Sourcing Vintage: Tips + Tricks for the New Year
Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful holiday and that the quietness of this first week into the new year is bringing you some much needed refreshing and calm energy. We have had some time to reminisce on this past year and take note of what we want to bring with us into 2023, especially when it comes to our design and lifestyle choices.
One thing we know we want to continue to bring with us into 2023 is vintage! Some of our most asked questions continue to revolve around vintage items – how and where we find our vintage pieces for design projects and for Domain, and what we look for when curating them. Keep reading if you’re in need of some vintage tips…
One of the things we love about 1st Dibs and Chairish, both online vintage and antique marketplaces, is that they have made sourcing vintage much easier and more accessible. While browsing these sites, we usually start our searches locally, within 50-100 miles. Shopping locally is much more sustainable, supports your local small businesses and shipping costs are much less (bonus!)
We also love browsing and shopping from one seller at a time. If you like a particular piece from one seller, odds are that their shop will most likely fall within a similar aesthetic. This isn’t always the case, but when it is, it’s so much fun to browse!
We especially loved sourcing vintage pieces from Chairish for our latest project on In With The Old. You know we love old homes, so we were excited to be featured in the new episode of IWTO on Discovery Plus and Magnolia Network (coming 1/25)! We had the opportunity to work with Shelley Halstead of Black Women Build as she restored her town home in Marble Hill. If you have seen the episode, you may have spotted the vintage dining chairs (from Chairish!) or some of the lighting and mirrors, sourced from one of our favorite local secondhand spots, Second Chance in Baltimore, MD.
Here’s an important tip for shopping online. Keep an eye on shipping costs and logistic fees and be sure to look at all photos of the item(s) to make sure the piece(s) will work for you. Sometimes, we will also request more photos from the seller to confirm design details and the current condition. That way, we can be even more sure that the piece will work for us and that its condition aligns with the description.
Lastly, when it comes to online marketplaces like 1st Dibs and Chairish, don’t be afraid to make a bid. Sellers are often flexible on pricing, and you may save a little extra if they accept your bidding price!
When it comes to sourcing vintage pieces in person, we always believe that being consistent is key. Vintage shopping, like thrifting, is exciting because you never know what you might find. That being said, you might walk out with nothing at all or you might find an absolute gem! That is why we believe being consistent and managing your own expectations are two very important elements when it comes to sourcing secondhand pieces.
We love seeing the potential in vintage and antique pieces. This has become even more apparent through Instagram and TikTok – odds are you have probably seen someone completely transform a vintage or thrifted item on social media. It’s amazing what a little paint, refinishing or reupholstery can do.
This stool from our Walnut Hill Project remains one of our favorite vintage transformations. We reupholstered it in a grey velvet and it is happier than ever in its new home! | Moment captured by Jennifer Hughes
One of our favorite antique pieces at our Walnut Hill Project is this antique stool. We selected a beautiful gray performance velvet and reupholstered the stool which completely transformed the entire look of this piece. Now it’s living in its new home with our clients, and they loved that it is a one-of-a-kind vintage piece!
In case digging for gems isn’t your thing, we have a selection of curated vintage at Domain! We are always keeping an eye out for unique ceramics, baskets, artwork, kitchenware, vases, etc. so be sure to check out our collection that is always changing and evolving.
We would love to hear from you…what are your favorite vintage pieces you have found, or what are you hoping to find in the future? We love keeping an ISO (in search of) list to manifest even more unique vintage finds!
Stay connected through our Instagram, where we will be sharing new vintage pieces and more in the coming weeks! And let us know if you have had a chance to watch In With The Old and what you think! It will be coming soon to the Magnolia Network on January 25!
xx. The LHS Team