Here's Why Second-Hand Decor Is Popular All Over Again

Whether you’re sifting through home magazines or mood-boarding on Instagram, there's endless inspiration for retro-inspired decor. This, coupled with a rise in home renovations, has brought the vintage niche into the eye of homeowners. Though the trend’s affordability is evident, the quality that vintage items add to a room is priceless. “It just brings out a whole new life and beauty that you can’t replicate; only time can do that,” says Megan Breehl, who sells her own vintage pieces through her online shop, The Sunday Collection. Here are her tips for getting the most from thrifty expeditions. 

Personalized Gravity 

Vintage shops allow for a more personalized home than items produced en masse. This means a space more tailored to, well, you. “You’re naturally pulling out what you actually love,” Breehl says. “Pay attention to what you are consistently drawn to — maybe it’s a color, maybe it’s a shape.” 

Layered Universe

Beautiful design leans on textural layering. Vintage items crafted from metals, ceramic and glass easily generate intrigue. “Definitely mix things,” Breehl says. “Go to a thrift shop and find a brass candlestick or tray. Stick it on your shelf with all your newer, glossier things, and I promise it’s going to feel immediately better.” 

Quirky Corners

Breehl’s home is full of conversation starters thanks to her collection of textiles, old European postcards and book illustrations. But piquing interest is as much about placement. “I have a small frame right above my stovetop, and it makes the room feel very cottagey because it’s kind of quirky and cozy and weird.” 

Home Making  

Breehl emphasizes there are no rules to how a piece may be repurposed, citing the china bowls she uses to hold her candle matches. Ingenuity breathes life into the decorative process. “Shop with a good conscience of, ‘I’m giving an older item a new life' versus having to constantly have new things made.”