My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

Last week I shared a breakdown of all our favorite go-to antique stores around the Waynesboro, Virginia, area where we live, and this week I’m back to show you what I actually scored from those shops! Over the years I’ve gotten much better at simply window shopping for secondhand finds. I used to feel obligated to buy something at every store we went to, and subsequently ended up taking three or four frenzied carloads of stuff to charity the week before we moved in 2015.

It was a huge learning experience for me, and forced me to realize that I had a shopping addiction. So, now I do my best to appreciate the cool things I find while antiquing, but I don’t feel the need to actually buy everything. Instead, I pick the item up, appreciate it for a moment or two, and then put it down for the next person to find. It’s pretty rare that I go out with the intent to buy anything these days because our home feels really complete and settled, but I do have a little running list of items that I want to keep a casual eye out for whenever my mom and I go antique store hopping, which is one of our favorite pastimes to do together.

Today is one of those rare stories when I can tell you about a handful of secondhand scores that I intentionally went out looking for, digital list in hand (I use the Notes app on my phone for reference). I spent under $200 on these 10 pieces, but each one feels like such a treasure to me, and has added a thoughtful layer to our home that I love spotting as I move throughout my day.

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

First up is this collection of black and white seaside line drawings. In case you didn’t know, I went to school to study art, and my focus was on drawing. It’s my absolute favorite medium, and I always, always have to stop and take a closer look at framed drawings whenever I’m out antiquing.

The first piece I picked up on this particular summer 2021 outing was the sailboats you see above. I really adore woven fabric mats, so the custom framing was an instant draw for me, but I also loved the piece of art itself, and thought it would look really nice paired with the seaside line drawing I had purchased from a local antique store a year or so ago and recently had reframed. The boats art piece was listed for just $24, so I decided to go for it. Then, I happened to find three other ocean-themed drawings at different secondhand shops, so it turned into a bit of a collection.

As you see pictured above, I hung all of the new-to-us art in a group above the board-and-batten wall in our lounge along with the older piece I had reframed earlier this year. I made way for this collection by selling off some mass-produced posters I had in that spot before. I thought the posters looked really cool in the space, but I’ve lately been feeling the urge to curate more unique gallery walls in our home, so I’m passing the reproduction-type art to other homes in order to make room for these more sophisticated vintage collections. I love how it’s shaping up, and plan to keep adding to it whenever I happen to come across other seaside drawings.

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

I was feeling pretty inspired by the lounge gallery wall, so I decided to experiment by creating a second one in our bedroom. I used a couple of posters we had in storage, plus some other vintage art I’ve had for a while. I also included a brand new vintage painting (the little meadow path with clouds and mountains in the background) that I scored for just $10 from a shop in Staunton.

I liked the collection, but, truthfully, the room wasn’t feeling totally pulled-together at that point. I ended up making the rash decision to start fresh with the design of our main bedroom, and listed the entire gallery wall for sale on a whim on my Instagram account. I didn’t really think it would sell, but it did within just a couple of hours, so my new-to-me little painting almost immediately went to a different home. Bummer!

Its new owner absolutely adored the art work, though, especially together as a group, so it’s hard for me to be too disappointed. The person had just moved to the area and was building up her décor resources, so that made the transfer a much happier one for me. I also figured out a way to preserve the vintage pathway painting I had just bought so that we can still keep it in our collection! I’ll explain more about that when it arrives.

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

Since making a commitment to read more books this year, I’m constantly looking for new books to add to our floating shelves in the living room. I’ve gotten so many great novels for only a couple of bucks at thrift stores. In my opinion, books feel like one of those things that you should always prioritize buying secondhand. There are, frankly, too many copies of books in the world, so it’s one of my favorite things to buy at used book stores and antique shops. This “new” biography I just bought at Staunton Antiques Center all about Georgia O’Keeffe is already next on my list to read this fall.

