Furniture and Home Decor You Should Never Buy New

Shopping for new furniture or decor for your home? Sometimes it’s better to shop secondhand rather than new. Used items can cost less and add an interesting decor element to your home.

Let’s start with the environment. There’s already enough “stuff” in the world, and when you buy new, you support the creation of even more stuff. But when you buy used items, you’re keeping them out of the landfill. 

It’s also cheaper! You can get furniture and home decor at thrift stores for a fraction of the price of new items. 

Secondhand items are often of better quality. These days, things are made as cheaply as possible, and quality has all but gone out the window. And you never know: thrift stores often price items without really knowing their value. You might end up getting a genuine antique for a song!

Not sure where to find the best secondhand items? First, head to your local thrift store. You’ll find the best prices there, though if you’re looking for genuine antiques and can spend more, find an antique store.  

You can also shop online. Sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, NextDoor, and eBay are great resources when you’re looking for something specific. Don’t be shy about negotiating for a lower price! 

Here are a few items you can save money on when you shop at antique and secondhand stores.

Sure, you can buy a dining table from IKEA, but if you’re looking for real wood, you can’t beat an antique. And depending on where you find your future table, it might cost less than a brand-new one. 

Unless you’re buying original art from a local artist (or can afford an international work of art), a small budget will buy you nothing more than prints if you’re shopping for new art. But hit the art section of your local thrift store, and you could uncover a funky gem. Rural landscape painting? Check. Old-school photos of an unhappy-looking family? Yes. And the best part? No one else will have the same paintings! 

The nice thing about older dining chairs, whether they’re antiques 100 years old or older, or something more up-to-date, like Midcentury Modern chairs, is that they’re versatile. Not only can you use them at your new-to-you dining table, but you can also keep them in empty corners of your home to fill space. 

Rather than installing a modern island in your kitchen, take inspiration from nonna in Italy: get an old, beat-up wooden table to make pasta and cook your creations. That way, you won’t spend a ton, and you won’t worry about ruining the new surface with those sharp knives. 

Here’s another example of where older is better. Quality mirrors withstand the test of time, and placing a vintage mirror with intricate wrought-iron design or decorative wood frame in a room can add a unique flair to the decor. 

Buying a new rug that will be put to the task with feet running over it every day is a waste of money. New rugs can be expensive … or if you’re going the more affordable route, may be of lower quality and may not last. A happy medium is to look for a gently worn antique rug, like a Persian rug. These will last forever and will add personality to any room. 

Another way to add character to your home decor is by purchasing vintage picture frames. Even if they come with photos or artwork, you can remove them and add your own family pics. 

Light fixtures can get expensive … if you buy them new. And yet thrift stores and antique shops are filled with discounted vintage chandeliers and fixtures. The fun is hunting for something that will truly light up a room. 

It seems like modern vases have gotten mighty boring. But find one in a funky mustard yellow from the 1960s, and you’ve got a piece of art that everyone will notice. Go for a boho chic look and deliberately mismatch your vases! 

If you like the idea of mismatched vases, you can do the same with plates for your table. Thrift stores are overflowing with fine china from decades past … pick the ones you like best, and everyone will have a unique place setting.

Since there’s always a likelihood that a wine glass will get broken sooner or later, it makes sense not to spend too much on them. It’s fun to hunt vintage champagne coupes or flutes, or heavy-cut crystal wine glasses at antique shops! 

Again, it doesn’t make sense to spend good money on something designed to be hit by the elements. If you’re in the market for long-lasting patio furniture, scour thrift stores for wrought iron pieces. Sure, they may have peeling paint, but it’s easy enough to clean them off, repaint them, and give them new life! 

Looking for storage solutions? Target and its ilk offer plastic solutions. But what’s more creative is finding vintage baskets, boxes, and storage options. If you’re feeling extra artistic, you can paint them or customize them to become your own design. 

It’s also fun to go to a thrift store or antique shop without an agenda. You can find interesting pieces, like a hand-carved coffee table complete with elephant heads or vintage musical instruments. Surely, these pieces have stories to tell!  

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