Designers' eyes go straight to art at estate sales. “It tells you so much about the tastes and interests of the people who lived there, and it’s usually priced exceptionally low compared to the original purchase price.
Be it butterflies, gems, little ships, rocks, magnifying glasses, old metal miniature cars, or architectural pieces, she looks for pieces she can place under a cloche or on a bookshelf to “kickstart a conversation.” She adds, “I want to have this arsenal of these things when we style a room.”
If there’s a rug at an estate sale, Stokes also picks it up. “I know they have a history, and back in the day it was something that was really well made,” Stokes says. “I love the color, pattern, story, and quality [of rugs].” Is the rug too big?
Don’t let stained or damaged lamps hold you back from them. It’s easy to get them rewired or add a new shade that will transform it into a personal piece for a home.
Dining chairs can be pricy to buy retail, so Meg White of Meg White Interiors suggests finding a vintage set and making them your own. “I recently found a set of four faux bamboo chairs for a project and had them lacquered and recovered!
White has found many stunning mirrors at estate sales that have found homes in powder bathrooms, over dining room sideboards, or as wall art. Better yet, these mirrors are easy to move from home to home.
They usually go for pennies on the dollar at sales, and they’re made so much better than the upholstery we buy today,” Quinlan says. “A Hendredon sofa from the 1970s for $300 plus a new fabric and reupholstery sets you back around $2,500.
Event wear like cocktail dresses and evening gowns are usually in incredible condition, since they’ve only been worn a couple of times in most cases,” she says. “I try to grab the good ones, and winter coats too, preferably with a little fur trim.
You can often find nice collections of vintage and antique dishes, glasses, and flatware that come with a story, and Jenkins recommends you capitalize on them when you see them. “[They've] been around for a reason, and [they're] going to survive,” he says.