Your Thrifted Decor May Actually Be Hurting Your Patio's Aesthetic

Shopping second hand is a sustainable and affordable way to help make your patio feel more like a living room. From thrifted patio couches and cute outdoor rugs to antique terracotta planters and decorative pieces, it's amazing what you can find at your local thrift store. That said, it's easy to go overboard with these items, leaving you with a less-than-ideal patio aesthetic. Whether it's overloaded with trinkets and mismatched planters or features worn, outdated furniture pieces, these are a few ways your thrifted decor may be hurting your curb appeal. 

Does that mean you shouldn't shop for patio wares at the thrift store? Absolutely not. There are plenty of outdoor features you should be checking the thrift store for. It's just a matter of knowing what to take and what to leave behind. So if you're ready to give your patio the glow up it deserves, it's time to get a lot more selective with your secondhand finds.

The root of this problem isn't as simple as thrifted decor being automatically bad for the patio. Instead, one of the issues is that thrifted outdoor furniture is more likely to have chipped paint or other worn-down spots that create a big eyesore. Cracked and splintered wood, for example, can not only make your patio look dated, there could be hidden structural issues. 

Another problem that arises with thrifted goods is the ability to buy more items than your space allows, thanks to dramatically lower prices. Sure, that kitschy garden gnome made you smile in the store, but when it's paired with decorative garden stakes, star-shaped solar lights, and unique patio statues, it starts to look like you've lost the plot.

So how do you fix the problem? For starters, following Makeover by Monday's easiest ways to revitalize thrifted furniture can help give your patio pieces refreshed life while saving money over buying new. If you're working with a matching furniture set, try swapping out a few of those pieces for mismatched items instead to give your patio a curated designer look. Next, stick to a decor theme and keep things simple with just a few favorite pieces. Finally, don't forget to add plants as a bare patio with no greenery can look bland and lifeless.