If you happen to come throughout a chessboard at a thrift retailer, you would possibly decide it up, solely to place it again down after noticing a number of scratches and an incomplete set.
For thrifting connoisseur Elizabeth Rooney, although, it’s a right away add to cart—not as a sport board, and even as a espresso desk accent, however as a key hook. She’s additionally turned vases into countertop wine holders and classic brooches into fridge magnets (an ingenious method to show these marriage ceremony invitations and vacation playing cards).
Because the creator behind lifewithliztoday, Elizabeth shares her creative “thrift flips” beneath the tagline Issues aren’t all the time as they appear. A video showcasing only a handful of those transformations has racked up over three million views—and that’s solely half one of many sequence. Her feedback are sometimes full of folks questioning two issues: How does she provide you with these things? And why doesn’t their native Goodwill ever appear like hers?
She’s no stranger to the hunt, regularly posting full vlogs of her thrifting journeys and even shopping for thriller seize luggage from vintage shops. However one take a look at her residence, and also you’d by no means guess that lots of it’s secondhand. It doesn’t resemble a flea market stall or your grandma’s lounge—it’s curated, cohesive, and effortlessly cool.
Photograph by Elizabeth Rooney
Her model suits squarely into the rising ‘intentional muddle’ motion: a pattern all about layering significant, well-loved objects in a manner that feels collected over time quite than completely styled.
So, is it simply luck when she finds these items? Or does she have an unbelievable eye? We caught up with Elizabeth to study extra about her course of, the place she appears to be like, and her prime 5 ideas for thrifting residence decor.
What are a few of your favourite items in your house proper now?
A few of my favorites, at the moment, are those I’ve altered and flipped. For instance, I took a bust planter pot and transformed it right into a lamp, a chess board and altered it to a key rack, a photograph carousel and flipped it into an earring rotator.
A few of my different favourite non-altered objects in my residence are those that spark pleasure inside me. These embody my brass duck lamp, ceramic swans and my uncommon candle stick holders.
How do you create a cohesive look when incorporating numerous thrifted objects?
I have a tendency to stay to a color palette when thrifting objects to make it simpler to include in my residence, whereas embracing many textures and tones for layering these items. However, I additionally don’t let the color of an object cease me. If I like the form of an merchandise, I really like utilizing spray paint, rub and buff and altering an merchandise to suit myspace.
I have a tendency to stay to a color palette when thrifting objects to make it simpler to include in my residence, whereas embracing many textures and tones for layering these items
Numerous time I draw inspiration from Pinterest. I prefer to problem myself once I see a design or photograph I like and actually dissect it and perceive what precisely on this photograph I’m keen on. Is it the color pallet? a sure object or gentle fixture? This has change into useful to me in thrift shops to higher practice my eye to see objects on cabinets that will not look the best on the shelf, however see it for the imaginative and prescient and potential it might have in my residence.
Photograph by Elizabeth Rooney
Why do you assume individuals are gravitating towards “dopamine decor” and away from minimalism?
I believe increasingly more folks wish to embrace private variations and individuality, which could be tough to precise in a minimalist kind. I actually love strolling into somebody’s residence and figuring out a bit about who they’re and what they like by wanting round their home. With dopamine decor and intentional muddle, I prefer to view them as a hidden which means to who an individual is, a group of who they’re and the place they’ve been. It’s fairly a phenomenal factor.
I actually love strolling into somebody’s residence and figuring out a bit about who they’re and what they like by wanting round their home
Photograph by Elizabeth Rooney
The place do you discover distinctive thrifted items, and the way can others do the identical?
I discover these items at many various thrift shops, vintage shops, classic shops and flea markets. A key factor to notice in case you are buying sustainably for this stuff is to take your time. This stuff weren’t all discovered without delay, it has been discovered and picked up over years and plenty of journeys to many various thrift shops.
Elizabeth’s High 5 thrifting tricks to discover the very best residence decor
- Go Usually – Thrift Shops are continually including new objects and restocking stock, so the extra typically you go, the upper probability you’ll have of discovering nice objects.
- Look Excessive and Low – Most of the time, the very best objects I discover are hidden on the again of cabinets, beneath objects, or on the backside. Don’t be afraid to get low and look behind objects on the shelf!
- Be Open Minded – Don’t set your intentions on discovering a particular merchandise (you probably received’t discover that actual merchandise). I discover that the very best finds are surprising. Be open to shopping completely different sections and imagining methods you’ll be able to modify, repurpose, and create with this stuff.
- Test for High quality – It is very important examine the objects you discover on the thrift retailer, as this stuff are secondhand. Fastidiously search for any injury, stains, and heavy put on. Search for high-quality supplies and perceive the value of things.
- Have a Plan & Price range – It’s simple to get overwhelmed within the thrift retailer with the countless quantity of things and clothes, so have a plan on what areas you’d prefer to browse (instance: I’m solely going to browse kitchenware and equipment as we speak). Moreover, it’s simple to wish to purchase every part and something you want on the thrift retailer—this can be a slippery slope to over-consumption. Having each a plan and funds will provide help to keep targeted and never get overwhelmed with each part of the thrift retailer.
