Welcome our second contributor this week vying for a contributor spot on coco+kelley - miss
Ashley Tibbits! Her love for thrifting and pretty little vintage pieces definitely rivals my own. Her series would be a continuous highlight reel of treasure hunting through flea markets, etsy, and more! Check out her first round of fabulous finds...
I believe in past lives. This isn't so much a religious thought as it is a statement about my aesthetic preferences. I enjoy the history of things, the stories they hold, and this has always led me to the great adventures of vintage shopping. In terms of my domestic decor, my passion for thrifting has been an extraordinarily handy tool in fleshing out spaces and adding the perfect personal touch. Another selling point to embracing thrift? It's easy on the wallet.
Navigating flea markets, garage sales, and thrift shops can be daunting task, but the result can be incredibly fruitful. For me, vintage or used items tend to work best in the world of decor when you don't try to hide what they are: old stuff. Choose things that have character and charm. On a recent visit to the monthly Pasadena Flea Market, I chose to focus my efforts on the little things. Such a venue is a great resource for finding the details to make your space more inviting, warm, and more inherently "you."
Changing up your hardware is a totally simple way to give great detail to your home, and going vintage is an affordable way to try it out! Things such as light switch covers, door knobs, and drawer pulls are usually available with massive selection in a large venue like a flea market. A small price tag also means you won't feel as committed and changing them out is a relatively simple project.
My favorite thing to hunt for when thrifting is art. Prints can be expensive and while I'm all for investing in art
(as someone who creates it herself!), not all of us have the means to do so. Vintage
venues often have unique paintings and photographs which
(bonus!) frequently come already framed. I love this 19th Century duet of sweet portraits. One booth was full of handmade, antique Catholic relics. Their ornate style and details could be a gorgeous touch in the right home.
If you're the especially imaginative sort, you can go outside the boxand consider framing things that weren't necessarily intended as wallart. Old book covers, labels, or one of my favorites, record covers
are an unexpected and whimsical option. The Marie Osmond and David Bowie covers were too beautiful to pass up.
These metal numbers and letters are also available by the boatload, so be creative and use them to spell out your name or another word with special meaning on your wall as an alternate to framed art. Vintage clocks also work as a quirky accent.
I'm obsessed with vintage luggage, and not just for practical use. I stole this tip from a style savvy old roommate: stack or place them around the house as accents. If they're flat enough, a stack might
work as an end table or night stand!
Now make as list, consider a budget, and pack a lunch. Happy hunting!
Thanks Ashley!! I miss the Pasadena market so much as it is definitely one of the best
(and impossible get through in one day!). I loved seeing all the fantastic pieces - the Catholic relics and vintage letters+numbers were my fave. What did ya'll think?
