Finding that perfect piece of Antique or Vintage Furniture to repurpose can be such a challenge! You have a vision of an old-used-previously-loved piece that you could repurpose – but you just haven’t been able to find it…… yet!! So where should you look? I am so glad you asked!
“Where do you find all of this old stuff?”
I am asked this question a lot! And the answer is simple to me – but only because I am constantly on the look out for fun old things! Antiques and Vintage items are not always easy to find. You can’t find them at Walmart or Target or any other Big Box Stores. You have to look a little deeper to find more unique specialized shops and boutiques to find these hidden treasures!
But, it’s not always as simple as finding the right Boutique or Vintage Market to shop at either because more often than not they won’t have the one special piece you are looking for! It can take time to find the right piece – you have to have patience! And I have to admit – I am not very good at patience!
WANT TO LEARN HOW EASY CHALK PAINTING REALLY IS?
If you are NEW to CHALK PAINTING and READY to learn how EASY it really is then this CHECKLIST is for you!!
Do you need some simple ideas on where to look for your next favorite antique or vintage repurposing project??
Here is our simple checklist so you can start searching for bargains right now!
Maybe you don’t even know specifically what it is that you are looking for, you just want some idea of where to find lots of cool old stuff!
That was me!!
And here is where my addiction to Antique and Vintage Repurposing really turned into my favorite obsession!!
This is their “Signature Volkswagon Van”!
A few years back my daughter bought us two tickets to “Heaven” – umm – I mean Junkstock!! I thought it was Heaven – I am not kidding you for a single minute – I really thought it probably was! My daughter had given me a birthday gift…. something I never expected and definitely not something I thought would actually change my life and take me in such an exciting new direction! It was” inspiring” to say the least!
“Junkstock”, is an Antique and Vintage Market and Festival on an old race-horse farmstead in Nebraska. It is filled with live music, awesome food, old barns and tons of junk – 175 vendor booths full of it!! I was so excited I could hardly stand it – I know that sounds a little silly, but it was true – we were at an absolutely amazing venue, enjoying a fabulous atmosphere and an opportunity that would forever change how much I loved junk! I could hardly believe the magnitude of treasures before my eyes!
For two days we wandered through what seemed like never ending booths filled to the brim with inspiring repurposed works of art, or in other words “the perfect junk”!
On the second day, as we started our way down yet another row of booths, I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw it! My eyes were glued to it …. an antique creamy-white painted cupboard, bead board built, and super distressed with paint chipping off from years of wear and tear and in what I considered to be perfectly used-old-loved condition! We walked faster trying to get to it before anyone else, and YES….Score….it was ours!! We had nabbed a favorite – we called it our “Treasure of the Day”! Insert Happy Dance!!
After two fun-filled days and a trailer load of treasures, the “Junk Hunt” had proven successful! It was kind of like how your husband feels when he brings home the trophy buck he bagged on his weekend deer hunting excursion. We. Were. Proud!
BUT in reality, in our quest as junk lovers we can’t always travel far and wide to the big shows like Junkstock or Magnolia Farms! (Although, if you ever get the chance, you really should go!! It is sooooo worth it)! Most of the time all we need to do is just take a look a little closer to home.
Do you have favorite places you like to shop for Antique and Vintage Furniture projects to repurpose?
You might already have a list of your own favorite antique-vintage-junkshop boutiques close to where you live, where you occasionally get to spend a little bit of time sifting through their fabulous treasures – #feelinglikeheavenagain. But here are a few other places that we sometimes overlook.
Here are 5 simple places to look that are close to home and make it easier than ever to find what you are looking for……..and in most cases they are super affordable!!
1. First stop – Look around your house.
This is the easiest place to overlook an old piece that needs a facelift. It might be the dining room table and chairs begging for a new coat of paint or the bathroom vanity saying “Save me, save me!” These are great places to start and even better yet – you already own them!! (Saving $$ already!)
2. Shop on Craigslist in your area.
I am located 100 miles from the nearest city that has craigslist buys –but we are usually going there once a month. If I find antique and vintage furniture on craigslist I work with people that have pieces I want by asking them, if they still have the piece the next time I’m in town, if I could stop by and take a look. This has worked very well for me and usually if they still have it by the time I get to town they are willing to negotiate a little better price. (Another $$ win-win!!)
3. Look at your local garage sales, online garage sales and facebook.
We just picked up two FREE vintage china hutches that were on the local online garage sale site! Cleaning season is here and things are starting to move. Some people just want this stuff out of their house. Great opportunities await you! Two weeks ago I found two FREE bookcases on facebook – these came out of a 100 year old house that was being redone and they are fabulous! (Great opportunity to save $$).
4. Talk to the people you know.
Tell your family, friends and neighbors that you are always looking to find antique and vintage furniture that needs repurposed. The more they see what you are decorating with and your decorating style, the more they will think of you when they have something to get rid of. This morning I got a phone call from a good friend who plans to burn down an old barn wondering if I wanted any of the old wood, rusty tin or treasures inside before it goes “up in smoke” …..Absolutely YES… I’m on it tomorrow!! (My husband on the other hand – not so excited!!) If your family has an old barn or an old house that they don’t intend to do anything with, ask them about it. I found old wooden gates in a barn to use as headboards. I found old rusty tractor parts in the tree grove where the old farm equipment sets and I used them to create a rusty Christmas Tree. So many fun opportunities!!
5. Ask about heirloom pieces that your family is holding onto.
Let them know that you are interested. There may come a time when they are downsizing and are having a hard time parting with something so sentimental. If they know you are interested they will feel relieved that they can actually just pass it on to someone in the family. Most of the time they are excited that someone else loves it too!
It pays to let people know you love, love, love junk!! Seriously!!
So keep in mind, some of the easiest and most affordable Antique and Vintage Treasures can be found close to home, literally right outside your back door! Remember to:
- Look around the house first
- Shop on your local Craigslist
- Look at your local garage sales, online garage sales and Facebook
- Tell your family, friends and neighbors what you are looking for
- Be sure to ask about sentimental heirloom pieces
In this world where “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure” you have a great opportunity to find amazing Antique and Vintage furniture pieces just waiting to be repurposed, given a new life and a new home!
Keep your eyes open and take advantage of your good fortune!! Let me know what you find and where you found it! I can’t wait to hear form you!!
P.S. If you are wanting to Chalk Paint your new Antique or Vintage find here is some inspiration: