/
And I would love for you to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
I love all the vintage goodness in your home! And that reclaimed bedroom ceiling is to die for!
Oh, thanks so much Kim!! So sweet for you to say!
I do love thrifting and repurposing vintage things in my home. I feel like it adds so much character.
Have a great day!!
michele
You are so lucky to live in a state where they tear down barns and have old homes. This is the first site I’ve gone to where the items you select are beautiful and so well put together. I see others who will put together a vignette and the items do not go with one another; e.g., a star fish with an antique camera. Things do have to make sense in my opinion. I use to live in a rural area and, at that time, sold handmade and vintage items on Etsy for eight years. Was able to find some really cool items for people who purchased from all over the world. I restored bread boxes and a gentleman from Japan bought a shabby chic one for his wife.
Thanks so much for the kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
I love your home! You have a great eye, love all your vintage decor!
Oh, thank you so much!! So nice of you to say!!
Thrifting decor for my home is my absolute favorite thing to do!!! The character it adds, the stories that the pieces can tell, the patina, the ‘not so new’ feel…I love it all. My favorite piece in your home is quite possibly that teal barn door…what a stunning thing!!
Thank you, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour! So many people seem to love that door, and to think I almost painted it!!
So many amazing finds! Your home is stunning.
Thanks so much sweet friend!!
What an interesting post! You have found wonderful things and have incorporated them in such beautiful and functional ways.
Thanks so much, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Michele, such a beautiful home and so many fabulous finds. My favorite is that blue-green door on your laundry room.
Thank you so much Tammy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the home tour and I really appreciate the kind words. I can’t believe I almost painted that green door!!!
Mine as well.
Wow, your home looks so beautiful. I see you invest a lot of time in important & characteristic furniture.
Thank you! And yes, I love looking for pieces that have lots of character.
I adore all your thrifted pieces. NJ isn’t known for good thrifting.
Going to Round Top must be a blast!
Oh, Round Top is so fun, but overwhelming. If you ever get the chance to go, it’s quite an experience!
Michele,
We did the same when building our farmhouse. I’ve always wanted an old house to remodel and since that wasn’t to be, I wanted the character of vintage pieces. You did such a great job with yours. I’d love to go to round top but I’m so far away I could afford the large pieces.
You’re always an inspiration!
Thanks so much sweet friend! You did an amazing job with your farmhouse, as well!
Michele, what great finds for your home. I’d love to go shopping with you. I found a pair of French doors at Round Top several years ago and had them made into a barn door for our laundry room. One of my favorite things.
Oh, that sounds fabulous Carol! And a shopping day together would be so fun!
Michele what you and your husband have created is absolutely fab-u-lous! Each room has incredible architectural salvage, knock ’em dead, elements! The carriage doors, kitchen cabinet, bedroom ceiling, and laundry sink have me all a buzz! Thanks for sharing your beautiful home!
Oh, thank you so much for the kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour and found some inspiration!
Your home is stunning! I love everything about it…EVERYTHING!!! The trough in your laundry room is genius!
Aww, thanks so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour and I appreciate you kind words!
Your home is just gorgeous Michele! All of the neutrals are perfect together. Pinned 🥰
Thanks so much sweet friend! I really appreciate your kind words!
I love how you made a new old house! Everything is amazing!
Thanks so much for the kind words Amy!! I really appreciate that.
Thanks so much Amy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour and I appreciate the kind words!
This is such an inspiring post. I love so many things. The barn doors, artillery basket, mantel and more. Thank you for sharing. Pinned.
Thank you so much for sharing my home tour sweet friend!!
Oh, thank you so much Anna! I’m so glad you found inspiration and I really appreciate you following along and commenting!
Love your bedroom ceiling and the big barn doors are amazing! Beautiful home❤️
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tour and I really appreciate you following along and commenting!