Joanna Gaines Took Inspo From Her Favorite Thrift Item For A Magnolia Essential

Joanna Gaines is known for her artistic styling choices that often revolve around vintage pieces. She likes blending timeless designs with modern trends to offer something new that is still reminiscent of the past. One good example is the Marjorie Milk Glass Floor Lamp she sells through her brand Magnolia, both and in her physical store located at the Silos in Waco, Texas. This brass standing lamp with a slanted arm features a white glass shade that's inspired by vintage milk glass. 

The shade's scalloped edges, a design detail that gained prominence in the 18th century, are a hallmark feature of many dated milk glass items you can find on thrift stores, flea markets, and even on online marketplaces. It's no secret that Gaines is obsessed with scalloped edges. She once admitted in an Instagram video that she wants "the whole world to be scalloped." Therefore, it's not surprising that the stylish lamp, which is part of Gaines' home decor collection, boasts this distinctive feature. More than this quaint attribute, however, there could be other reasons why the "Fixer Upper" star used vintage milk glass pitchers and vases as the style inspo for the light fixture. 

There is evidence that milk glass, named for its opaque and typically creamy white color, may have originated in ancient Egypt, circa 1500 B.C. However, it didn't gain much prominence until the 1980s, when the glass containers became popular in the U.S. and England, especially among the middle class, who yearned for luxurious kitchenware and accessories but couldn't afford real porcelain. Milk glass was considered a less expensive alternative that offered a similar look. Although mass production of the material significantly decreased through the years, you'll find no shortage of vintage milk glass when looking for valuable finds at thrift stores and estate sales today.

Home designers and light fixture manufacturers have also put milk glass to good use in recent times, as it is a type of glass that characteristically gives off a classy antique vibe. Joanna Gaines' Marjorie Milk Glass Floor Lamp embodies this classy design, not only through its ivory white color and scalloped edges, but also through the upside-down shade, which helps diffuse the light gently downward for a cozy glow that brings to mind the candlelight evenings of yesteryears. The pairing of the milky translucent glass shade with the brass stand and arm all the more gives the lamp a nostalgic feel. Overall, Gaines' decision to use milk glass for this piece makes it a wonderful light fixture for homes leaning toward farmhouse, cottagecore, and even organic modern styling.