Fun Ways to Use Vintage Finds in your Outdoor Decorating
Vintage finds from flea markets, estate sales, antique shops and farm auctions are a fun way to add nostalgic style to your outdoor living spaces. Here are some ideas to get your salvaged, vintage outdoor decor started!
The gardening season is starting, and it’s time to decorate your outdoor living spaces! What better way to show off your vintage-loving style than to use your latest salvaged, flea market finds to decorate your porch and patio. Today’s post is going to give you tons of decorating and repurposing ideas for your vintage finds. It may even motivate you to buzz out and scrounge up some more! Here are Fun Ways to Use Vintage Finds in your Outdoor Decorating.
I’m joining my Thrifty Style Team friends today to send inexpensive, creative ideas your way! Thanks to Julie at Redheadcandecorate for organizing us! I’ll have all the rest of the inspiration at the end. We’ve got some new faces joining us, also!
See more Thrifty Style Team diy and decor ideas HERE.
Fun Ways to Use Vintage Finds in your Outdoor Decorating
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Make Your Vintage Find a Feature in your Outdoor Decor
If you’ve got larger vintage finds, why not feature them in your outdoor decor? Make them the centerpiece of your garden, or use them to disguise a less-than-pretty corner. Outdoors is a much larger decorating canvas than indoors, so you can have fun with larger-scaled salvaged finds.
Here are some second-hand finds that make a great feature:
- farm cupola
- old ladder
- vintage bicycle
- garden windmill
“Upcycled Old Ladder Garden Display”
Hang Architectural Salvage and Vintage on Your Outdoor Walls
Go vertical with your flea market finds. Hanging a vintage architectural salvage find can give you a great backdrop for fresh foliage and other decor. Whether it’s the wall of your house, garage, or shed, your view will be much more pleasing with vintage art!
These vintage finds work great as a vertical hanging backdrop:
- bedsprings
- garden gates
- mirror and picture frames
- old windows
- shutters
“Fall Decorated Porch and Patio”
Repurpose Vintage Finds for Function and Decor
Salvaged scores can be used as is or repurposed into unique outdoor furniture and decor. Old garden fencing can be turned into pretty planters, parts of old furniture can become table bases. Chairs that have lost their ability to seat someone can be the perfect perch for a pot of flowers or a pretty wreath. My philosophy is that the parts can be more interesting than the whole. See the potential!
“16 Repurposed Vintage Junk Projects with Garden Style”
“Decorating the Summer Porch with Refreshed Vintage Finds”
“How to Refresh and Enjoy Vintage Metal Lawn Chairs (and keep their time-worn appeal)”
Fill Vintage Vessels with Foliage or Water
This idea is the easiest yet! Think of any vintage vessel as a planter, or turn it into a water feature. For a planter, drill drainage holes to avoid root rot. Fill your vintage finds with flowers, succulents, grasses…whatever fits your garden style. Or add an electric pump to create a water feature.
Here are some vintage planter and/or water feature ideas:
- galvanized buckets
- garbage cans
- watering cans
- coffee and teapots
- old cans with fun graphics
- dressers
- birdbaths
“Repurposed Garbage Can Planter with Vintage Fencing”
“Repurposed Birdbath as Succulent Planter”
Add Vintage Finds to the Top
Just like the cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae, a vintage find can top off an outdoor container plant beautifully. You can plant a trailing vine to grow up and around it, or leave it plain. Stick it in the dirt or attach with garden twine. I love layering my vintage finds and pairing them up together.
Great vintage topper ideas:
- birdcage
- rake, shovel, garden tool
- vintage fencing
- spindles
“10 Easy Ways to Decorate with Vintage Garden Tools”
Hope your head is swimming with ideas for how you can use your salvaged, vintage finds in your outdoor decorating! Or maybe you decided you need to hit the flea markets, estate sales, antique shops or farm auctions to scrounge up some more great finds! Using old things in new ways is such a fun and unique way to add vintage flair to your outdoor living space.
Thanks for reading Fun Ways to Use Vintage Finds in your Outdoor Decorating! If you enjoyed your visit and want to keep the ideas coming, become an Insider down below!
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Sharing at these lovely parties:
So many amazing ideas, Lora! So many to choose from… love the succulent garden! So fun to be featuring you tomorrow at Tuesday Turn About! Pinned!
So many fun ideas, Lora! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!
Your welcome!
I loved all of your ideas! Still cold in Maine although my daffodils are blooming with snow predicted for the weekend. I did put a flowerpot of dirt in the middle of my old chair with the busted out seat and a faux fuschia in it! Anf 3 (new) volotgul GW flower pots on my front stairs with faux geraniums (B1, G2F at Joannes!)!
We gotta do anything we can to help Spring along, right Kathy? My pansies had to be covered this week, and 2 mornings of waking up to the white stuff was not fun:(
I enjoyed seeing all of your outdoor projects…. lots of great vintage inspiration!
Thank you, Allyson!
You have so many fun and creative ideas Lora!
Thanks, Cindy!
Lora you weren’t kidding when you said fun! I loved seeing all of your beautiful garden pictures with vintage finds! Your creativity is off the charts. Beautiful!
Aw, thanks, Kelly! It was a fun post to put together:)
So many great ideas Lora! I am a huge fan of vintage outdoor decorating!
You’ve got some awesome vintage garden decor, too, Kim! Think we have the same black bike:)
I love all your vintage finds for the garden Lora!
Thanks, Stacy!
Loved this post with all the garden ideas. I’ve used many of them in my gardens over the years, but also saw new ideas. I never throw away a broken pot or anything metal because I’m sure there is a place for it somewhere. Another place to pick up “junk” is a metal salvage yard if they are willing to sell items. As the old saying goes “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure.”
Definitely, Luanne! There’s something about old metal pieces that look so beautiful filled with natural plantings! Glad you enjoyed it:)
So, so many great ideas. Love your ladder with the galvanized buckets, the garden gate with planters, the windmill, there’s so many I love! Thanks So Much for sharing!!!
Your welcome, Carmen! Each gardening year is a fun new outdoor vintage adventure!
Thank you for all these wonderful ideas Lora! Lots of great inspiration for when I tackle my garden next week!
I’m jealous, Michelle; the snowflakes were flying here today:(
Looks amazing Lora, and I’m so glad you like to decorate your outdoor space too. You have so many great ideas and I’m so inspired, thank you for sharing with us.
Glad you enjoyed it, Chas! Thanks:)
I really like how you repurpose and restyle your vintage finds. Your garden has so much personality. And I LOVE the chippy goodness throughout. Thanks for all of your creative ideas, Lora.
Your welcome, Meegan! I love the vintage/flowers combo:)
All great ideas!! I have used several of them over the years in my little cottage garden back yard… Thanks for sharing!!
Hugs,
Debbie
You’re so creative, Debbie; I’m sure you’ve done many of these!
I’m in love with every idea here Lora!! I think the hose wreath is my favorite! It’s so cute!
Thanks, Kristin! It’s definitely one of my favorites through the years, too:) I have a couple of them!
Thank you, these were so fun and gave me some great ideas. Have a fun weekend.
Wonderful, Marlene! Glad you enjoyed them:)
Hi Lora,
Always enjoy seeing your collections especially in the garden. So much inspiration!
Thanks, Cindy! Just looking at all this overview got me excited for this year! Still rainy here…
Very creative ideas. Thank you for sharing.
Your welcome, Rebecca!