topic Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES in Home

VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Oznell — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:39:00 GMT

If you like to only just *look* at thrift store finds, vintage bargains, estate sale items---- "Thrift 4 Decor Plus" is a good Youtube channel.

The genial host, "Art", deals and decorates with things that he finds in the wild-- at Goodwill, church basements, estate sales, etc. He's mostly buying for other people, his clients, and has a sharp, knowledgeable eye for vintage.

He picked up just FOUR vintage items in a recent estate sale: a very collectable Robinson Ransbottom mixing bowl in a grid pattern; an amber basket from Viking glass; a Fayetteville bowl with sawtooth rim; and a green E.O. Brody pedestal candy dish.

All four pieces total cost him about $8.00.

The Ransbottom bowl. He'd already previously collected a couple of others, and combined them in this kitchen vignette.

He tried it with fewer items...and then with more, including the hen-on-the-nest. I like both options.

I never have room on my counters for vignettes-- but then, I like a very "bare" kitchen counter-- don't like a lot of stuff on it. But love to see what others do.

BOWL VIGNETTES--

AMBER GLASS VIGNETTE--

Following the decorators' rule of grouping objects in odd numbers, he wanted to add something to his new amber basket and small dish. He happens to like vintage "swung" vases, and already had a beauty, to be the "tall" element in the grouping. Aren't they truly like honey:

Side note: Art seems to be very partial to swung vases-- here are a few of them. They look great with both traditional, and midcentury items, don't they:

("Swung vases" are called that because the glass maker swung them upside down when crafting them, so that the rims would have that uneven, "organic fingers" look... )

But back to the amber. They were pretty when empty, but Art also likes them with pine cones and LED candle, for what he called a subtle winter vibe:

This I really love. He recommends mixing milk glass with amber glass-- I think each enhances the other....

Finally, he tried several different looks with his E.O. Brody green compote. I think making a magical little bottle brush forest with it, and combining with another green dish, vintage books, and frosty looking mercury glass lamp, was the very best look.

Art's Thrift for Decor Plus videos can be addicting. Love all the retro china he comes across in Goodwill and other places. I LOVE this retro wheat pattern he showed on one of his outings--

Pink wheat, so cool! Dinner plate $1.00, salad plate 49 cents!

Thrifting channels / videos are the best of all possible worlds, if you love vintage objects and decorating, but don't want to be adding to collections and acquiring too many things. You can still get in on the thrill of the hunt, with no "clutter consequences", ha.

But channels like "Thrift 4 Decor Plus" can often give good ideas for working with what you DO have.

A few other good thrifting channels:

Old Curiosity Shop, with Scott:

Dr. Lori:

Krysta Meeker:

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

LTT1 — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:45:30 GMT

@Oznell

Thank you for the insights! Looks like lots of fun!

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

GingerHead — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 23:04:38 GMT

@Oznell

I love to watch thrifters on Youtube. I need to check this out.

Fun to see the hunt and then what they do with the stuff they buy.

I've also done my fair share of Thrift Store shopping for treasures, so fun.

Beautiful pieces, I'd never heard of "swung" vases. They are really neat!

I especially love that honey color and you're right that milk glass grouped with the honey is gorgeous.

I also like how he put bottle brush trees in the glass pieces, I've done that with vintage looking tea cups.

Fun, Thanks!

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

on the bay — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 23:14:59 GMT

That green bowl in the first picture-my grandmother had some like that. @Oznell, what is that one called?

I have a very eclectic counter with just favorite things.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Sakuya — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 23:51:18 GMT

@Oznell - Thank you for including why it is called a swung vase. This was an interesting post. I am going to use that idea of the mini bottle brush trees in the footed bowl. So cute!

