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Sarah Jean Melito Blog

Decorating with Vintage Pieces

Our Home

1 Aug
If y’all know me or have been following me for awhile, then you know I like to save as much money as possible on decorating and I try to find the best deals. I can remember years ago as a child when my mom and grandma would take me to garage sales. I would be interested for a little while and then get bored and want to leave. Now, I could stay in an antique store or go yard sailing for hours. I love looking for pieces with charm and character. There are so many stories behind that one item you grab at the antique store. So today I am going to share how to refresh your home with new yet old vintage decor! AND this is a start to a link up series with 8 other amazing bloggers who are also sharing how they incorporate vintage decor in their homes. This post will be more generalized, whereas my posts to come will be more focused on how to decorate with specific vintage pieces. At the bottom you can click to see the other bloggers’ posts, and even link up your own blog post if you use antique/vintage pieces in your home! You are entering for a chance to be featured on our blogs next month.
Thrifted: Stool (repainted by me), ruler shelves, mason jar (painted by me)

I love hitting up Target, Homegoods, and Hobby Lobby for a lot of my modern decor, but I am always itching to incorporate an old piece into my vignettes and our rooms. These few tips will hopefully get you started on the junkin’ trail!


Don’t Go Overboard
I’m not going to lie, it took me awhile to figure out how to incorporate vintage pieces in my decor. I would overload shelves and group things together that didn’t make sense. Eventually, I learned the simpler the better. I love junk, but there is a line I do not cross when it comes to antiques. I love chippy goodness and rust, but sometimes a piece has been so beat up that I need to stay away. I have definitely bought some rusty junk, but it depends on what I am looking for. It’s really a personal preference, but don’t buy every single lantern you see just because it’s a lantern. You should make sure it’s going to look right when styled with your other pieces.

Thrifted: Washboards 
All or Nothing

Please don’t be like the old me and do a rustic living room, bohemian bedroom, bright bathroom, romantic dining room type mix. I totally understand if you are trying to find your style. I was all over the place, and kept wondering why I hated our apartment decorations. It is because it did not flow. All of the colors and themes were off balanced and it just didn’t feel right. Flash forward to our new home and I’ve incorporated the same style in every room of the house. I knew I wanted our home to have a cozy, vintage, farmhouse, chic vibe. So, I brought vintage decor into every space I could!

Thrifted: Crock, bred box, mason jar, pitcher, flour sifter
Momma Knows Best
There are obviously going to be local antique and thrift shops, and you are going to want to check those out for pieces. However, there is nothing like a free vintage piece passed down from a family member. I lucked out because my mom buys out storage units and has her own buying & selling business, so I get all the leftover goodies, hehe. My mom and my grandma have been collecting and handling antiques for years, so basically I go shopping in their basements. When my grandfather moved, he was about to throw away a bunch of stuff because he said it was junk. I said “Grandpa, I LOVE JUNK!” Trust me, I can bet your parents or grandparents have some treasures in their basement too! 

Thrifted: Cow creamer, scrabble letters, pitcher, milk glass vase, ceramic cup
Have an Ongoing List
I am the type of person who goes through a store, puts everything I want in a cart, only to go through it at the end & put back half the stuff. I had to tell myself to start putting stuff back. I bought things because it was cheap and I couldn’t resist, but I would get home and have no where to put it. Now, I have an idea of things I’m looking for whenever I go shopping or junkin’. I don’t always make a physical list. Most of the time I have 5 items in my head that I am on the look out for. I definitely make random purchases, but usually I know what I am going to do with it before I buy it. If you start buying things you won’t use, your house will start to accumulate wayyyy too much stuff, and trust me, that happens enough on it’s own!

Thrifted: Blue mason jars, milk glass, books, scrabble letters, coke bin, birds

Thrifted: Books, nautical knot, box springs & side boards in the background
Make it Yours


If you find a unique piece but don’t like the color or exactly how it looks, feel free to change it! I have painted a ridiculous amount of pieces already, and I love it! It’s also fun to buy vintage items that can be versatile. I’ve used a flour sifter as a flower vase, an old picture turned into a chalkboard, and washboards in a basket. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box and make it your own.

Thrifted: Suitcases, pitcher, chalkboard (painted by me)

Don’t Give Up

If you are looking for a specific piece and can’t find it, don’t give up! I know you will end up finding it! The world of antiques is large people.. very large. And if you don’t find it at the right price, you may find it cheaper, but you may not. That is something you’ll have to live with. You have to decide if you can deal with walking away from that item. I have left the antique store when something has been too pricey and regretted it later. Then, I go to a garage sale or estate sale and find it for 75% off what is was at the antique store. This happens more often than not.

