Retro Second-Hand Styling Challenge
We had such a great time with our second-hand styling challenge a few months ago that we decided on a wet and dreary Wellington day, that a bit of op shop retail therapy would be perfect. My daughter Bella has loved all things vintage for many years and she kindly offered her room and specifically her mid-century sideboard for us to style. This challenge saw us visit a number of op shops:
Opportunity for Animals Miramar
Salvation Army Miramar & Kilbirnie
Mary Potter Hospice Miramar
Vinnies Newtown & Kilbirnie
Red Cross Kilbirnie
James’ Styling
We are starting to get a sense of which op shops have the best selection of house hold items (we’ve always been more focused on clothing in the past), and I’ve put the stores in bold that we found were the most fruitful for homewares. James did get slightly sidetracked and manage to also find himself a few clothing items (and a t shirt for me), so prepare to be distracted when you step in the door! I love this challenge because we are working with items that have had a life before us and are now having another life with us. To also be supporting a number of important organisations in the process is an absolute bonus. The four items that stood out today for me are:
Anji’s Styling
Wooden Chip & Dip Serving Dish
This deeply practical item has been repurposed for this challenge as a jewelry and trinket display dish. It was the first item that I found which I then built the rest of my haul around. It looks very retro and I can imagine it filled with raw veges and dip, or cheese and pickled onions on toothpicks. If Bella doesn’t want to hold on to it, I’m sure we will get use out of it in the kitchen.
Maxie by Virginia Kahl - Vintage Children’s Book
This actually took a fair percentage of my budget at $15, but you can just smell its mid-century history when you flick through the pages. “Maxie is a dachshund with short legs, so he’s not very tall or very fast and nor very fierce either. But he still wins a home with the Baron.” Perhaps not a very modern tale (forgive the pun), but gorgeous illustrations and perfect for Bella, who can’t walk past a little dog without befriending it. (The timber dachshund on wheels was a gift from the op shop gods to complete the Maxie picture).
Retro Headscarf
This was James’s discovery and I just love it. I can imagine some stylish woman zipping along in her convertible with this scarf taming her long locks as the travels through the city, looking totally polished and perfect when she arrives. It’s possible that this scarf didn’t have such a luxurious background, but its rich retro colours and silky texture make me believe that it has an interesting history.
Wooden Vase
I had to do a little negotiation on the price of the final item that I found for the day (and I still ended up $5 over budget), but this vase was what I had been searching for all day. It gave me the height that I wanted and tied so well into the other timber elements. Bella is more than happy to give this lovely piece a permanent home in her room and it looks amazing. We are guessing it’s probably not designed to hold water, so will be used for dried flower arrangements such as the small bunch of dried Gypsophila that I borrowed from my bedroom.