Thrifting has been something of a disappointment lately. I would attribute some of that to my more exacting standards, but I know others are having similar experiences and we’re not all holding out for that perfect pair of Rick Owens leather pants, if you know what I mean. While I have been finding a few gems here and there, it’s taking a lot more effort and a recalibration of my focus. Instead of clothes, I’ve been spending more time looking at home wares and accessories. So, today, I’m going to talk about some of the home décor projects I’ve been working on, thanks to thrifting.

Glass Rainbow

I love being surrounded by colour, as anyone who has ever visited my house can attest. I am the person who has 4 pieces of living room furniture (sofas, chairs and the like) in 4 different colours. It’s not for everyone, but if it is your jam, this rainbow glassware collection might be a project you’d enjoy. This wasn’t an original idea on my part, though I was surprised by how few examples I found online; maybe I didn’t use the right key terms in my searches. This was my main inspo:

Colorful glassware abounds in my local thrift stores, and pieces tend to be reasonably priced – under $5 per item. For me, the key was to find a good variety of shapes and the right colours; the quality of the glass wasn’t a major consideration. I did end up with a few finer items (including some Fenton glass) but that was mostly by accident. The beauty of this project comes from the grouping of items, not necessarily from the aesthetic appeal of any individual piece; keep that in mind when sourcing.

I was initially planning to use 2 top shelves of my living room built-in unit to house my new collection, but ultimately expanded to 3 in order to give it full effect. I re-arranged some shelves and moved some books around to make room. Bookcases and displays are evolving creatures at my house, so this is not unusual. Even if I love a particular display, I usually end up tweaking it or completely changing it over time. To me, a house – like life in general – isn’t meant to be static. In fact, I am waiting to move my old teacup collection to a new location (and/or downsize it a bit) and then I will be working on the second iteration of my glassware rainbow using the corner shelves. Somehow. We shall see. For now, this is what my rainbow looks like:

I love how cheerful this looks, and how much “lighter” the bookcase appears. I would like to do a bit more “layering” on the 2 wings of the rainbow – by adding a few more pieces at the cool end of the spectrum – but it’s looking pretty sharp as is. If you’re looking for something to brighten up a space that doesn’t get a ton of light, I would definitely recommend this idea. It’s simple and relatively inexpensive, and makes a big impact.

Japanese Pottery

My other new obsession is Japanese pottery. I love its scale – pieces tend to be small but with interesting shapes – and the colours – muted and earthy. [Yes, I especially like the muted colours – a big contrast to the rainbow glassware. What can I say, I am a woman of contradictions.] Somehow, they make great companions for my plant babies. There isn’t an abundance, precisely, of these pieces at thrift stores but they do regularly pop up, and tend to be quite inexpensive (usually under $5). So I always keep an eye out for them, and have managed to get a little collection going.

Again, as with the glassware, part of the aesthetic appeal comes from the grouping itself. I was inspired in large part by the display shelves at a pottery studio off Whyte Ave; there was something so lovely about all the pots and vases of different shapes and sizes, all in harmonized tones, lined up in a row. I am especially drawn to asymmetrical and “slightly off” shapes – things that look (and usually are) handmade and imperfect. I don’t have the time or resources to pick up pottery-making as a hobby, so collecting is my next best option.

Are you in the habit of thrifting home decor? What have been some of your most favourite projects?

Redhead in Green

Green should be easy, right? I’m a redhead after all. But green is one of the colours with which I struggle the most. Many greens feel too strident to me; they set my teeth on edge, if that makes sense. But the right green … aah, that’s another story. I love blackened greens, bottle greens and mossy greens. Something with a bit of smoke, a hint of mysterious forest to it. The greens of this outfit, for example. The best outfits, to me, feel like an extension of your own skin and that’s how I felt wearing this one. I am not Wearing Green so much as I am a Creature of Green. And I am wearing my “witchy” pendant to let you know that there is a story there. These greens have seen some sh*t. Maybe started some too.

Notes: Selected Femme sweater (retail, $40); Zara skirt (thrifted, $11); Jimmy Choo shoes (eBay, $130); Rafael Canada necklace (eBay, $80).

In the Bag

Make no mistake: this outfit is just an excuse, a backdrop if you will, for this bag. It’s is wholly beaded (and in immaculate condition) and completely over the top. Borderline ugly, but in a most fascinating (to me) way. Lately, I have been really interested in art/things that straddle the line between beauty and whatever can be found on the other side of it. “Ugly” is perhaps an oversimplification. I am interested in things that evoke a reaction, something other than “so cute”. And one thing I know for sure is that no one would call this bag “cute”.

Notes: Theory top (consignment, $25); Maggie Walt pants (thrifted, $6.50); bag (thrifted, $10); shoes, Me Too (thrifted, $16).

Highlands Fling

Someone called this a Grown-Up Merida outfit, and I am not mad about it. Taking a vintage Ralph Lauren skirt away from its 80s Preppy roots in a different direction is all the fun. Also fun? A skirt that really knows how to twirl:

I mean, how could I resist this?

