The High-Quality Furniture At The Thrift Store That Can Be So Valuable

The thrift store is a great place to shop for high-quality furniture on a low budget. There are some pieces you'll want to skip when shopping secondhand, and other vintage items you should never leave behind. One type of furniture that falls in the latter category is the wingback chair, a classic style of armchair that's still beloved by contemporary design pros and can fetch high prices if it's an antique version.

Speaking to Southern Living, designer Cheryl Luckett, founder of the North Carolina-based studio Dwell by Cheryl, sang the praises of this style. "There's a timeless quality about the cozy silhouette that I absolutely love," she told the magazine. As the name suggests, wingback chairs have a high backrest and two padded wings on each side of the head and neck region for optimal comfort. They were popular in the '50s, though they date as far back as the 1600s, when they were first designed for cozying up next to a roaring fireplace.

Although you can purchase new wingback chairs from contemporary furniture retailers, vintage ones "often have sturdy hardwood frames and craftsmanship that surpass today's mass-produced options," Luckett added in her interview. And if you're not sold on their upholstery, vintage armchairs in this versatile style can easily be reupholstered as a DIY project. 

Chairs are one of the best types of furniture to thrift, and wingback chairs are no exception. To find them secondhand, start by browsing the home section of your local thrift and antique stores. You can also search on websites like eBay, where everyday people and furniture resellers frequently advertise vintage wingback chairs for sale.

It's smart to shop with some design parameters and a target budget in mind. There are many different types of vintage wingback chairs, from Art Deco to Danish mid-century modern styles. They come in a range of materials, including leather, velvet, and suede. Though you can thrift them more affordably when you're perusing the stores in person, antique wingback chairs often go for thousands of dollars online.

Design-wise, vintage wingback chairs are timeless enough to suit most home decor aesthetics. Armchairs in this style would make a great addition to a study, dining room, or living room (and of course, they're a natural fit for any room that features a traditional fireplace). If your taste leans rustic, you might opt to play up the retro vibes by pairing a set of wingback chairs with a vintage desk or wool rug. Not into the old-school look? Style your wingback chair next to a modern coffee table in a funky shape, or pair it with a fun floor lamp and patterned throw blanket to create a cozy reading nook in your home.