I asked 6 designers what they've recently bought at the thrift store vs. how they styled them – it's made me rethink the items I usually skip

I love to vintage shop for home decor. Nothing compares to the feeling of finding that perfect piece sitting all by itself, just waiting for you to claim it. But more often than not, I run into a slight problem when I eventually bring what I thrifted back into my home – I can't figure out how to style it.

I'll give you an example – just a few weeks ago, I found this stunning vintage jewelry box at my local thrift store. It's stackable and has an ornately painted exterior. It's the type of piece that can instantly make a home more unique. Initially, I wanted to use it for its intended purpose. But then I got to thinking – should I make it a statement piece on my coffee table, or style it as a catchall in my entryway?

You see, decorating with vintage presents so many exciting styling opportunities, and that can make it difficult to figure out just what to do with your thrift store finds. Do you let these pieces stand out or blend in? Repaint them or leave them as is? Use them for their original purpose, or give them a new role?

With all of these questions swirling in my mind, I turned to the pros for some inspiration. What are the pieces interior designers have thrifted, and how have they styled them? The interiors edition of 'What I thrifted vs. how I styled it.'

1. Thrifted books as console table decor

'I thrift books for nearly every project I design because they’re a simple, meaningful way to give a room personality and a lived-in feel,' interior designer Kjerstin Boorstein shares with me. Before completing a project, Kjerstin will explore local used bookstores to find titles that reflect her clients' interests.

In the project above, Kjerstin placed the thrifted books on a console table in the home. Decorating with books always adds more character and personality to a room, as well as color and texture.

'Sometimes the right stack of thrifted books on a coffee table or console can tell a client’s story better than any accessory I could buy,' she says. 'Design is personal, so I choose books based on what I’ve learned about each client, and they love discovering the titles I’ve chosen for them after we leave. It’s a final touch that makes the whole design feel more thoughtful and unique to them.'

2. Vintage plates in a gallery wall

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Vintage plates are an easy thrift store find. Not only can they break up the monotony of the typical white plates used in most kitchens, but they can also add character to your space. While vintage plates can be used for eating, they can also be used as decoration. For instance, designer Kate Pearce used vintage plates to create a gallery wall in her home.

'I always love picking up old plates at the thrift store or at estate sales, and I recently found a bunch on a trip to Northern Wisconsin,' Kate tells me. 'The patterns and colors on them are so striking, and I just love how they add an unexpected, 3-dimensional interest to a gallery wall. I bought plate hangers off Amazon, and hung them in different gallery walls throughout my home.'

3. Vintage decor with new furniture

There's nothing wrong with mixing something vintage with something new. In fact, that mix of old and new can make interiors significantly more interesting. In the room above, interior designer Betsey Burnham styled a thrifted table lamp and painting with a new rattan sideboard to prove that antiques can, in fact, work in modern interiors.

'The rattan sideboard was a new piece we bought for their living room,' Betsey explains. 'The week before install, we shopped at a local vintage market and hit the jackpot: we found that fabulous turquoise lamp as well as that landscape painting. We’d used an offbeat color palette (pinks, teals, even lemon yellow) in the room and the two found pieces fit right in. In addition, they brought a bohemian, lived-in vibe to the space.'

Sometimes, it's the thrifted items that act as the finishing touch – the pieces that tie a room together. That was definitely the case for Betsey and her clients in this living room. After adding the thrifted lamp and artwork, the room was complete. 'The result was collected, creative and welcoming, which is always the goal,' Betsey says.

4. Thrifted inkwells as tabletop trinkets

Some thrift finds look best with minimal styling or no styling at all. Take the collection of glass inkwells on the table in the room above as an example – their presence alone makes the room feel more collected and subtly chic.

These inkwells are thrift finds that interior design duo Don Easterling and Nina Long have been collecting over time. 'We love antique accessories!' Don and Nina tell me. 'Here, we styled them all together in a grouping for more impact as a collection. Inkwells can vary from expensive and ornate ones from famous companies like Baccarat to cut glass antique ones in thrift shops for a more reasonable cost. We love to mix and match them on desks or in a cabinet.'

Because of their chic style, these inkwells are thrift store finds that can definitely make your home look more expensive. They're proof that little details can sometimes make the most impact.

5. A vintage demilune table as a living room accent

According to interior designer Emily Sturgess, it takes lots of books, artwork, and other decorations to make a home feel layered and collected – many more than you might think. That's why she always shops for vintage pieces when finalizing a home.

'For clients that don’t have existing collections of their own, I always spend time thrifting in vintage stores, estate sales, or online to procure these special pieces,' Emily tells me. 'The character and patina you find on these pieces isn’t something you can replicate with those bought at modern retail.'

In the room above, Emily found a pair of demilune tables, artwork, and various decorative objects at the thrift store. She styled these pieces in both corners of her client's living room, creating style moments that feel natural to the room but also add a level of character. 'I love the mix of a newly decorated room with these charming pieces,' Emily remarks.

These thrift store finds transformed the living room and made it a space that was not only stylish but also full of personality.

6. A refurbished vintage dresser as a parlor furnishing

For some designers, thrifted pieces undergo a full transformation before they become part of an interior design scheme. And in that process, they become that much more meaningful. That's what happened to the thrifted dressers that designer Bridget Kate found with her daughter.

'One of my favorite recent finds was two brown dressers I discovered on the street in Ojai with my daughter,' Bridget tells me. 'We brought them home, sanded them down, painted one in Rangwali by Farrow & Ball – a shade I love for its depth and vibrancy – and the other in black.'

The Rangwali-painted dresser now has a home in Bridget's parlor – it serves as a decorative furnishing that holds candles, flowers, and books. As for its pair, Bridget moved that one into her living room. 'I always enjoy layering antiques and storied finds into a space,' Bridget explains. 'They bring character and soul, grounding a room with a lived-in elegance.'

These designers know how to thrift, and they know just how to style their thrifted pieces, too. Use their ideas as inspiration to determine just how to style your thrifted finds in your home.

If you're wondering what I ended up doing with that antique jewelry box that I found at the thrift store – it's currently sitting on a stack of books in my living room, acting as a chic catchall. But who knows – after learning how these designers styled their thrifted finds, maybe I'll find a new way to use it.