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

Okay, so what else did I buy secondhand this summer? Well, I decided to add just a few little fall-themed goodies to my décor stash ahead of autumn and fall decorating since the season is just around the corner. I ended up finding a beautiful amber-colored vase at Greenwood Antiques that feels very “fall” to me without looking too obvious—that’s my favorite way to decorate seasonally. It cost just $15 and actually came with the dried hydrangeas. I’m not sure that the super delicate flowers will last past this fall/winter, but they’re beautiful for now, and I’m sure I can find other fillers for the vase next year.

I grabbed a couple of other loosely fall-themed accents from Stuarts Draft Antique Mall, but I’m going to save that story for next week. I’ve got a fall decorating post set aside on my calendar where I plan to explain my tips for making your dining room look like fall without going over the top, so stay tuned for that.

My Summer 2021 Secondhand ScoresMy Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

The last item that I found was a $40 wooden piano bench from Circa. I had actually seen it in the shop before and considered it for this awkwardly thin spot between the sofa and wall in our lounge, but I just wasn’t sure. I did decide to go for it this fourth visit to the shop, though, because (a) it was still there, (b) it fit my budget, and (c), it really was the perfect dimensions for that tiny corner. I love that it has storage under the lift-up seat, too, so I can easily hide away the remote when we’re not using it.

So, there you have it! I think, all told, I spent about $175 on my treasures: the vase with dried flowers, four pieces of vintage framed art, original painting on canvas, the bench, used book, brass leaf bowl, and tiered serving tray (which, again, I’ll explain more about next week). I know that’s a little high for secondhand shopping, but we tend to prefer going to curated antique stores over true “thrift” shops, so I generally spend a little more when we go secondhand hunting. What’s your best vintage find from summer 2021?

My Summer 2021 Secondhand Scores

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Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

I’ve been getting lots of requests lately for a list of local secondhand shops in and around our area of Waynesboro, Virginia, so I figured it was a good time to do an updated list here on the blog, that way I could link you guys right to it! I know this post will be most interesting to the folks in our direct vicinity, but I personally love hearing about other people’s favorite antique shops, even if they are far away from me, so hopefully some of you feel the same. Let’s get to it.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Circa in Charlottesville

I had been coming to Circa long before we actually moved to the area. It used to be about an hour’s trek from our previous home (and worth every minute), but now we’re only a 35-minute drive away, so I go as often as possible. One of my favorite things about Circa is the fact that, no matter how often you go, there’s always something new to see. Their inventory changes constantly! I also really love how they curate and arrange their items. It’s definitely at the top of my list. Just about half of the décor and furniture in our home came from Circa. Oh, and this shop is especially good for you fellow mid-century lovers out there.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

The Habitat Store in Charlottesville

Just around the corner and up the hill from Circa is The Habitat Store, so it’s another place we visit often. We hardly ever go to Circa without also scheduling some time for Habitat. Like at Circa, items inside change over frequently, so there’s always something new to discover, but I will say that it’s more often a “miss” than a “hit”—at least in comparison to Circa, who does such a good job at sourcing and curating their finds (Habitat is made up of donations, after all!). It’s absolutely worth the trek, though, because we’ve scored some major wins at Habitat, especially for my parents’ house since they moved here. It’s a great spot to find light fixtures to replace the builder-grade versions your space might have come with, and I also have really good luck with finding good vintage art there.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Heyday Antiques & Vintage

Before you leave the area of Circa and The Habitat Store, go pop into Heyday! This is a new store that I just recently visited for the first time, and was super impressed. The price range between booths is pretty broad, so there’s bound to be something within your budget, and the style of goods is also huge. Whether your aesthetic is mid-century, traditional, quirky, or somewhere in between, I guarantee you’ll find something to love in this shop! I ended up finding my dream Eames-style lounge chair here, and can’t wait to go back to look for more retro treasures.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Stuarts Draft Antique Mall in Stuarts Draft

