Hello everyone! This is week 6 of the One Room Challenge. If you are finding me through the One Room Challenge, welcome to my blog where I share my passion for creating comforting homes by thrifting, sewing and a little diy-ing along the way! While I’m not averse to buying new. I love being able to stretch a budget AND get that “layered over time” look that comes from incorporating pieces that have had a previous life! You can follow my decorating journey on the HomeSpunStyle Instagram.
If you missed my posts from Weeks 1 – 5 where we began transforming an old pool house on our property into an Airbnb guest cottage, you can find them here:
I have been shopping for accessories for our Guest Cottage Makeover and thrift stores are always my first stop. Today I am sharing my 5 favorite things to get at thrift stores which are easy to find right now!
#1 Wooden bowls – I pick them up in all sizes because they are so versatile and I love the natural element they add to our homes which so often are full of manmade materials. I use them for plants (don’t plant directly in the wood or it will crack from the moisture), for serving dishes and throughout my home for corralling small items. I picked up this one last week at my local Good Will for $1. I’m using it in the guest cottage to hold some welcoming treats for our guests!
And here’s another one I thrifted awhile back. Those little legs got me at first sight!
#2 Baskets – Baskets add such wonderful texture and come in all shapes and sizes. Lately, I’ve been on the lookout for baskets that can be hung on the wall or on a peg rack. I like them for mail, pretty storage and for displaying a small bouquet of flowers – just slip in a small plastic cup for water.
I hung this one in the guest cottage bathroom. I think it will be a lovely little spot to surprise our guests with fresh picked flowers.
I love a basket hanging on a peg rack like in this photo. It would be great for hiding makeup, combs, brushes – things that aren’t so pretty.
#3 Faux plants – I prefer real plants in my home but there are some areas that simply don’t get sufficient light. That’s when I resort to faux. They are pricey if purchased new but I’ve been finding “almost new” greenery at thrift stores. I look for ones that aren’t faded or covered with dust. Sometimes, I have to buy the container as well but that’s okay. If I don’t want the container, I remove it at home and put in the donate box.
In our last home, we had a hallway with no natural light. Here’s where I used faux plants combined with some thrifted wooden vessels.
#4 Picture frames – Thrift stores are loaded with picture frames in all shapes and sizes, usually priced from $1-$5. I don’t typically buy them until I have something that I need to frame because they are so easy to find. I look beyond the distracting picture they might contain and zero in on the frame. Rub n Buff or a can of spray paint can easily transform them! I have also reused the parts and pieces – mats can be spray painted to refresh them; the artwork itself can become the backing for the print that I’m framing. If the frame contains a canvas, the canvas can be painted over and used to create new, original art. I usually don’t use the glass as I prefer my wall art to have a more vintage look.
I recently thrifted the gold frame on the left at Good Will. The size was perfect but the gold was too bright and shiny for my taste. I quickly painted over the frame with Rub n Buff in European Gold to get the more vintage look on the right:
BEFORE 
AFTER
#5 Down pillow inserts – You can find these for $1-$4 compared to buying new for $20 and up depending on the size. I always prefer down pillow inserts to poly fil because they retain their shape and can be machine washed and dried. Target is a favorite source for decorative pillows but the inserts are always lumpy, bumpy poly fil so I replace the inserts with thrifted down/feather ones. If the cover has a zipper, it’s an easy switcheroo. If no zipper, I open up the seam with a seam ripper, swap out the insert and hand sew the cover closed.
You’ll find tons of decorative pillows in thrift stores but don’t let the cover turn you off. Give them a squeeze or unzip the zipper to see if there’s a down insert inside. If so, grab it! As soon as I get my pillows home, I disgard the cover (or put in the donate bag) and throw the pillows in the washer on the delicate cycle and then into the dryer. Wet duck feathers have a funny smell but that soon goes away after a spin in the dryer.
I’ll be back next Thursday with an update on the main section of the cottage including our mini kitchen in a closet! Be sure to check out all of the other Guest Participants in the One Room Challenge to follow along with their progress!
Thanks for stopping by!
Debra
