My second furniture makeover is up today on Country Chic Paint’s blog… please check it out! We made over a “found” shelf and turned it into a chic cocktail storage area. You’ll find my paint colors and techniques over there, so don’t miss it!
Since we finally painted this shelf during our mini dining room renovation, I spent more time styling these shelves than I had previously. When I was finally done and stepped back to look at it… I thought this little shelf is a mini representation of how I style the rest of my house.
Some call it junk styling or vintage vignettes. Honestly, I don’t stress much over groupings or themes in my styling. I just go with what looks good to me and is both pleasing to the eye and visually interesting. Nothing real complicated there, is it?
Not all of it is really old, in great shape or worth much. And I change my decor often. Just ask my husband who is pretty used to coming home in the middle of a room rearrangement. I often “shop” my basement for different ideas, items or treasures to style my tables and shelves with. It’s one advantage of hoarding flea market finds.
DIY Vintage Styling
Here’s a little more detail about some of the items I included…
- One of my favorite #thriftscorethursday finds! We purchased a box of old frames at an auction this winter and this embroidered folk-art map art was tucked inside. Since my room was themed partly around our vintage globes, this was a natural fit.
- I LOVE vintage fans… I immediately cut the power cord off and insert them into any room… actually I think every room in my house has a fan or two on display.
- This bright and cheery red dish was given to me by my mom. It was my great grandmother’s and a gift received on their 40th wedding anniversary. I think it’s Fostoria Coin glass. I love that it’s part of my mom’s family and it just looks cute on a shelf. Oh, and of course there’s candy inside.
- These old glass pop bottles were a treasure my husband’s mom found for us… they make good vases or shelf props. I love that the labels are still in tact.
- We cannot stop hoarding vintage thermoses. I know they probably make more sense as a vintage Christmas or winter styling theme, but the colors matched well. We just can’t stop collecting them.
- This little car once belonged to my husband’s grandfather… how cool is that?
- I frequently use dried hydrangeas from my own landscaping. They shed little clover-like flowers everywhere, which can be annoying. However, their soft green color and short, stout shape make them great fillers – even in this old wood box.
- My sister-in-law found this old chalkboard while thrifting in Washington. I thought it worked well with the globes… and of course, education is a relevant theme in this household. 😉
You can do this in your own home very easily… Find something you like, things that make you happy to look at. You can find treasures everywhere – thrift shops, flea markets, your grandma’s house, or even the trash. Whether they are meaningful or not makes no difference. It instantly adds character and personality to your space.
Give it a try and tell me how you did!
