Decorating a bookshelf with thrift store finds isn’t something I typically write about. But after writing about it for the Charlotte Region ReStores’ blog, I decided to expand upon the experience here. Especially since I’d thrifted a fantastic bamboo bookshelf at one of their stores.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Isn’t it wonderful? I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it from across the store. I made a beeline for it, preparing myself for something outrageous on the price tag. But boy was I in for a pleasant surprise.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
For $40, it was definitely going to be mine! Not only was it bamboo (which I wanted), but it was nice and sturdy, too. That’s not always a guarantee with these things.
Anyway, once it was home, thoroughly dusted and cleaned up, it was time to style it to my heart’s content. Come along with me as I put it all together.
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Thrift Store Finds for a Boho Bookshelf
Thankfully, a bamboo bookshelf really guides the styling, right? Vintage bamboo furniture is almost always Bohemian in style- artsy, eclectic, etc. So, it wasn’t hard for me to gather a few things that I already had.
First, I gathered a couple of upcycled pieces from previous blog posts.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
The colorful decanter was upcycled for this mid-century modern eclectic post. And the sage green vase started out as clear glass from a thrift store.
Then, I pulled some additional elements that I’d thrifted over the years. I’d thrifted this tambourine several years ago while visiting Charlotte before we moved here. And the wicker hand? That was a quirky find from a local antique mall right in our little Charlotte suburb.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
The tambourine ($5, if I’m not mistaken) was missing a set of little cymbals, but I didn’t mind at all. And since I have quite the penchant for baskets in quirky shapes, buying the hand was a no-brainer for me. Because it was at an antique mall, it was pricier- I think it was $14.
Since I love to find pottery at thrift stores, I gathered a few of those pieces as well.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Thrift stores know that they can charge a little extra for pottery. But they’re still a pretty affordable place to find hand-thrown pieces. The large bowl was $7 but I actually can’t recall what I paid for the small vase.
Decorating a bookshelf in my home wouldn’t be complete without some vintage brass. I already had some pieces, but I thrifted the not-vintage lantern for the original Habitat ReStore article.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
I remember the butterfly was super cheap, just a dollar or two. The watering can was more like $10 or $12, and the brass-tone lantern was only $3.
Other pieces I thrifted recently for the Habitat article included this turquoise basket and the pink-and-black-speckled planter. Both of them were $4.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Lastly, I added a new-thrifted decor book ($5) to my collection of coffee table books for this effort. As well as a one-dollar gravy boat (of all things) that I just thought was adorable.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Even though I didn’t use it for the project, I thrifted the cute gravy boat when I was working on a Thanksgiving tablescape post for Habitat.
Decorating a Bookshelf with Thrift Store Finds
I’ll be the first to admit that home décor and interior decorating isn’t something I’m innately talented at. And it took a lot of rearranging and swapping before I was ultimately satisfied with how it turned out.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
And while I don’t like hard/fast rules when it comes to decorating, I *am* a fan of the rule of three. Meaning, clusters of three items together tend to look best.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Some believe that the rule of three should apply to colors in decorating, too, but I definitely don’t stay within that parameter!
And because I’m a practical person, I believe in weight distribution when it comes to a tall bookshelf. So I added stacked books to the center shelf and bottom shelf; although I couldn’t back up far enough to capture the full bottom shelf in frame.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
But there were two large coffee table books underneath the brass watering can on that bottom shelf- I swear!
Either way, weighing down the center and bottom of the bamboo bookshelf helps keep it grounded and bottom-heavy. Which is why that thrifted basket-tray ended up on the very top shelf.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
But the most important “rule” I follow when thrifting and decorating is: Lean into what you like. Ultimately, *you’re* the one who will see the bookshelf every day. And following a trend for trend’s sake doesn’t exactly spark joy, after all.
I know using a tambourine and a basket hand (as opposed to a hand basket!) as décor isn’t for everyone. But, I truly love them put together like this. It’s “quirky” but not quite sliding headfirst into “strange” territory.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
That’s truly the joy of thrift store finds, though, isn’t it? Maybe something IS strange or quirky, but if you like it, then you snap it up. Ultimately, thrifting for décor is an adventure of sorts. And that’s probably why I love it so much.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
I hope you enjoyed this post on decorating a bookshelf with thrift store finds! Who knows, maybe I’ll do another one of these in a few months. I could do it again with this bookcase, or perhaps I’ll use our cute little mid century modern hutch next.
Hmm…that’s definitely got me thinking…
Craft on!
S
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Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Image credit: Sadie Seasongoods.
Sarah Ramberg is the owner of Sadie Seasongoods, a website that celebrates all things secondhand. From upcycling ideas and thrifted decor to vintage-centric travel itineraries, Sadie Seasongoods is a one-stop shop for anyone who loves thrifting and approachable repurposing ideas. Sarah is also the author of “Crafting with Flannel” and has been featured in numerous media outlets and magazines.
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