What I Thrifted vs How I Styled It: Part 2

I am still loving the ‘What I Thrifted vs How I Styled It’ trend on Instagram. I found 10 more examples of second-hand items in my house, so I made Part 2!

Using thrifted items is the easiest way to make your home look unique. You can almost guarantee that you won’t have the same artwork hanging on the wall as everyone else.

Shopping second-hand is a treasure hunt, and this is what I found:

Crusty Antique Dresser

Scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, I found this crusty antique dresser and immediately loved it! I loved the 1940s circle-design trim at the bottom, the decorative legs, and its petite size. So, I brought it home as a project.

(You can see how we gave it a complete makeover in this post: How to Refurbish an Antique Dresser.)

In this house and our Texas house, I styled it as an entryway table. Not only is it a pretty place to drop our keys, but it also stores our board games in its drawers.

Aifeier ET Antique Bronze Lion Head Knob Pull Handle 2.64 X 1.57 Inch Zinc Alloy Drawer Pull Ring for Cabinet, Dresser and Door (2 Pack)Distinctive Designs Greek/Roman Style Female Statue Head Cement Planter (Style 1)

 

Cheapest Dresser Ever

This little laminate dresser was also a cheap Marketplace find. I picked it up for only $8! Lainey and Lyvi finally decided to have their own rooms, instead of sharing. So, we needed a new dresser.

(You can see how we refurbished it in this post: How to Paint a Laminate Dresser.)

Lyvi is using it in her room, complete with pink knobs, Hello Kitty stickers, and the paint color she picked out on her own. I think it turned out perfect!

Jazwares Hello Kitty and Friends – 8-Inch Hello Kitty Candy Wonderland Plush – Officially Licensed Sanrio Product from Ages 6+Metal Mesh Wall Grid Panel for Photo Display,Message Board,Size: 17.5

 

Toy Box & Horns

(What I Thrifted)

I picked up this little pink toy box at the Fort Hood Thrift Store for $5! It was too rotten to save as a toy box, but we used some of the wood to create a piece of wall art. We used the lid as a backing for a pieced-together feather made from scrap pieces we took from the sides.

Later, I found a vintage set of cow horns in an antique mall in Waco. (We paid $60 for those, but if you know anything about mounted horns, then you know $30 a set is an absolute steal!) We gave the large set of longhorns to our niece, but kept the smaller pair.

I styled both the wall art and the horns in the wall collage in our bedroom. Honestly, there are several thrifted finds in that collage.

5×7 Black Oval Picture Frame with Gold Brushing Rope Trim, Solid Wood with Real Glass, Matted to 4×6, Vertical for Tabletop or Wall HangingHobby Lobby Longhorn Western Wall Decor, Resin, 22.25W x 5.5H x 2D inches, Ornate Leather Strap Style

 

Penny Coffee Table

I picked up a set of tables (coffee table and two end tables) from the thrift store for $60. They were solid wood and in good condition back in 2010. A few years and PCS-es (military moves) later, the coffee table was looking a little worse for wear. So, we refurbished it using pennies!

(You can see how we gave it a coppery makeover here: How to Make a Penny Coffee Table.)

This coffee table has been with us in every house, from Washington to Hawaii. It has held up during every PCS and season of life, so far. And I don’t think we’ll ever get rid of it!

FMFUNCTEX Velvet Blackout Curtains Blue Thermal Insulated Curtains for Bedroom Living Room Darkening Curtains 84 Inches Long Soft Luxury Heavy Rod Pocket Slate Blue Drapes Dining Room 2 Panels Set2 Pack Farmhouse Stripe Pillow Cover 18×18 Modern Faux Leather and Cotton Accent Pillow Case for Couch Sofa Bed Boho Home Decor, Brown and Beige (Cover ONLY)

 

Vintage Medicine Cabinet

This antique medicine cabinet was tucked inside a closet at my great-uncle’s old farmhouse. I don’t have a true before picture, because we refurbished it (the first time) way back in 2013. However, the red paint and once-trendy chevron design had grown old, so we gave it another makeover in 2020.

(Check out the tutorial here: Vintage Medicine Cabinet: A Makeover.)

