How To Style Thrifted Wood Shelves With Vintage Finds

Thrifting wood decor is a great way to bring warmth and character into your home while also cutting down on waste. However, if you have recently obtained some wood shelves from your local thrift store, you may find yourself at a loss for how to decorate them. You see, many secondhand or thrifted items come with unique details that are charming but present some challenges when it comes to styling.

Thankfully, you don't necessarily have to run to your nearest big box store to find new decor items that will harmonize with your vintage thrift store shelving. Instead, shopping for unique vintage decor for your home can be a great way to fill your new shelves with appropriate items while keeping the environmentally friendly theme going. To style a thrifted wood shelf, try adorning it with varied vintage pieces that echo the colors, design style, or history of the shelf. This helps to create a common theme between the shelf and the items displayed on top of it. You don't have to go overboard, either, by picking up hundreds of items. Instead, look for a few simple vintage pieces that reflect the character of your shelf without overwhelming it. Once you've collected your pieces, all that's left to do is arrange them to create a layered, balanced, and interesting look.

If you have collected a few vintage pieces you love from the thrift or antique store, it can sometimes be a little daunting to figure out how they should sit together on a shelf for the best overall effect. One great way to start off decorating your wooden shelf is by placing down the large items first. Due to their size, these bigger pieces — such as old jugs, vases, or picture frames — will be likely to dominate the space. As such, it is a good idea to put those on the shelf first to ensure that they are separated out, giving the shelf a balanced feel so that one specific area isn't too overloaded.

Then, make sure to play with varied heights, too, to perfectly decorate the shelves with plenty of visual appeal. Look out for vintage items that are different sizes, or display them at different heights by placing them on top of books or decorative plates. Finally, take advantage of the natural texture and patina of your vintage items. Try placing smooth materials, such as well-maintained ceramic and metal, next to more textured items, like old leather or aged books, to give the shelf depth and character. To create a sense of cohesion, consider incorporating one or two items that have the same paint color or stain as the shelf itself. This can help create a visual tie between the shelf and its decor without looking too overwhelmingly homogenous.