Accessorizing your dining room with
found objects from flea markets and estate sales is a fun, inexpensive
way to add nostalgia and history to your home. Pottery Barn's creative
team scours flea markets all over the world looking for interesting
pieces to combine with and inspire merchandise. Seemingly ordinary finds
that add personality and character to your dining room can include an
Americana foot stool, multifunctional "yelloware" mixing bowls, a rustic
watering can or a timeworn candlestick. When mixed with updated
furnishings, they create a look that is eclectic, unexpected and
completely your own.
If you really like an object that's extra rough around the edges, consider reconditioning it; many pieces can be easily altered to make them ready for display. Woods can be whitewashed to brighten them up, metals can be stripped, and lived-in dining chairs can be re-upholstered in a favorite fabric or given new cushion pads. Covering a dilapidated metal or wood table with mosaic tiles is a relatively easy way to transform the look of the piece.
The important thing to remember when selecting second-hand objects for your dining room is to trust your instincts. If something catches your eye across the crowded tables of a flea market, go take a closer look. Relying on your first reaction when shopping is the key to creating a dining room space that reflects your own creativity and vision.
If you really like an object that's extra rough around the edges, consider reconditioning it; many pieces can be easily altered to make them ready for display. Woods can be whitewashed to brighten them up, metals can be stripped, and lived-in dining chairs can be re-upholstered in a favorite fabric or given new cushion pads. Covering a dilapidated metal or wood table with mosaic tiles is a relatively easy way to transform the look of the piece.
The important thing to remember when selecting second-hand objects for your dining room is to trust your instincts. If something catches your eye across the crowded tables of a flea market, go take a closer look. Relying on your first reaction when shopping is the key to creating a dining room space that reflects your own creativity and vision.