How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Vintage Lakehouse

learn how to thrift the look in your decor by using an inspiration photo

Today I’m joining my “Creative Vintage Darlings” friends for a Thrift the Look blog hop! (We’d love for you to join our FB group) We were all given the choice of 2 different photos with a “Vintage Lakehouse” theme to imitate with thrifty finds. How fun, right? The whole point is, you can do this with your own home or cabin! Have you ever fallen in love with a magazine pic and want your house to look just like it, yet worry it would be too spendy? Today’s posts will prove that notion wrong and will have you heading straight to the secondhand store, like we all did! I’ll show you my version of the “Vintage Lakehouse” theme and show you how to decorate to Thrift the Look!

Can’t wait to see everyone’s reveals! I’ll have them all at the end!

Here’s the inspirational pic I chose to imitate:

Countryliving.com

In order to get the same look in your own home, you’ll want to take notice of what’s decoratively going on to achieve the same or a similar style.

Noticing all the details in your desired scene is the first step to Thrift the Look!

As I analyzed this photo, there were several design details I noticed. The foundational element was the amazing vintage beadboard backdrop. My first challenge was coming up with something I could set this scene in!  I remembered the old bookshelf I had picked up while curbside junking this spring {“Cubside Junking Finds”}. Mr. Fix-it and I started transforming it into a much more desirable version!

We took out a couple shelves to achieve better spacing for accessories. Then I sanded the whole piece and stained it a Hickory brown. We still had some leftover vintage beadboard we had rescued from an old house. You maybe saw the green painted side of it on my Utensil ‘Eat’ sign in the kitchen {“Vintage Silverware Art for the Kitchen”}. The back side was a lovely brown, just like this pic! Mr. Fix-it cut it all to size and I sanded each piece.

Once it was all put together, I realized it was missing something. We needed that vertical element right down the middle, like in the picture. I also wanted some type of brackets like in the pic, also.

Luckily I had just picked up a set of small brackets at a church sale for .50! We banged out the curved ends and I gave them a little sanding for a brushed look. Now the piece was looking more like the backdrop of this picture! I was getting excited!

I even liked the backside! You may be seeing this as a backdrop in future posts;)

Once the foundation piece was made, it was time to decide what to fill it up with!

Let’s go back to our Thrift the Look picture and notice what’s on the shelves now:

Look for repeating shapes and colors and thematic elements. I actually came up with a whole checklist of stylistic elements to notice and made a downloadable, printable file for you! It just seemed easier than taking up a whole bunch of space in this post!

If you want to “Thrift the Look” in the future, make sure and grab my free “How to Thrift the Look” Checklist down below!

When you Thrift the Look, you can Make it Your Own

I am no where near any oceans, so the nautical vibe of this pic just didn’t work for my decor.  For my “Vintage Lakehouse” theme, I decided to bring some Minnesota cabin flair to the scene. In the fall here, it’s getting pretty chilly, and the sport of choice to do by a lake is switching from fishing to hunting. I decided to give my vintage lakehouse some hunting cabin spirit. “Time” for hunting…

Here are the other themed elements I came up with for my look:

I took my color cues from a vintage metal tray from…guess where? Our family lakeshore cabin! I’m using darker, fall colors. I rounded up my books in darker greens and blues and also some dull oranges and grays and browns.

Instead of the triangle shape of ships in the magazine pic, I used a lot of squares. Cabins, a picnic basket and the square tray provided repeated shapes. I also added some feather balls as circles and for added fall texture.

Luckily the thrift stores and church sales I hit had plenty of ducks and geese for my theme!

The Next Step to Thrift the Look is to go Secondhand Shopping! This is the fun part!

Secondhand shopping is of course, the fun part! I already had the tray, the books the candlesticks, feather balls, and the license plate.  Everything else came from thrift stores, church sales and a few garage sales! All together I spent about $25! {You may want to check out, “3 Things to Look for at the Thrift Store” and “Church Sales 101”}

My favorite score was the vintage metal picnic basket I got at a garage sale around the corner from my house for $7!

Are you ready for my “Vintage Lakehouse” Thrift the Look reveal? (Pretend Joanna and Chip are pulling back the curtain;)

Does it look pretty similar to the magazine pic, except with a Minnesota hunting twist? I liked the results so well, I brought it all right into my living room! That roadside bookshelf never knew it could look so good!

Become an Insider, and get my FREE Printables!

If you’d like to have a checklist with all the design elements to notice when you’re Thrifting the Look, subscribe to my newsletter and you can grab the file in my free Resource Library! Next time you see a pic you want to imitate, you’ll be able to follow these 10 steps and recreate your favorite look!

Sign up to become an Insider HERE.

You’ll also get  free access to a bunch of other great tips and seasonal printables! If you’re a subscriber already, check your weekly email for the Resource Library password!

Wasn’t this Thrift the Look project fun? I hope it helped you see you can certainly recreate a favorite magazine or blog photo you fall in love with! Just follow my “How to Thrift the Look Checklist” and head out to your nearest secondhand store! Now to see what the rest of my Creative Vintage Darlings friends came up with for this challenge! ( And join our FB group , too) Make sure you pin this How to Decorate to Thrift the Look, Vintage Lakehouse article to share with others!

“Thrift the Look”, Vintage Lakehouse

HomeToHeather.com | Sadie Seasongoods | Virginia Sweet Pea | Postcards from the Ridge

Itsy Bits and Pieces | Audrey Would | Lora B. Create & Ponder | Vinyet Etc.

Sharing at these lovely parties:

Share Your Style

Feathered Nest Friday

Thursday Favorite Things

Farmhouse Friday

DIY Salvaged Junk Projects

Best of the Weekend

Style Showcase