Vintage decor that never goes out of style

Vintage goods hail from many eras ranging from early 20th century ironstone to ‘80s princess phones, and what we’re drawn to is largely a matter of personal taste.

But there are some goods that transcend time, hold near universal appeal and never risk tumbling into kitsch. One indisputable hallmark of timeless style is quality: things that were made with fine materials and careful craftsmanship tend to be durable and retain their color and shape. Some items even get better with time: a weathered trestle table whose dings and scrapes add patina; a leather stool worn to a polished sheen; enamel splatter-print camp dishes with character-imbuing chips .

Here are 5 decor categories that are always worth a second look when shopping estate sales, thrift stores and flea markets:

1. Nautical decor
   Paintings of seagoing vessels. Navigational charts and maps. Model ships. Smooth driftwood. Colorful buoys. Obviously these things work best at waterfront properties but nautical painints and model ships can bring jaunty coastal flavor to almost any home without looking out of place. Staring out at the sea is soothing and conjures the romance of a different age when transportation took weeks and months, not hours. Stores like Home Goods are now overflowing with glaringly new monkey’s paw rope knots and “What happens at the Beach stays at the Beach signs”, making authentic vintage finds all the more coveted.

2. Baskets
   Baskets are made from natural fibers, and just like plants, they bring organic softness indoors. I love that baskets are both practical and decorative and as old as humanity: we have always needed containers to hold and carry our stuff and baskets and bowls were our first carryalls. As people traveled around the world, they brought baskets with them, spreading and inspiring different weaving techniques and artistry using local grasses, bark and reeds. Check for holes and fraying and stock your place liberally with baskets, which are so much prettier than plastic bins. I like placing them on open shelving in bedrooms for guests’ belongings, which are more accessible and easier to move around than bureaus.

3. Linen napkins and embroidered runners
   Estate sales are overflowing with beautifu, inexpensivel old linens that families kept tucked away in chests and drawers, many of them never used. Linen cocktail napkins look great on a sideboard or coffee table. Embroidered runners can bring personality to a dining table or draped over a wooden chair. They also make fantastic, unexpected hostess gifts.

4. Pendleton blankets
   They are so gorgeous, hold up incredibly well over time and instantly evoke different regions of the U.S. Founded in the late 1800s in the eponymous eastern Oregon town, the Pendleton Woolen Mills still turn out soft, tightly woven wool blankets in vivid colors and patterns. You’ll find these at flea markets and estate sales, occasionally at a thrift shop. Keep an eye out for the baby blankets; their small size makes them ideal for draping over the corner of a rustic wooden sidetable, blanket ladder or side chair. Blankets made after 1965 bear a Woolmark label in the lower righthand corner, ensuring their authenticity.

5. Painted tin trays
   Like baskets, trays are incredibly useful and are handy in Airbnbs for carrying food and drinks from kitchen to patio and for holding magazines, coffee service or any number of utilitarian and decorative objects. Known as toleware or tole painting (from a French phrase for “painted sheet metal”), they are made of tin that has been lacquered and adorned with a design–often floral on a black background. A Welshman invented the process in the 1600s, applying paint and lacquer tin household objects to prevent them from rusting. English settlers continued the practice in New England in the 1700s, giving rise to American toleware. Painted trays also double as artwork propped on a bookshelf.