So far, this cabinet has been styled in our living rooms, but I think it would be really pretty in a bathroom. We’ve just never had a bathroom big enough for it to fit in!

Brass 10X Handheld Magnifier, Wood Handle, Antique, Ideal for Reading, Inspection, Coin & Stamp Collecting, Vintage Gift Decor, 10 inches, 4 inches Diameter, 10X CapacityVeronese Resin Statues Julius Caesar Bust Figurine

 

Antique Tripod

(The ‘Junk’ I Brought Home)

I looked for YEARS before I finally found an antique surveyor’s tripod. Of course, we ran across this one at our favorite flea market in the fields of Warrenton, Texas. I couldn’t wait to turn it into the perfect vintage floor lamp!

(You can see how we lit it up here: How to Make a Tripod Lamp: A Step-by-Step Guide.)

Now, it completes the perfect little reading nook beneath the bookshelves in our living room.

Antique Tripod Desk Globe For Learning & Decoration. Vintage Tripod GlobeWestern Cow Print Throw Pillows Cover Set of 2 Brown Faux Fur Cowhide Decorative Pillow Covers 18×18 Inch Farmhouse Animal Print Square Pillowcase for Outdoor Couch Sofa Bed Room Decor

 

Old Window

This old window came out of my Papa Donny’s house! After decades of use, he was finally updating the old single-pane windows because he was installing central heat and air conditioning.

My mom saw the windows in the dumpster outside his house and made my dad dig them out. I turned several of them into picture frames, and there’s still more gathering dust in my dad’s barn while we figure out what to do with them.

Sintuff 2 Sets Picture Frame Collage Fit 4×6 Photo Multi 4 Opening White Wooden Barn Door Window Farmhouse Picture Frame Collage for Living Room Bedroom Wall DecorOakrain Wood Window Frame Wall Art, 39

 

Cement Planter & Vase

(What I Thrifted)

I love the light academia aesthetic. And busts are an integral part of that, but they are very expensive. So, when I found this bust (that is also a planter) at our favorite flea market, I jumped on it!

I know it’s meant for outdoor use, but I love it so much that I brought it into the house.

The blue and white vase, I found at a thrift store, and couldn’t leave it behind. I switched it out with a white pitcher that used to hold this lamb’s ear and lavender bouquet. And I think it looks so much better!

Abbott Collection Goddess Head Planter – Large Cement Indoor and Outdoor Planter Pot – Grecian Woman Statue Head Planter for Flowers and Succulents (Grey, 10Blue and White Porcelain Décor, Blue and White Vase, Blue Vase, Chinoiserie Vase, Blue and White Ginger Jar Vase for Home Decor,Flower Vase,11

 

Brass Shell Bookend

I picked up this vintage brass seashell bookend at an antique store on our Big Island road trip. What better souvenirs to bring home than thrifted treasures?

All it needed was a little cleaning, and it looks perfect on our DIY bookshelves in our little island home!

Seashell BookendsCreative Co-Op Decorative Resin Rabbit Bookends, Bronze, Set of 2

 

Vintage Metal Bar Cart

When I found this rusty little cart at the Round Top Antique Show, I knew it had to come home with me. Like most of my projects, it needed a lot of work, but we were up to the challenge!

(You can see how we gave it a much-needed makeover here: How to Refurbish a Vintage Metal Bar Cart.)

It is the perfect size to go between my vintage motel chairs on the porch. And I love displaying my plants in their pretty blue and white pots!

Galt International Blue & White Round Fluted Classic Floral Porcelain Ceramic Plant Flower Planter Pot Set of 3 (7.5Rattan Rectangular Serving Tray with Handles, Hand-Woven Wicker Decorative Tray for Coffee Table,Vintage Boho Style Decor for Dining, Kitchen, Bathroom, Outdoor(17

 

Hunting for second-hand home decor—whether at a thrift store, flea market, or on Facebook Marketplace—will always be one of my favorite pastimes.

The “What I Thrifted vs. How I Styled It” trend is exactly the kind of inspiration I love! I hope it encourages you to see the potential in old treasures and give them a fresh new life.