Honestly, we don’t really have all that many thrift store options here in Waynesboro itself. There’s a Goodwill in town, but I never go there because I drop too much of my own stuff off there, and it would depress me to see our old décor on their shelves. The closest antique store to us that I absolutely adore is Stuarts Draft Antique Mall. It’s huge with plenty to see, although, admittedly, inventory doesn’t change over nearly as often as the other two stores I mentioned above. I really appreciate their Instagram and Facebook pages, because the owners update those spaces often with photos of new-in items. There have been multiple times when I spotted a cool piece in a social media post of theirs, and I was out the door in a flash to grab it. Items at Stuarts Draft Antique Mall tend to be more in the farmhouse/rustic style, but I’ve found enough mid-century scores over the years to make it worth a consistent drop-in spot for me. Our home décor is roughly an even split of 50% Circa and 50% Stuarts Draft Antique Mall.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Staunton Antiques Center in Staunton

When we first moved to Waynesboro, I was completely new to the area. We chose this city on a whim six years ago, and I really had no clue about other surrounding cities. One weekend after moving here, we decided to do a bit of exploring, and we found ourselves in Staunton. My mind was blown! It has such a beautiful little downtown area, with lots of secondhand shops, restaurants (go to Yelping Dog!), and other types of speciality stores (we love Latitudes). When we came upon Staunton Antiques Center while walking along the street, I was practically giddy. This store is also really large, and has two floors of antique treasures to sift through. It’s one of the few antique centers near us that I can always count on to have mid-century pieces, too.

TIP: Don’t miss The Artisans Loft above the Staunton Antiques Center (there’s a staircase to access the top floor inside the antique store). I’ve found so many beautiful handmade items up there, especially pottery.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Covesville Store Antiques in Covesville

John and I used to go to Covesville Store Antiques before we moved to town, so it’s not super new to me, but we now live much closer to it, which is a dream come true. The drive out there on Plank Road through Batesville is so lovely, and once you arrive at the store, you’re inevitably hit with sensory overload (in the best possible way!). Again, it tends to cater more toward folks who like rustic décor, but we still find lots to love. The handmade mid-century tile top coffee table that everyone always asks about in our family room came from there, and we’ve also gotten cool retro art and table lamps. You must check it out, but beware of the second floor slope. It’s a really old building and can make you feel a little seasick, haha.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Alpha and Omega Antique Mall

The best news of all is that this one is actually right in Waynesboro where we live! Alpha and Omega Antique Mall is full of treasures that run the gamut in terms of pricing, so I think it’s a very safe bet that you’ll find something to fit your budget. I’ve only been once so far, but I feel like it’s going to be a great spot to find vintage art, records, books, and furniture pieces, too. I snapped a few photos of items in the shop when I went last week that I might just have to go back for. Definitely check it out if you’re in the area, and tell the really sweet staff and owners that I sent you!

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, VirginiaAntique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

Greenwood Antiques & Uniques in Greenwood

One newer-to-us place to shop for secondhand goodies is Greenwood Antiques & Uniques. We happened upon it on one of our frequent trips to Crozet for dinner, and it has since become an absolute favorite. It’s highly curated, which makes shopping so much easier, but I will say the prices can be on the higher side. Not everything is pricey, though, and we’ve gotten some really beautiful scores from the booths at Greenwood Antiques. They also sell more than just antiques. There are handmade home goods (like cool wood and marble cutting boards), paint supplies, and sweet-smelling lotions. Check it out the next time you head to Crozet or want to go to Chiles Peach Orchard, which is right around the corner from Greenwood Antiques & Uniques.

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

That pile of secondhand scores you see pictured above came from my most recent summer 2021 antique shopping excursions, and I’ll be going into detail about what I bought, where the pieces came from, and where they ended up in our house next week on the blog, so stay tuned for that on Tuesday. Now, tell me a little bit about your own favorite local secondhand shops in the comments, or if you’re local and I missed one of your favorites, let me know below so I can update the list!

Antique Stores Near Waynesboro, Virginia

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