Notes: Eileen Fisher sweater (thrifted, $5); Gap top (thrifted, $5); Ralph Lauren skirt (thrifted, $6.50); Napoleoni shoes (thrifted, $6); Rafael Canada necklace (eBay, $80).

Patriotic OOTD

I don’t really dress to themes these days, but for Canada Day I decided to show some patriotic pride after all … with a red dress and rainbow-coloured sweater. (See what I did there?) It was also very “on brand” because Canada is, among many other more wonderful things, the land where summer is sometimes just an abstract concept. Which is why layering a mid-weight knit over a linen dress in July is not just a fashion experiment, but an actual necessity.

Notes: Lord & Taylor dress (thrifted, $8.50); Gap sweater (thrifted, $6); Barbara Barbieri sandals (thrifted, $10).

Graphic Visuals

This skirt was love at first sight, which surprised me at first as I found myself reaching for it. It’s a bit … loud. And “loud” isn’t something I associate with my current style. Except that maybe I should. Because I love the bold graffiti print, and the contrasting stripes, and the volume. It’s all “too much” in the best way. Fit ‘n flare skirts are not normally my thing, but I adore midis so that aspect was the foremost reason why I bought it. Since I’ve had time to play around with styling it, I have come to appreciate all its other merits. I think this will be a fun piece to keep for a while. Not bad for an $18 cotton skirt.

Notes: Floreat top (thrifted, $6); Lida Baday blazer (thrifted, $12); Orientique Australia skirt (consignment, $18); Cole Haan shoes (thrifted, $10).

The Anniversary Dress

My husband and I celebrated nine years of marriage (what? how is that possible?) on July 3, and in honour of the day I wore things that he recently gifted to me. The Marni dress we bought – I picked, he paid, marriage is a team effort, friends – in Calgary on our recent trip. The Rafael Canada jewelry we bought (same deal) in Edmonton at one of my favourite vintage spots, Swish. When I found the dress, I knew it needed a real statement necklace; its tailoring is impeccable but the lines are quite severe. I didn’t have a fitting necklace at the time, but I trust in kismet. Sure enough, this necklace found its way into my life about a month later and it’s perfect. Perfect for the dress, and also just perfect in general.

Notes: Marni dress (consignment, gift); Rafael Canada necklace & ring (secondhand, gift); J. Crew shoes (retail, $80).

One of my favourite things about thrifting is the accidental discovery. Thrifting is a bit like gambling in that you never know when you’re going to get lucky; that unpredictable positive reinforcement is what makes thrifting so much fun (or, you might say, addictive) to dedicated thrifters like myself. But apart from that, I love that the “prize” is ultimately a subjective one. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure … and, sometimes, it’s treasure you didn’t even know you wanted.

Here’s a personal anecdote about that.

I have been loving large, chunky, architectural jewelry for the last year or so – it accents my current aesthetic nicely. It has proven to be a tricky category of accessories because quality tells. The bigger the scale of the pieces, the more obvious that cheap production becomes. And, of course, handmade stuff is pricey. For example, I have been eyeing Adina Mills pieces after Sherry (Save Spend Splurge) posted about her on Instagram. But the supply is limited, sells out quickly, and costs well upwards of $100USD per piece.

I am not sure if I am ready to make that kind of commitment, so I haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago, I found this piece at Value Village.

It had the right vibe and looked well made, which was my cue for a closer look. I always search for signatures or brand tags on jewelry to help me figure out what I’m looking at. This one was signed “Rafael Canada”.

A 30 second Google search confirmed this was a known vintage jewelry label – enough to make me commit to the $7.99 price tag. At home, I began to do more in-depth research. It runs out that Rafael Alfandary – who signed pieces as Rafael Canada – was a well-known Canadian jewelry designer (originally from the former Yugoslavia) in the 70s and 80s. His pieces were worn by Margaret Trudeau, Mohammed Ali, and Prince among other celebrities. I also learned that the style – which I love, and perfectly encapsulates the aesthetic I am going for with jewelry – is called Brutalist. This is important, because I now have an extra keyword to search when looking for similar stuff online.

I quickly fell in love with a bunch of other Rafael pieces and began hunting for them on eBay and Etsy. The bad news is that inventory is fairly limited and prices aren’t thrift-cheap. The good news is that it’s possible to find pieces under $100CAD. To wit:

This was a very popular design (there is a photo floating online of Prince wearing it at an awards show), and I had to have it – I love the scale of it, the “rough” design, the dark teal Murano glass cabochon. It works so well with my current wardobe, both workwise and casual.

I cannot wait to expand my collection, and it’s given me renewed enthusiasm for the thrill of the (thrift) hunt. Stay tuned for more …

… and please share your didn’t-know-I-needed-it-can’t-live-without-it thrift finds in the comments!