How to Fill Your Home With Rare Finds Others Would Kill to Get Their Hands On

Does your home decor need a facelift? If so, you probably watched several home improvement shows, browsed magazines, and even gathered inspiration from social media sites. Though these platforms likely provided you with some ideas on revamping your home’s interior, you don’t want to be a copycat. You want to add character, depth, and a sense of uniqueness that sets your home apart from the rest. One way of accomplishing this goal is by incorporating vintage items throughout your living space.

Decorating your house or apartment with vintage furniture and rare antiques has several benefits. These rare finds tell stories about a moment in time. They add volume, texture, sophistication, and uniqueness to a room. It allows you to showcase your creativity and individuality while capturing the attention of others. 

Here are some tips to keep in mind if you’re interested in updating your home decor with vintage items. 

How to Fill Your Home With Rare Finds Others Would Kill to Get Their Hands On

Set a Budget

Before beginning any home project, you must set a budget. While some antique items are cheap, others are expensive. To ensure that you can acquire the products you want most, you need to determine how much you can afford to spend. If you want to chip away at your dream collection you can look into buy now pay later apps that allow you to slowly pay off items with a little bit of interest, just be wise to keep your total monthly payments low so that you never create stress from your collectibles. 

Make a List

Unless you want your entire home to look like a blast from the past, the idea is to find a balance between vintage and modern decor. Going through each room in your home, make a list of items you’d like to add to liven up the space. Perhaps the bare walls in your living room could benefit from some vintage artwork, vases, or mirrors. You could add some history to your dining room by purchasing an old wooden dinette set or an antique china cabinet to store and showcase vintage China. 

Find The Right Vendors

As with any product, you should never purchase vintage items from the first vendor you come across. Not all vendors or products are created equally. Some vendors don’t take proper care of their inventory, reducing their vintage items’ value and integrity. Not to mention, some con artists will sell counterfeit merchandise at a high price. 

Whether you decide to attend estate sales, yard sales, flea markets, second-hand stores, or shop for vintage items online, you must do your due diligence on the vendor.  You want to answer as many questions as you can. How long have they been selling antiques? How much do they know about the items they’re selling? What do previous customers have to say about their experience with the vendor or product? 

Research Products

You’d be surprised how many people have purchased an item they thought was vintage, only to find out it wasn’t. You can avoid this problem by knowing your stuff. When you’ve found an antique or vintage item you’re interested in, do some research before purchasing. Let’s say you want an old painting for your living room. The vendor tells you who the artist is and when the painting was made. Before completing the sale, complete a quick fact check online by searching for the artist and their portfolio. If necessary, get an opinion from an outside source like a specialist to determine its authenticity. 

Negotiate Fair Prices

No matter which avenue you decide to use to purchase your vintage and antique home decor, don’t be afraid to haggle on prices. Most vendors have a sales goal in mind but are willing to negotiate if the offer is reasonable or the item has been on the market for a while. Keeping in mind that the seller needs to make a profit, do some research to determine a fair offer. 

When it comes to updating your home’s appearance, it’s not uncommon to turn to media sources and digital platforms to find inspiration. While incorporating some of what you find into your living space can give you the facelift you were looking for, copying every detail limits your home’s personality and style. Adding vintage furniture and other rare finds to your decor can give you the uniqueness you were looking for. Simply follow the advice provided above to ensure you can fill your home with quality items that everyone will want to duplicate (but can’t).