The Thrifted Haven | Spring Living Room

Some of my favorite things are interior design, styling and thrifting. I spend loads of time combing through Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, treasure hunting. I wholeheartedly enjoy the game of sifting through to find diamonds in the rough. I love pieces with stories and I love finding pieces that really speak to one’s soul. Whether you are on the hunt for pieces with a history or need to design on a budget, I think that secondhand furniture, combined in the right way, can make a beautiful home.

As we spend this year in our temporary home, while we build our next home, I am missing being able to really create and design in a way that has permanence. I am doing just enough to make it feel cozy enough, but avoiding installing anything with too much permanence and/or causing damage to the walls etc. I long for the day we move into our new home and I can really dig into making it all ours. And so I find myself daydreaming and designing future spaces in my mind and treasure hunting just for the fun of it, without actually purchasing anything.

Perhaps to fulfill this void or just to continue exercising my design muscles, I came up with the idea for starting this new series - The Thrifted Haven. On each of these featured posts, I will design solely with treasures that I find for sale on Facebook Marketplace. I am not purchasing these items myself, just relishing in the challenge of finding pieces that work together from a variety of other people’s collections and showcasing what you can create if you are up for the hunt. I will list the links to each of the pieces if you spot something you love and want to snag for yourself. I live in the PNW, in the Seattle area, and so that is where these pieces will be located for actual purchase if you so desire. I do not have any affiliation with the people selling these items and I always think that safety is of utmost importance when purchasing from someone you do not know, so please be smart. First and foremost, this is just a place for me to challenge myself, create and share with you. Perhaps you too will find inspiration in the designs I put together and see some inspiration for your own homes!

And, so, without further ado, I bring you the first collection. A spring inspired living room. A little bit boho, a little bit midcentury, these pieces are eclectic and together breathe a fresh air of fun.

Green Velvet Midcentury Couch

I first came across this green velvet midcentury couch and knew it was a solid yes for the base of this design. I love the shape and the color and can see myself napping on it on a lazy Sunday. After the couch, I knew I wanted to ground the space before going any further and wanted a rug that would bring in some of that green and lighten things up.

9x12’ Vintage Persian Rug

A solid size rug in most living spaces is something around a 9x12’ and so that is what this Vintage Persian Rug is. Go big on your rug no matter what. You want the first third to half of each of your furniture pieces on it at least, if not all the way on the rug. This rug pulls in the green, it is a classic style and good quality from what I can tell. Marked down from $1599 to $250, it’s a steal! It also looks like it was listed a looong time ago, so I’m not sure if it is still for sale, but again, the fun of this is just getting creative and putting inspiration together.

Vintage Cane Chairs

I wanted to bring in some accent chairs that incorporated wood and it was pretty slim pickings. I found this set of two vintage cane chairs that are little cuties and definitely bring in a genuine vintage edge to the design. I kind of love them!

Pink Scalloped Accent Chair

While I was searching for accent chairs, I came across this little feminine, pink cutie. It would be lovely in a little reading nook in the room and I like the brightness it brings to the design. I just couldn’t resist incorporating her.

Round Gold Hammered Drum Coffee Table

With the varied styles of the couch and accent chairs, I wanted a coffee table with clean lines to balance it all out. I found this gold hammered drum coffee table, originally from World Market, and loved the shape and felt like the brightness of the metal would round things out nicely.

Walnut Side Table

I wanted a side table to go between the accent chairs for a place to set a glass, add a lamp etc and I liked the simplicity and wood tone of this walnut side table.

Wood and Cane Console Table by Hearth and Hand

A console table always comes in handy and I love this wood and cane console table originally by Hearth and Hand . The way the cane was reflected from the vintage chairs into this more modern piece, is awesome. I also appreciate the clean lines of it, making it a nice, neutral piece that easily works.

Lighting

In this space, I wanted to incorporate an awesome floor lamp and some table lamps for additional illumination. I loved the shape of this large, arching brass floor lamp (originally from West Elm) and the fact that the shade was clear - keeping things nice and minimal. These mid century grey table lamps have a nice clean shape with a pretty rounded grey base and neutral shades, making them the perfect pops on the console table and the side table.

Accent Pillows

Accent pillows should always be the final layer and tie everything together. I’m a sucker for mustard yellow and so these two mustard throw pillows immediately caught my eye. I am in love with these wool handwoven accent pillow covers originally from The Citizenry. They are the icing on the cake and tie in the pink chair with everything else perfectly.

All Together Now

The most fun is showcasing all of the specially selected items together in a virtual mock up and seeing the big picture. So, here we go! What’s your favorite part?

Designing solely with thrifted goods can be challenging. In real life, I would usually design with specific pieces purchased new and then fill in with vintage/thrifted finds where appropriate. However, again, this is for fun and I like the challenge of being limited in what I have to choose from. It pushes my visualization process and forces me to get extra creative. What do you think of this series? I want to know what you loved about this design and what you weren’t so crazy about! What should I design next? Happy thrifting!