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

AuntG — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:01:48 GMT

How neat is that? I love colorful glass pieces. In fact, I put my Charlton Hall Christmas dinnerware back in the china cabinet this morning, and brought out a lot of colorful pieces to put on my shelving unit. Not a fan of milk glass, so seeing it paired with amber was interesting.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

DREAMON — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:02:20 GMT

I love a mix of vintage and new. I think it adds interest to a room.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

SactoSue — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:41:32 GMT

Thank you, Oznell

This is such an interesting post. He does have an eye for interesting and very complimentary things.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

CarolinaGirl88 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:52:53 GMT

Very interesting! I love vintage and thrift shopping. The little Christmas tree vignette is especially beautiful.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

I am still oxox — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 00:53:37 GMT

I have some green glass that was my dads Moms

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Flatbush — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 05:31:32 GMT

@Oznell

Such a very interesting posting. I am going to check out the sites you mentioned.

Thank you so much for going through all the trouble to post all this information. With all the pictures too!

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Oznell — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 12:54:40 GMT

@GingerHead , I love the idea of little trees in teacups.

@on the bay , that green dish you reference, in the very first photograph, I don't recognize. It's so pretty. I think you could try one of several things. You could google something like "vintage avocado green pedestal bowl scalloped edges", or you could do a "reverse image search" ( I think that's what it's called) . Unfortunately, I don't know how to do that, but if you really want to track down the dish, you could explore further.

@Flatbush , it's my pleasure, since I love this stuff. Love looking at it online-- like window shopping, ha-- love discussing it. Hope you enjoy those youtube channels too.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

wagirl — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 14:45:19 GMT

Those videos are my faves and I watch them all the time--like Dr Lori and another guy with a distinctive voice--he LOVES the green and gold glass items and says--in the cart you go! I have a small collection of depression glass so thats what I like to see. Haven't really done any thrifting--and with all I found I have in boxes while moving---I am not going to add to it. Alot of the glass stuff I grew up with too--kind of fun to remember all that.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Enufstuff — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 19:30:18 GMT

@Oznell Thank you for posting all the pictures and information on thrifting videos. I will have to look at Thrift for Decor with Art.

I have seen Dr. Lori and just recently I discovered Scott and his Old Curiosity Shop. I have watched so many of his videos and his style and era of decor feature many of the things that I have and I love his style.

He would be fun to go treasure hunting with. It reminds me of the days when my husband and I would go to auctions, flea markets and yard sales to find treasures for my antique shop. Of course the favorite items would come home with us.

I have a similar mantle clock to the one in the picture of Scott

in front of his fireplace. My clock has a brass lion head, holding a ring in its mouth, on each side of the clock. That was the first clock that began my husband's clock collection, back in the 70's. My first husband passed away and our five children each have one of his clocks.

Two years ago, I purchase several vintage hens on nests for my children and cousin. I gave those to them for Christmas along with pastel colored Jordan almonds to fill the dishes.

They received hens in colors to match their kitchens.

For myself, I bought a white milk glass hen and it sits on the shelf of my Hoosier cabinet. White milk glass hens were the first color made in the 1800's.

I love how Art used the bottle brush trees in vintage dishes. I have only been putting them on my mantle and may try something like that.

There is one 6 inch tree that I have under a glass dome. I got the trees, wood bases and domes from a wonderful craft store that no longer exists. I decorated the trees with tiny ornaments

and trims. I made little candy canes out of wire and put toys and a miniature train under each tree, inside the glass dome.

In the early 80's I made several of these for gifts and kept one for myself. Every December, my best friend tells me "I put

up my Christmas tree", and it is that mini tree.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

jannabelle1 — Sun, 11 Jan 2026 22:28:48 GMT

I'm going to look for some of these videos...such fun! Thanks for putting this post together - very enjoyable!

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Oznell — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:57:42 GMT

@wagirl -- how funny-- the "into the cart ya go" guy you mention is the guy in my first post, Art, of the "Thrift 4 Decor Plus" youtube channel! I love when Art says that signature phrase of his. Another thing he says with gusto, is "The shelves are PACKED today".

He has a distinctive Midwestern accent; I almost asked if anyone knew what it was. Could be Wisconsin, Iowa? I'm guessing upper Midwest. He pronounces his "r's" even harder than the Canadian and Great Lakes accents I'm used to, which I enjoy... accents fascinate me.

