10 Living Room Décor Items to Always Buy From the Thrift Store, According to Interior Designers Elevate your living room's décor with these secondhand pieces. Close Credit: Melissa Webb Once in a while, you may find yourself standing in your living room, suddenly bored of your décor and inspired to make a few changes. Fortunately, it’s easy to refresh your living room without breaking the bank, courtesy of your local thrift store. Thrift stores are the go-to destination for character-rich, charming home décor, and shopping secondhand is infinitely more sustainable than buying brand-new pieces. We asked interior design experts to weigh in on their favorite thrift store pieces that will breathe new life into your living room. Elisa Hall, lead designer at Awning.com Eliza Gran, interior designer and stylist at Eliza Gran Studio 8 Thrift Store Finds That Will Instantly Elevate Your Bedroom, According to Experts Elegant Frames Credit: Sang An Thrift stores are the ideal place to source frames of all shapes and sizes for your living room. An elegant vintage frame with a little bit of patina can elevate your family photos or a beloved piece of artwork. “Once I came into a collection of mismatched gold frames arranged in a gallery-style configuration that gave the area a polished, collected over time impression,” says Elisa Hall, the lead designer at Awning.com. Ceramic Lamps Lighting is a commonly overlooked element of home décor, but the right lamp can elevate a bare coffee or end table in your living room. “Beautiful ceramic lamps are usually fairly inexpensive and are mini works of art,” says interior designer and stylist Eliza Gran. Before you purchase a secondhand lamp be sure to check that it works. Switch out the old shade for one that you love, and suddenly your new lamp is the star of your living room. How to Find the Best Lamps at Thrift Stores—and Safely Install Them in Your Home Ornamental Candle Holders Credit: Getty Images Refreshing your living room is all about the little details, like decorative candle holders that instantly add charm and character to the space. “One of my clients discovered a pair of mid-century candle holders that fluttered so brilliantly at night that they almost turned into low-light artwork,” says Hall. Look for materials like brass or carved wood and place them on your mantle, console table, or credenza. Benches As you peruse your local thrift store, look for well-crafted benches, either painted or unpainted. “They can be placed anywhere in the room, such as behind the sofa with pillows, plants, stacks of books, or folded blankets on them, and used as additional seating,” says Gran. If you can’t find the right color or finish for your living room, you can always sand it down and repaint it with your preferred shade or let its natural grain shine. Unique Mirrors Credit: Vicente Wolf Not only are mirrors visually beautiful, but they can also reflect light to brighten your space and make your living room feel bigger than it is. “A well-placed mirror may fool the eye into believing you have added an additional window,” says Hall. Look for mirrors with ornate and unique frames for added impact. Area Rugs It’s not every day that a unique, vintage area rug turns up in good condition at your local thrift shop, so if you stumble upon one perfect for your space, scoop it up right away. A beautiful area rug can instantly make your living room feel cozier and more cohesive. Even if you need to get it professionally cleaned, it may be well worth it for the effect a one-of-a-kind vintage rug can have on your space, says Gran. Antique Trunks An antique trunk brings so much character to a living room and gives you a convenient place for storing pillows, throw blankets, or games. You can even swap out your coffee table for a trunk to maximize your space, says Hall. Look for pieces with interesting hardware or distressed wood for added richness and texture. Baskets You can never have too many baskets, especially charming vintage ones from the thrift store. Use large baskets for holding items like blankets, firewood, or kids' toys and smaller ones for things often left on consoles and coffee tables, like keys and wallets. Storing items in baskets can make your space feel warm, inviting, and charmingly lived-in. Artwork The thrift store can be a treasure trove of gorgeous pieces of artwork perfect for decorating your living room walls. Hanging time-worn oil paintings, prints, or even tapestries can add depth and historical appeal to this space, says Hall. Look for pieces that catch your eye and excite you—it’s not about how much the art is worth, but how it makes you feel and how well it suits your space. Decorative Vases Credit: Chelsea Cavanaugh Decorative vases in various shapes, sizes, and materials are very easy to find at the thrift store. “Whether filled with flowers or branches or left empty, there are so many beautiful handmade, unique vases at thrift shops,” says Gran. You can even opt for several mismatched vases that follow a similar color palette or style. Place them on your coffee or end table to give your living room an instant boost. Explore more: Home Home Design & Decor Living Room Design Ideas