The weirdest things designers have found at estate sales – 7 bizarre yet beautiful finds to inspire eclectic decorating

Estate sales are the place to be if you're looking for a bargain. As bizarre as it sounds, there's nothing quite like rummaging through a stranger's stuff to find new treasures. Of course, the likes of furniture, clothes, and decor are easy to source, but, rather aptly, estate sales are typically home to some more weird and wonderful things, too.

Some of the most well-versed estate sales attendees tend to be interior designers. They love a thrifted find as much as the rest of us, intertwining these unique, inimitable pieces into their projects for a one-of-a-kind look. They know exactly what to buy at an estate sale, how to spot the gems among the garbage, and this also means they've also seen it all, from the strange and sensational, to the downright wacky.

From vintage relics to hand-crafted oddities, we asked a few designers to share the weirdest thing they've found at estate sales. Their answers are bound to inspire an estate sale visit of your own.

1. A wooden typeset drawer

Decorating with vintage adds timeless appeal to your home, and some of the weirdest items at estate sales are retro relics that have been ingeniously repurposed.

Take this typeset drawer, for example. Otherwise known as printer's trays or letterpress trays, these compartmentalized wooden boxes were once used to store stamps for printing, but they also make brilliant display shelves for small treasures when hung on the wall.

'One of my favorite estate sale finds was this old printer’s tray that I found in the dark corner of someone’s basement,' explains Rebecca Miller, home stylist at My Thrifted Abode. 'I had been looking for one for a long time, but normally they go for good money. I quickly grabbed it and took it to the gentleman running the sale and asked what he wanted for it. 'How does $2 sound?' was his response.' The little niches are the perfect size for Rebecca to display a collection of seashells that her kids collect.

If you can't make it to a local estate sale, Etsy actually has a varied collection of typeset drawers at a real mix of prices.

2. A vintage gymnasium ladder

You find some bizarre things at estate sales, but an old school gymnasium ladder was up there with some of the oddest for designer Pablo Di Francesco, founder of Les Keepers. They came across this peculiar find a few years ago and instantly had a vision. It's since become the perfect way to display his textile designs.

'I often find myself working on bespoke pieces for interiors – curtains that frame a room just so, rugs that ground a space, and my own line of tablecloths that turn a meal into a moment. But bringing these pieces to life isn’t always as graceful as the end result might suggest,' he says. 'There are times when I need to step back and truly see a piece in its full form – to understand how the fabric hangs, how the colors interact, how the light catches the weave.'

The gym ladder does just that. 'It turned out to be one of the best studio purchases I’ve ever made,' says Pablo. 'It’s now a constant companion in my creative process. I use it to hang pieces mid-design – tablecloths in progress, swatches I’m mulling over, even reference materials I’ve collected. It lets me see the work as it’s meant to be experienced: upright, flowing, alive.'

You don't need to limit a ladder to such a niche use, either. If you happen to stumble across one yourself, why not use it to hang bath towels for a more utilitarian purpose? Or use it to bring a vintage feel into your kitchen? It might not be up there with the most valuable items to buy at an estate sale, but what it lacks in monetary worth, it certainly makes up for in character.

3. A house-shaped laundry hamper

Whimsical decor is a wonderful way to embrace the eclectic interior trend, and estate sales are full of examples. Generally, the weirder, the better. If it looks like something out of a fever dream, then you're on to something. We're talking artisanal artifacts from old traditions, fantastical frescos, or random furniture or accessories shaped like something else entirely.

'One estate sale find that is full of whimsy and charm is a vintage laundry hamper that I found,' says Rebecca, referencing the house-shaped rattan design above. 'I picked it up for just $1 at a sale, and it now houses my daughter’s dress-up clothes.'

4. Brass trinkets and figurines

Collectible tchotchkes are the sort of things designers always look out for at estate sales. We're not talking novelty figurines (although you'll probably come across plenty of those too, if they float your boat), but stylish trinkets made of brass or cast in bronze that make a beautiful vignette when styled on shelves.

It's something Rebecca loves to look for when perusing an estate sale. 'They're most definitely fun and quirky,' she says. 'I was lucky enough to go to a sale where a man was selling his entire vintage brass collection, it was truly a one-of-a-kind experience!'

'He was selling the brass by the pound, for $4 a lb. Of course, I had to pick out a selection of pieces. I love sprinkling them all throughout my house as a way to make everything a little more magical!' A peacock, an owl, and a clamshell are just a few of the brass tchotchkes that now grace her shelf decor.

5. Pea shingle

Looking for an unusual estate sale tip? Don't limit yourself to the inside of the home. Many estate sales will include the likes of garden and patio furniture too, or even the very foundations they're sitting upon. Pavers, bricks, or pea shingles are often up for purchase at these unique sale events, perfect if you're looking to upgrade your backyard.

'Second-hand pea gravel might be one of the most underrated estate sale finds out there,' says home stylist and estate sale connoisseur, Elizabeth White Cook. 'I scored mine during a whirlwind plant haul at the late Charles Loudermilk’s Atlanta estate – and while the azaleas and tea olives were dreamy, that beautiful, well-worn pea gravel? Total game-changer. It's now the foundation for our DIY al fresco dining nook, giving it that timeless, European-garden-meets-Southern-charm vibe on a dime.'

6. A house full of taxidermy

Taxidermy might not be up your street, but for Brittny Button, founder and principal designer of Button Atelier, it's up there with the weirdest things she's found at estate sales. In fact, she once stumbled across a home that took taxidermy decor to entirely new heights.

'When I walked into the home, all the walls were covered in it,' she explains. 'I was shocked to see all the different kinds of animals, from pheasants to foxes to gazelles. It was the sheer volume that was overwhelming and curious at the same time.'

If you're looking to give your home a country cabin feel, you might want to visit your nearest estate sale for some stuffed curios.

7. A vintage spice rack with 'apothecary' style jars

There's no shortage of vintage or heirloom pieces at an estate sale, but some of them just take the edge. A case in point? This arts and crafts spice rack, complete with its original apothecary-style jars with glass stoppers. They are the perfect second-hand buy to make your kitchen storage look more interesting.

Rebecca was smitten with this unique find as soon as she saw it. 'I'd been to the estate sale of a gentleman who was being put into an assisted living home,' she explains. 'He was a vintage collector, and most of the items were being sold for just a dollar apiece! What was especially surprising to me was that the spice rack contained all the original jars and their labels. I spent hours cleaning it, but it adds so much vintage charm to my kitchen.'

The whimsical design, with its wooden doors and wavy outline, looks like it's come straight out the pages of an Alice in Wonderland novel. When decorating with antiques or vintage curios, rare and intact finds like this one are all the more special (and valuable).

If you want to add unique character to your home with truly rare pieces you'll never find anywhere else, an estate sale is the place to shop. It might not all be to your taste, but you're guaranteed to find something that appeals. And remember – don't write off weirdness right away!