Thrifted: Basket, lanterns, jug, books

These are just some main ideas if you want to start incorporating vintage pieces into your modern décor. Please friends, remember to stay true to your own style. Just because everyone is using mason jars, magnolia wreaths, and olive buckets, doesn’t mean that you have to as well. If you want to love your home, put what you love in it. Your home should be filled with things and people you love. Don’t forget to check out all the other amazing ladies and their blog posts! We would love if you linked up a post that has anything to do with vintage/antique décor!

Link Up Here!
Farmhouse for Five       |           A Blue Nest       |         The Belmont Ranch
 Birdie Farm           |       My Sunset Avenue        |          Indigo and Honey
Little Home Reloved         |          New England Nesters         |        MisDIY Blog

XoX,
Sarah

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Comments

  1. Jordan says

    June 30, 2016 at 6:59 pm

    Sarah, I love what y'all have done with your new place. Its so gorgeous! I keep a running list of things that I'm on the hunt for, too! I get too distracted otherwise and buy all of the vintage things I see.

    • TheBelMontRanch says

      July 5, 2016 at 12:28 am

      Thank you sweet Jordan! I sometimes could buy everything lol, glad I'm not the only one! xox

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dutch baby pancake 😍 very easy to throw in the dutch baby pancake 😍 very easy to throw in the oven, do some chores and in 25 min breakfast is done! 

ingredients:
1 cup flour 
1 cup milk 
6TBS butter 
6 eggs 
1tsp vanilla 
1TBS honey 
dash of salt 

directions: 
Preheat oven to 425, put butter in cast iron and put in oven until it melts. meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add batter to skillet when oven is preheated and let cook 25-30min. Top with powdered sugar, maple syrup and berries 🫐 
Have you ever made a Dutch baby before?!
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#homesteading #homestead #homesteader #wannabehomesteader #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #urbangardener #surburbanhomestead #chickenlady #homesteadersofinstagram #homemakers #homemakingmomma #gardening #canningandpreserving #fermenting #sourdoughbaking #foodfromscratch
Although I’m a full believer in using the resour Although I’m a full believer in using the resources you have and working with what you got, of course I dream of selling our little >1 acre homestead for a life in the country 💭💭💭 Someday🥰

#homesteading #homestead #homesteader #wannabehomesteader #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #urbangardener #surburbanhomestead #chickenlady #homesteadersofinstagram #homemakers #homemakingmomma #gardening #canningandpreserving #fermenting #sourdoughbaking
This is such an easy way to make sourdough pasta! This is such an easy way to make sourdough pasta! No fancy pasta attachment required. 

INGREDIENTS: 
-3 cups of flour (I used freshly milled white wheat)
-1 cup starter (discard is fine) 
-4 eggs 

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place everything in mixer and until dough smooths out. Or create a well with flour, add eggs and starter and mix on the counter. 
2. Let dough ferment for at least 30 min. 
3. Divide into 8ish sections, dust counter with lots of flour, then roll as thin as possible. 
4. Use a pizza cutter to cut pieces as desired. Make sure to be using lots of flour so nothing sticks! 
5. Lay on a cooling rack or hang to dry for at least 30 min. 
6. Boil water, add salt and once boiling cooking for 6-7 minutes. 

We enjoyed this pasta in a tomato pesto chicken alfredo, it was so good! 
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#homemaker #sourdough #sourdoughrecipe #sourdoughlove #sourdoughstarter #sourdoughdiscard #sourdoughclub #sourdoughpasta #homesteadmama #homesteading #homesteadlife
Once you’ve had these sourdough cinnamon rolls, Once you’ve had these sourdough cinnamon rolls, you will nottttt go back 🙌🏼 An absolute delight. Recipe coming to my blog & YouTube channel soon 😍 
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#sourdough #sourdoughbaking #sourdoughclub #cinnamonrolls #cinnamonrollsrecipe #homesteadmama #foodie #homemaker #homemade #foodfromscratch #sourdoughlove #sourdoughlover #sourdoughcinnamonrolls
Halfway along-ish and we chose a name for our litt Halfway along-ish and we chose a name for our little guy while in Arizona! 

Jaxson Jeremy 🥰  middle name after my dear cousin who passed last year. 
We can’t wait to meet you bud💙
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