If the old maxim is to be believed, good design never goes out of style. So when shopping for your next furnishing or accent, don’t forget to look to the past. Vintage and antique furniture can imbue a space with so much character, adding depth and narrative that just can’t be found in a matching bedroom set.
Once you get in the habit of vintage shopping, you’ll realize that it’s not just for shabby-chic lovers – you can give your living room a sleek touch with a midcentury-modern piece, re-upholster a few dining chairs in graphic contemporary fabric, or search for materials like chrome and glass for a modern touch.
The best part? You don’t actually have to go anywhere – if you’ve got an hankering for vintage but don’t have the time to comb through your local flea market every weekend, these six websites offer unique finds with good bones.
eBay
If you’re willing to sift through abundant postings, eBay is an insanely abundant source for good vintage that’s priced to sell. It’s easiest to navigate if you filter, filter, filter – by era, country of origin, style, or even the designer’s name. The more specific you can be, the better! Those Breuer chairs are basically on their way to your table. ebay. com
Etsy
It’s not just a place to shop for hand-crafted miscellanea – Etsy has a whole world of antiques in their Vintage Home Living section. Source everything from full-sized furniture to tabletop items and lighting, from vendors all over the world (tip: filter by your area code to save on shipping! ). etsy. com
AptDeco
For the modernist on a budget, AptDeco mixes big-ticket items such as Eames and Herman Miller chairs with the contemporary silhouettes they inspired. Expect to find trustworthy brands like BoConcept, Room Board, and West Elm for a fraction of the price. Plus, unlike lots of other sites slinging vintage furniture, returns are free and there’s a flat rate for delivery. aptdeco. com
Chairish
With a bright pink icon and offerings that veer more retro than many of its competitors, Chairish aims to make redecoratingfun. Perhaps its most enticing feature is the user-friendly app, which enables buyers to browse and favorite items, and sellers to list items easily (and for free! ). The site frequently features shops curated by up-and-coming designers, making droolworthy, Pinterest-fodder images shoppable, and offering design beginners an easy way to articulate their style. chairish. com
Jayson Home
As a purveyor of both new and vintage items, Jayson Home sells the latter under the umbrella Jayson Home Flea. There’s no rifling through dusty milk crates to find treasures here, though; items are organized neatly into ten easily shoppable categories. The site offers an interesting mix of refurbished and meticulously maintained pieces in imperfect, as-found condition. jaysonhome. com/flea
The Food52 Shop
Another retailer that stocks a healthy dose of vintage in with its new items, Food52’s selection is mostly on accents and tabletop: everything from mix-and-match flatware to bread boards, baskets, and stoneware. Pull a few of their vintage French dining chairs up to your your breakfast nook and the room will will look 100% more personalized. food52. com
Everything But the House
If you’re into estate sales, this is the vintage shopping experience for you: Browse collections from homes all over the country, then bid to your heart’s content (bonus: every item starts at $1! ! ). As a bonus, it’s all shipped to you with white glove delivery. ebth. com
One Kings Lane
Beloved for its wide selection of current furniture and home accessories, One Kings Lane also operates a vintage section, with new products added daily. “We leverage our strong relationships with our trusted dealer community to consistently source amazing products in a mix of styles and price points,” says the site’s vintage buyer, Danielle Sonnekalb. These products include everything from furniture, lighting, and rugs to tabletop items, textiles, art, and books. One great feature? A flat white-glove delivery rate of $200, no matter how bulky the piece or where you live. onekingslane. com
Craigslist
On the downside, nobody’s on the other end vetting the Saarinen table to be sure it’s the real deal, but if you feel confident enough to make that call do not miss out on Craigslist. There’s so much to be thrifted! Especially if you live outside a big city – some of the best finds come from places that don’t have a zillion antiques dealers scouring them. craigslist. com
Viyet
Recently purchased by Sotheby’s, Viyet operates under a curatorial model, staffing experts (many alums of big-name auction houses) in 13 U. S. cities who select the site’s furniture offerings and hand-inspect them before listing them on the site. Products include a range of vintage and contemporary high-end furniture, lighting, and accessories. Plus, if you’re looking to dispose of the old before ordering the new, Viyet will assist with selling on its site. viyet. com
1stdibs
The grande dame of online vintage shopping, 1stdibs revolutionized the furniture industry in 2001 when its founder, Michael Bruno, launched an e-commerce site featuring treasures found at Paris’s famous marché aux puces. Since then, the site has remained a go-to for discerning design lovers hunting anything from carpets to jewelry to fine art. Beware, this is where you’ll find the pricey stuff! It’s just as good to browse for inspiration. 1stdibs. com
