My Thrifted Fall Makeover: Secrets to Stylish Secondhand Decor

Do you want to create a curated look in your home? I’ll let you in on my secret: thrifting! By shopping for secondhand finds, you can not only create a unique look in your home, but it’s also good for your budget! Let me show you how I decorate with secondhand finds for a stylish Fall makeover to my entryway.

Fall Makeover with Secondhand Finds

One of my very favorite ways to decorate for Fall is by thrifting! Scouting for secondhand treasures isn’t just kind to your wallet—it’s the perfect way to find unique pieces that tell a story and make your decor truly one-of-a-kind.

I’ve had some amazing luck on my recent thrift hauls and found the most fantastic pieces to style my home for the season. I’m so excited to show you how I used my budget-friendly finds to create a stylish and cozy entryway vignette that welcomes everyone in with Autumnal charm!

There’s something truly special about giving pre-loved treasures a new home, especially during the cozy fall season. This year, I challenged myself to create a warm, inviting space using almost entirely secondhand finds. Let me show you how a little thrift store magic can transform your home without stretching your budget…

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Thrift Shopping Tips: Look For Pieces w/ Potential

When shopping at secondhand stores, keep an eye out for items that have the potential to be transformed into something new and beautiful. This could be anything from an old lamp to a wooden tray.

I have countless thrift store makeovers on this website! With a little creativity, you can create a curated look in your home that looks like it was years in the making.

Sometimes you will spot something that is fantastic as is, and you know exactly what you can do with it in your home. Then there are other times when you are just drawn to something and have no idea what it could become (those end up being my favorites).

Get Creative With Paint!

One of the easiest ways to transform thrift store finds is with a fresh coat of paint. Consider using Fall colors like rust, mustard, and olive green to give your pieces a cozy autumn feel. Today I’m doing a makeover with black paint.

One of my superpowers is transforming ugly vases that I found at the thrift store or flea market into pieces that look like they came from Pottery Barn, etc.!

Secondhand vase upcycle: From Dated To Fab!

So on a recent thrift trip, I spotted a really dated-looking ceramic vase buried on the shelf. I looked beyond the painted leaves to the really fantastic shape it had! It’s not that easy to find handled vases at the thrift store, so when I see one, I jump on it!

This is going to be a simple makeover. No special products or anything! We will just be using paint to give this dated vase a new life.

Step 1: Paint Vase

Using a matte black spray paint, I did a light, even coat over the vase when it was standing upright. Don’t forget to spray some into the opening, since most likely this will show a bit too.

Once it was dry, I flipped it over and repeated the process. By doing it this way, you will get all the nooks and crannies around the handles and under the rim at the top.

To replicate this project, make sure to use matte spray paint, which will help give your vase an authentic aged look.

Step 2: Add Details

Once the black spray paint was completely dry, it was time to add some easy paint details to the vase to give it a Pottery Barn catalog look.

• Large chip brush
• Putty/Sand colored chalk or matte acrylic paint

You will be using a very small amount of paint to add the paint detail. Using a paper towel (you could use a paper plate) I added a little bit of a putty shade of chalk paint to it. I dipped the tips of the chip brush into the paint to cover all of the bristles and tapped off the excess onto the paper towel.

All I did was make a simple hashtag pattern on the vase. Keeping a light touch with the paintbrush.

There is no right or wrong with how much detail to add; I just kept going until I thought the vase looked good.

Add Natural Seasonal Accents

Foraged leaves, textural gourds, dried flowers, feathers, and pinecones to create that cozy, autumnal vibe. It’s an easy, beautiful, and budget-friendly way to make your home feel instantly like Fall—without a trip to the craft store.

I‘ve been absolutely loving the timeless charm of dried botanicals in my decor lately—and they’re absolutely perfect for creating that cozy Fall feeling!

For a simple yet elegant touch on my entryway table, I bundled some peach-toned dried statice and tied it with a soft mustard velvet ribbon. It’s a look that feels both effortless and classic.

My best-kept secret? Trader Joe’s is my favorite place to find flowers for drying. They always have a wonderful, ever-changing selection of blooms that preserve beautifully.”

In a vintage French measuring container that I bought on sale (around $30) at a local antique shop a couple of years ago, I popped in a bunch of dried cress that I grew in my garden.

Feathers may not be something you have thought about when decorating for Fall. I love the added texture and colors that feathers add! In this great thrift store find…this vintage handled jug was just $6.99!

It was marked “as is” because of the chip, please no one tell them that the chip makes it even better and more authentic looking…shhhhh!!

2 out of the 3 feathers were found by me outside. My favorite is the big wild turkey feather. Our backyard is a wild turkey highway!

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Think Outside The Box

Think of creative ways to upcycle secondhand things that you have and add interesting pieces to your Fall displays.

One budget-friendly trick that I use to curate a space is to mix in classic artwork. It’s a quick and easy way to get that catalog or magazine-styled look! Next time you are scrolling or flipping through a design site, notice their use of artwork; it instantly makes the space feel expensive.

So let me share a fabulous little DIY idea to upcycle an old framed sign. You probably have one of these around somewhere.

I have a pile of word signs and artwork that aren’t my style anymore, but they have great frames. So I’ve started upcycling some of them. That way I’m getting the benefits of feeling creative and also saving a few bucks!

I printed out a portrait that had the whole moody vibe going on that I thought was interesting for a Fall display. But instead of cardstock, I used printable burlap sheets for the image. Bam, instant vintage art!!!

I trimmed it to fit inside the frame and glued it in place (either with Mod Podge or spray adhesive).

• Portrait of a Child-Corot pdf
• Burlap Printer Sheets

Mix and match

Finally, don’t be afraid to mix and match! Not every single thing you add to your Fall home has to be “Fall”. Mix and match non-seasonal decor with seasonal.

I always say a room isn’t quite finished without a plant—whether it’s real or faux! So when I spotted this gorgeous green planter bowl on a thrifting trip last month, I knew it had to come home with me. For just $5.49, its unique color and shape were an absolute steal!

I’ve styled it here in my Fall entryway with a beautiful prayer plant tucked inside. If you’re new to plant parenthood, this is a wonderful variety to start with. They thrive in bright, indirect light and only need water when the top half of the soil feels dry.”

Putting It All Together: Stylish Fall Look with Secondhand Finds

A few well-placed upcycled pieces can add a lot of character and charm to your Autumnal home decor. Let me show you how this entryway all came together!

My house is pretty small, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to make big statements when I am decorating it! My entryway table is right next to the front door and opens to the living room.

For a simple look that will last all through the Fall season, I added preserved leaf branches to the vase. They are from Terrain, and here are this year’s colors.

A fun way to use secondhand books to decorate is by tying a few similar-sized books together with a ribbon or twine. Here, I used 3 vintage green books from a local vintage shop, wrapped a jute string around them, and popped in a pheasant feather. Not necessarily screaming “Fall is here” but still feeling seasonal.

Next to the wall mirror (which was also a bargain, on clearance at Lowe’s for under $25!) I hung a row of small frames that have a vintage flair but were new finds at Home Goods. To fill them, I printed out more moody art.

You can see how I transitioned this living room area from a Summer to a Fall look for more thrifty inspiration.

So, I hope you take away that secondhand doesn’t mean “junky”! If you haven’t tried thrifting or vintage shopping to decorate your home…what are you waiting for??!!! Secondhand shopping is my secret for getting a put-together look that you can’t achieve by filling your cart at Target. So save yourself a few bucks and hit your local thrift store this weekend, you never know what you will find!!

xo, Jennifer

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