@Enufstuff , your mantel clock sounds so distinctive.

Of course you honed your already sharp eye with your years acquiring for your shop-- that must have been huge fun. Love hearing about your intricate tree scenes under the domes-- how darling! The recipients of them must be so thrilled.

Edited to add-- I meant to add that I love your idea of hens on nests with Jordan almonds inside as gifts. I have milk glass too, and am tempted out there when I see the hens. Have also liked the doves on a nest that I've seen, but not as frequently...

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

QVCisFun — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:35:21 GMT

Really like this vignette. All that wintry snowy frostiness, with some color, has a cozy atmosphere. Hope those aren't overdue library books.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like the chair, violin, vintage book vignette. It adds to the appeal to think it is a Sherlock Holmes book.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Like the "subtle winter vibe" vignette:

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Oznell — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 23:59:31 GMT

Ha, ha, @QVCisFun , that would be funny if they were overdue library books. I do love the way vintage books can really add something to every room and vignette. I had a nice little stash of old ones in the attic, that really get a 'workout' for that purpose...

Was there a reason that you thought that book in the "Old Curiosity Shop" image might be a Sherlock Holmes, or did you just wish it were a Sherlock Holmes? Oh-- maybe because he played the violin, and there's a violin there?

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

Oznell — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 12:55:26 GMT

When I listed the Old Curiosity Shop youtube channel, I should have mentioned Scott's live auctions, which are fun.

Remembered about them when I watched one the other day. When you go to his site, click on the "live" button, and they are all there.

Here are a few shots of previews of his sales, that he lays out in his 1925 bungalow. He fills his dining table with what he has, but there's not enough room for all the inventory-- so these are typcially just a small fraction of the stuff he offers in any online auction-

He does a Christmas glass show--

And in January of every year, a "Snow and Ice" sale--

He does lots of things besides glass though-- pottery, silver, wooden objects, some kitchen antiques, etc.

Re: VINTAGE STYLING WITH THRIFT STORE OR ESTATE SALE PIECES

QVCisFun — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:43:22 GMT

@Oznell wrote:
Ha, ha, @QVCisFun , that would be funny if they were overdue library books. I do love the way vintage books can really add something to every room and vignette. I had a nice little stash of old ones in the attic, that really get a 'workout' for that purpose...

Was there a reason that you thought that book in the "Old Curiosity Shop" image might be a Sherlock Holmes, or did you just wish it were a Sherlock Holmes? Oh-- maybe because he played the violin, and there's a violin there?

@Oznell

Yes, the violin played a key part. I didn't think the book was necessarily a Sherlock Holmes book, I just wished it was because then it made the vignette more appealing to me. It was the violin and book together that caused me to wonder if it could be a Sherlock Holmes book. The book looked about the size of The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle book that I had read many decades ago.

Also at the same time, I did entertain (and entertain still) the thought that the book could be a Charles Dickens book, it would make sense, since he wrote The Old Curiosity Shop and the youtube channel is "Old Curiosity Shop". Prior to my original post, I did look online and saw that there were some vintage Charles Dickens books about the size of the book on the chair. I don't associate Charles Dickens with a violin, but I did do some cursory research and although I didn't see violin mentioned with reference to The Old Curiousity Shop book, I did read that he made references to music and violins in his writings. The violin steered me towards Sherlock Holmes.

I found the position/angle of the violin and book compelling. Could imagine that Sherlock Holmes set the violin down on the chair as he walked by it on his way to the other room.

Sounds like you still have your vintage books, just not in the attic anymore? I don't really do seasonal decorating or vignettes (though I might pull out some things when a holiday or season rolls around) probably because we have too much clutter (we are working on getting rid of the clutter, it is hard to do). Whenever I have made a vignette, I don't recall using books, vintage or otherwise. I will share though that I got a book years ago to get ideas how to get a handle on clutter and be more organized titled File...Don't Pile!. Well one day I noticed that somehow that book ended up on the bottom of a pile of books. Oh the irony! I suppose that was an inadvertent vignette.