Easy DIY Thrift Store Home Decor Upcycle Ideas

Spruce up your home with these creative home decor upcycle ideas! These upcycling ideas are a great way to decorate on a budget!

If you are looking to refresh your home decor without breaking the bank then this post is for you! 

Upcycling thrift store home decor is the perfect solution! By repurposing unused or old items, you can give your space a unique and personalized touch. 

Be inspired to transform thrift store finds into chic statement pieces to decorate your home on a budget.  There are endless possibilities for adding character and charm to your living space.

In this post, I will show you how to upcycle a thrifted 1990s urn, as well as share inspiration for upcycling projects like lampshades, old plates, wooden trays, and more!

The following post may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and then buy something, I will make a small commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for supporting my blog. full disclosure here.

where to shop for old home decor items

It’s so easy to find pieces to upcycle for your home! You can visit thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales, ReStore, and even your own home to find outdated home decor. Any home decor piece you are tired of looking at can be changed bringing a fresh new look!

I will show you step by step how to upcycle a thrift 1990s decorative urn and a couple of salt and pepper shakers. And later in the post, I have even more upcycling ideas for you! Let’s get started with this upcycled project!

​upcycled 1990s decorative urn

​This resin urn has seen better days. Specifically in the 1990s. I loved 90s decor, did you? Over my 40 years of home ownership, I have seen many decor styles come and go. I loved every one of those styles! Well, at least most of them!

The 90s were times for stores like Kirkland’s, Pier One Imports, and other stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls. These stores were (and still are!) packed with gorgeous up-to-date home decor pieces.

People are getting tired of them so we are seeing them in the local thrift store and yard sales. 

This tall resin decorative urn falls right in line with a statement piece you might see in these kinds of stores. But the look of it needs to change to fit my style. 

Paint is a creative way to change the look of just about anything making this a simple DIY project. That is one of the reasons I love paint so much!

Here are the steps I took to give this urn a new lease of life.

step one clean the urn

I used a damp microfiber cloth to wipe the piece down thoroughly. The microfibers of the cloth grab dirt and grime. It’s an easy way to clean a little piece of thrifted home decor like this urn.

step two paint the urn

​Yep, I’m painting this resin urn! You can use spray paint when upcycling projects but I like to use a paint brush. This French tip brush helped to get the paint into all of the crevices of this decorative piece.

I used Silk All In One Chalk Mineral paint. Two coats is all this piece needed to cover the old color on this urn! That’s a little chalk paint magic for ya, especially when the paint has a built-in primer and sealer!

step three prep the salt and pepper shakers

I’ve had these sweet bird salt and pepper shakers for a while. They used to be part of a birdcage hanging light I made for our front porch a couple of years ago. I like to change home decor items around our house and give them a second life so it was time to change that hanging light when I made a new hanging light fixture using scrap fabric.

​The salt and pepper holes were filled in with wood filler. Once the filler was dried, I sanded it smooth and wiped away the dust. Then I painted them using the same color as the urn.

step four add gold painted details

This decorative urn had pretty handles on each side as well as a decorative base. I decided to highlight those areas and painted them in gold metallic paint. Any color of metallic paint would be gorgeous, don’t you think?

step five create a distress and an aged look

​Once the salt and pepper shakers and urn were completely dry, I used an old kitchen knife with sharp edges to distress the paint. It revealed the original gold color perfectly!

Then I applied one coat of dark wax to the shakers and the urn. This created the perfect aged look!

thanks for being here!

I hope you are enjoying this project! Let me know if you have any questions. Or leave me a comment to tell me about your project and ideas!

thanks, Cindy 😀

Tap here to comment!

step six final touches

Lastly, I added florist foam to the inside of the urn, some green moss, and a handmade grapevine wreath. Then I used some hot glue to the foam and glued the birds into their little nest!

upcycled home decor reveal

Don’t you love this urn now? It’s such a good use of outdated home decor! And it only cost a few dollars on my last Goodwill shopping trip!

more upcycling ideas

I’ve gathered a list of home decor pieces you can upcycle. These pieces can be found at all the regular shopping spots like Goodwill, Salvation Army, privately owned thrift shops, auctions, and yard sales.

Keep your eyes open for outdated, unused items and even for free items! Get your creative juices flowing with the DIY decor ideas I have listed for you here! Be sure to check out the gallery of many of my best upcycling ideas. You will find inspiration here!

Later in this post, you will see that you can join my Facebook group Recreate and Decorated with Reinvented Delaware. Join so you can share your upcycling project, upcycled furniture, and repurposed projects with me and the group!

​lamp shades

These are among my favorite upcycle projects! The ideas are endless and are such an easy DIY project!

simple glass vase light

Look for glass pieces that can be turned into unique lighting for your home.

​old plates

I said lampshades were my favorite projects to upcycle but I also have another favorite! Old plates like ironstone and transferware can be used for decor. I created a wall gallery in our bedroom. Also, I used them as an alternative Christmas tree!

​wooden board

Old cutting boards are fun to upcycle. Check out these two ideas!

thrift store lamps

Outdated lamps are a dime a dozen at the thrift store. even a cheap faux brass lamp is easy to makeover!

wooden and melamine trays

​Create risers from small wooden trays with a few simple materials! Melamine trays are easy to makeover with paint and transfers!

ceramic birds and other ceramic pieces

​Ceramic pieces can be picked up for just a few dollars each! Grab them and paint them!

cloth napkins

​Grab cloth napkins while out thrift shopping and upcycle them into cute decor pumpkins!

fabric tote bags

Yes, yes and yes you can paint a fabric tote bag!

silver plate pitchers & more

Silver plate pieces are easy to upcycle with a little bit of gilding wax. Even if the handle and feet are broken!

Turn a silver chafing dish into a riser decorative accent!

luggage rack

I see luggage racks often. They usually only need a little paint and new webbing to make them usable again!

outdated florals

Most thrift stores have a plethora of outdated floral containers and decor. If it has good bones, grab it! Freshen the flowers with new flowers and wa-la, you have a lovely arrangement!

more upcycled home decor ideas

• Vintage frame wall gallery: Find a variety of frames at the thrift store, paint them in coordinating colors, and hang them on your wall for a unique and personalized gallery.
• Upcycled planters: Transform old tin cans or ceramic dishes into stylish planters by painting them in fun colors or patterns.
• Repurposed bookshelf: Turn an old ladder into a rustic bookshelf by adding wooden planks to create shelves for displaying books and decor items.
• Thrifted fabric pillow covers: Give new life to old throw pillows by sewing custom covers using vintage fabrics found at the thrift store.
• Chalkboard serving tray: Paint an old wooden tray with chalkboard paint to create a versatile serving piece that can be customized for different occasions.
• Vintage suitcase side table: Stack two vintage suitcases on top of each other and add legs to create a unique side table with hidden storage.
• Repainted furniture: Update outdated furniture pieces with a fresh coat of paint in a bold color or trendy design.
• Embellished mirrors: Add decorative trim or painted details to plain thrifted mirrors for a custom look that reflects your style.
• Mason jar candle holders: Fill empty mason jars with sand, shells, or colored stones to create charming candle holders perfect for outdoor entertaining or cozy nights at home.

YouTube video

Looking for more ideas and inspiration? Check out this video – it’s got five more upcycling ideas for you and your home!

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