If you’ve tried to buy a piece of furniture in the last couple of years, I can guarantee you’ve run into major backorders, “out-of-stock” notifications, and 7-8 month lead times on new furniture orders—not so fun!
But, if you’re open to a little leg work and don’t mind the idea of sourcing used, you can pretty quickly find what you need for any space!
Personally, I love the hunt that comes with sourcing used & vintage pieces, as well as the layered and eclectic aesthetic it creates. While I don’t often utilize found furniture or decor with my interior design clients, in my own home, I’d say 80% of the pieces are vintage or used.
This is a great option 1) if you’re on a budget, 2) if you don’t want to wait 7+ months for a sofa, or 3) if you are interested in a more sustainable way of designing your home since you’re able to utilize pieces that already exist in the world—hurrah!
Some Tips for Finding and Sourcing Used & Vintage Pieces…
1) My favorite place to look for used and vintage pieces is Facebook Marketplace. I’d suggest you narrow your search radius to your local area, maybe 10-15 miles max, and change the search options from “shipping & local” to “local listings only”.
2) On Facebook Marketplace, you can search by category, and many folks are open to negotiating on prices as well. If you have a particular piece in mind, I’d suggest checking back 2-3 times each week since new listings are always being published, and the good deals tend to go quickly!
3) Don’t be afraid of out-of-style fabrics or colors on pieces you find. Casegoods (dressers, desks, etc.) and tables are easy enough to update with a quick coat of paint or new hardware, and upholstery—dining chair covers, arm chairs, and sofas—can easily be reupholstered, especially if it’s a quality piece.
4) Esty is another great source for vintage decor finds, particularly artwork and rugs. My favorite source for vintage rugs is an Etsy shop called TurkishRugEmpire—they have a huge selection, great pricing, and super fast shipping times.
5) Local resale and vintage shops are another great source. Some of my favorites include Lost & Found: Treasures of Old & New (Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan), Changing Thymes (Grandville, Michigan), The Parsons Nose Antiques (Oak Park, Michigan based Etsy shop), and Simple Redesign (Grand Rapids based online shop).
6) Don’t underestimate a good old thrift store (places like Goodwill, New2You, and the Salvation Army). I’ve found some fantastic pieces at places like this! I especially love to check out the pottery and baskets for any unique vessels that can be used for house plants, and I always make sure to flip through the art section for any interesting frames or pieces that I can use or repurpose, since new or original artwork tends to be quite expensive.
So there you have it! If you’re fed up with the supply chain issues and want to try a more sustainable, cost effective, and quicker approach to furnishing a room in your house, vintage and used furniture and decor is a fantastic approach.
Happy hunting!
Work with Lauren Figueroa Interior Design
LFID is a full-service interior design firm serving West and Southeast Michigan known especially for our Designed in a Day service.
We work with clients from Detroit to Novi to Clarkston, and Grand Rapids to Holland to Traverse City—and anywhere in between!
We pride ourselves on creating bespoke, people-centered spaces—because after all, people are what this life is all about!