Thrift Fabulous

 

 

Volunteering at the Habitat Restore

Whatever your style is, or whatever project you're working on, I guarantee the Habitat Restore in Vero Beach has something to offer you! I'm so excited to volunteer and be part of the Habitat for Humanity team! Here's a room vignette I recently designed at the Restore using thrifted finds.

 

Tips for styling with thrift finds-

• It's fun to choose a theme and carry it throughout the room. The rattan headboards, wicker screen, and baskets all work well together. It creates a beachy, breezy, casual feel!
• If possible, but not necessary, buy in pairs. Using a pair of at least one item in a room creates an anchor and then you can mix and match around those key pieces.
• When using decorative pillows, use a variety of patterns and textures. This adds depth and creates interest. Throw pillows are inexpensive at the Restore and they're a great way to pull together a designer look!
• Most importantly have fun! Shopping at the Restore is a win-win situation. You save tons of money, you give back with every purchase, and you can be on trend for almost free! 

 

5 reasons why we love blue and white!

Blue and white...

1. is a true classic
2. it compliments any decor
3. it's a fun pop of color
4. it never goes out of style
5. it works on everything from Chinese export to striped beach cabanas!

 These are a few blue and white items we recently thrifted.

Here are some fun ideas of how to style your own blue and white thrift finds!

 

 

Circle of Thrifting

 

Follow us on Instagram to see all our latest thrift finds!

A little more about the Palm Beach Thrifters!

 

After 25 years, Ambie closed her stores in Nantucket and Florida, and became a professional thrifter. With her keen business sense and trained eye, she scouts out the thrift shops for upscale furniture, designer clothing, and rare antiques to resell for profit. Ambie believes that thrifting is a win, win situation. You save money, give back, and have fun all at the same time!

Ambie and her outlandish boyfriend Tommy make a living buying and selling their valuable thrift treasures. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook!

Even Ambie's stylish and savvy Mother joins in on the hunt. Watch the Palm Beach Thrifters as they thrift and quick flip their finds to eclectic clientele and interior designers across the country.

Ambie's colorful boyfriend with an opinionated personality and out-there-style. He migrated to Florida from Baltimore to work in the citrus groves and become a professional thrifter. He rolls up his Hermes shirtsleeves to get down and dirty in the thrifts. With his eye of an epicurean and his collector’s knowledge, he excavates treasures from the muddled and messy thrift shops. Using his thrift expertise (and big eyeglasses), he inspects artwork, pottery, and Italian glass. He strategically navigates through garbage bags and donation bins in search of the huge score! Using his thrift radar, he zooms in on Danish teak and Mid Century modern furniture knowing that these pieces bring in a huge profit. 

Also known for his competitiveness, he camps out at thrift shops to be first in line on opening day. With a never-give-up attitude and hard-core determination, Tommy rocks the thrifts and brings home the goods!

Always a party girl, her famous line is "It's 5 o'clock somewhere!" Once a country clubber, she now bird-dogs the thrifts for Ambie and Tommy, zeroing in on the hidden treasures. She's kicking up her heels, cocktail in hand, traveling, thrifting and surfing Match.com. She always reminds us that great style has no age.

Shelley is Ambie's sister and is a social butterfly and interior designer who loves to decorate on a dime. Always put together, she peruses the thrifts in her Jackie-O sunglasses and designer loafers. As a design-savvy shopper, with a trained eye, she magically transforms home interiors into thrift show houses!

Juliet is Shelley's daughter (Ambie's niece) and is a Young Palm Beach fashionista who lives for Thrift Couture. Forever on the lookout for a designer find, she digs in the thrifts for chic clothing to resell and finance her lifestyle. As a fashion forward Millennial, she turns second-hand trash into thrift couture, by hemming, altering, embellishing and redesigning thrift shop clothing. By studying the most current fashion trends, she has a flair for creating breathtaking makeovers for friends and clients for pennies on the dollar.

Sailor is Ambie's loyal bird dog thrifter. Sometimes she plops him down in a cart and off they go, scouring the racks for vintage goodies. He loves thrift shopping almost as much as he loves treat time. He brings lots of smiles to everyone he meets!

 

Hans Wegner style folding chair

Hans Wegner. Have you heard of him? He's a mid-century modern furniture designer that crafted wonderfully simple and artistic pieces that can add understated chicness to a room. We found this awesome Hans Wegner style folding chair at the thrifts last week! 

(our instagram)

An important part of knowing what to look for is staying up to date on decor blogs, shelter and fashion magazines and training your design eye. I spotted similar folding chairs in these amazingly decorated spaces below:

(House Beautiful)

 

Casa Vogue, photograph by Fran Parente)

DIY Thriftfabulous interior decorating

Interior shot of the new 11 Howard hotel in NY via Habitually Chic. (Notice the statement couch, the Thonet-style chair and the chandelier).

 

Think about it...with a little patience and a scouter's eye, you can find pieces similar to your favorite interiors! Look what we found at the thrifts below...

Statement couch 

Fabulous Chandelier

Thonet-style chair

DIY Thrifty Palm Beach Style

With a little imagination, a discerning eye and a can of white paint you can turn your thrift finds into spectacular designer pieces for your home! 

 

For inspiration, here are a few photos from One Kings Lane that features Palm Beach Style.

Photo: Meg Braff Designs featured on One Kings Lane

 

 

Check out some of my recent decorator style pieces below that I found in our local thrift shops. That coffee table is identical!

 

Laquered waterfall coffee table, Tommy McDonnell original painting, Missoni style pillows, Pagoda top cabinet.

 

 

 

 Photo: Megan Braff Designs featured on One Kings Lane

 

Turquoise gourd lamps, faux bamboo nightstands, webspun patio furniture.

 

 

Be creative, have fun, and happy thrifting!

 

 

10 Things

I've been to a lot of thrift stores in my life and there are some things that cannot be ignored (even if you don't have the slightest desire to buy. Here is a list of 10 things you're likely to come across in Florida thrift stores. Is there anything I'm forgetting? :) 

1. Flamingos! Figurines, artwork, earrings... The plastic pink Flamingo should be Florida's state bird!
2. Vintage State Souvenir Plates. A funky idea for an accent wall: Have all 50 states plates hung up on in a wall in your dining room. 
   
3. Afghans. Even though it's always hot here in Florida, I'm addicted to buying these colorful blankets and throws. Just looking at a stack of these makes me happy! They are such a throwback.
4. Elvis memorabilia. We are in the South and Elvis definitely rocks the thrifts! Thank you very much...
5. Shot glasses and tropical drink glasses from local beach bars. If these Mai Tai glasses could talk.
6. Puzzles. Always a risk, because there is likely a piece or two missing!
7. Straw Bags. I especially love the vintage ones that were brought back from Bahama cruises. Some you can take to the beach and others are great summer purses.
8. Palm tree anything! Everywhere you look there are palm trees. Wine glasses, lamps, rugs, chandeliers, paintings...
9. Oriental Rugs. People move to Florida and feel the rugs don't fit it to their new tropical coastal look. (Score!!)
   
10. Cotton sundresses. Even if its in the middle of winter you are always going to find a great dress at a Florida thrift shop! Especially Lilly Pulitzer style. A sea of pink , green, and turquoise (and baskets of matching flip flops too).

Thriftfabulous Decorative Tiles

 

 

I found this one single, blue tile while out thrifting this week. It could make a pretty coaster on it's own, but I wish I had come across a whole big boxful! 

If I had come across said box, I imagine it would have looked like something below: