The Old-School Kitchen Essential That Doubles As Decor To Look For At The Thrift Store

Vintage glassware and basic kitchen items are frequently used for far more than their originally intended purposes, and when you consider the fact that vintage kitchen accessories are always making a comeback, it's not shocking that these pieces frequently end up acting as decor in our homes. In fact, some of your vintage kitchen essentials may harbor toxins, such as lead, which is often found in old glassware and ceramics. This doesn't mean you can't still collect your favorite vintage wares; it just means you'll want to find alternative uses for them beyond serving or cooking. One type of old-school kitchen item that serves a wide range of purposes around the home that you may want to keep an eye out for while thrifting is the wheat-pattern pitcher. There are all sorts of them, from glass to ceramic, and they come in a myriad of colors.

Why is a pitcher with wheat on it such a great thing to hunt for? They have a nice rustic look that can add a bit of cottagecore whimsy to any room in the home, and they are also reasonably affordable — you can find all sorts of options on sites like eBay for around $15 to $50. If you manage to score one at an uber cheap price, it could even be worth reselling. When it comes to decorating with your found wheat pitcher, the sky is the limit. Create a unique table centerpiece, use them as planters, or dedicate a space to your collection where they can all be shown off together.

Before we dive into decorating with your wheat pitchers, let's take a look at why there are so many types. What do you think of when you picture wheat? Probably fields full of it, perhaps blowing in the wind. A bountiful harvest, in other words. It's a symbol of home, abundance, and harvest. The rich browns, sometimes oranges and yellows, of the wheat on these pitchers lend them well to fall decor, but there are also gorgeous green ones, pretty pink ones, and ones that have a more minimalistic all-white look that will make displaying them all year long even easier.

Pick a bouquet (or purchase one) of flowers — even flowering weeds and things like cattails will look fun and decorative in these decanters — to keep in your pitcher. You can even opt for faux flowers. Pitchers are one of those common household items you can turn into beautiful planters to host a living plant in water or dirt. Lucky bamboo would be a great choice, but just about any plant that doesn't mind wet feet will also work. With or without flowers, place your wheat pitcher on a fun table runner or repurpose an old doily as a centerpiece for family meals. If you have a collection of wheat pitchers, large or small, consider displaying them together on a shelf with other items that follow a harvest theme or provide a similar feeling of warmth.