Estate sales offer shoppers the chance to find antiques in the homes where they were collected and used, often without the added cost of a dealer. That combination makes them a favorite hunting ground for interior designers, who value the opportunity to assess an item’s quality, scale, and patina in context.
The designers highlighted 10 categories that regularly make their estate sale wish lists: vintage glassware, candlestick holders, copper kitchenware, pottery, culturally rich treasures, distinctive furniture, vintage rugs, artwork, old books, and intaglios.
Vintage glassware, including ice buckets and goblets, can add color and personality to kitchens and dining rooms. Designer Paige Loperfido also recommends hand-painted porcelain and midcentury ceramics, which can be used practically or displayed as decorative objects, including vintage plates mounted on walls.
Antique candlestick holders are another versatile find. Krystal Reinhard describes them as a quick way to add warmth, height, and romance. They can be arranged in pairs on mantels and consoles or grouped at different heights on dining and coffee tables.
Valerie Helgeson particularly looks for copper kitchenware, often displaying it with other vintage finds such as turned-wood bowls, old cutting boards, and bread bowls. Pottery is also popular for its texture and appealing imperfections. Reinhard suggests placing it on open shelving, sideboards, or tables and combining it with more refined materials such as brass, stone, or glass.
Loperfido favors culturally rich objects collected from around the world, including Chinese antiques such as foo dogs and ginger jars, as well as majolica fish candlesticks, figurative pieces, and midcentury glazed pottery. She says these items can bring craftsmanship and character to bookshelves, nightstands, and end tables.
For furniture, Helgeson searches for pieces with strong silhouettes that can anchor a room. She recommends using other vintage accessories around them, helping newer furnishings feel part of a collected interior.
Vintage rugs are another designer favorite because they introduce color, pattern, and age immediately. Reinhard uses them in spaces ranging from powder rooms and mudrooms to seating areas, where they can help define and anchor the furniture.
Estate sales can also make original artwork more accessible. Reinhard looks for individual statement pieces, small groupings, and combinations of vintage art with modern works and personal photographs.
Old books, particularly leather-bound collections and books about art, history, and travel, add personality and a sense of story. They can be stacked on coffee tables, placed on consoles and shelves, or used as risers to create height.
Finally, Loperfido recommends keeping an eye out for intaglios. These finely etched artworks are easy to overlook, but their detailed imagery can add sophistication and historical texture, especially when displayed against neutral or patterned backgrounds.
Sources: House Beautiful.