How to Make High End Home Decor from Thrift Finds | Easy Designer Dupes Anyone Can DIY

Well, you guys I just got back from the most amazing neighborhood yard sale and I cannot wait to show you everything I picked up And exactly what I did with it all. If you have ever walked past a thrift store or a yard sale and thought What could I possibly do with that? This video is going to completely change the way you see secondhand finds Because today we are taking some seriously humble thrifted and yard sale pieces and turning them into high-end Designer looking home decor and honestly some of these transformations are so good that even I did a double take We have a got a gorgeous basket makeover a stunning handmade wall charger Beautifully beautiful candlestick styling a vase that is a dead ringer for a pottery barn piece That's some really lovely wall art using thrifted frames all easy all budget-friendly and all something You can absolutely do at home if you're new here. Welcome I'm Sonia and this is the channel where we make luxury happen on the budget Make sure you hit subscribe and tap the bell So you never miss a new video because we do this kind of thing all the time around here. Let's get right into it Every year there's a neighborhood that does a street wide yard sale and you guys the finds are absolutely incredible I honestly look forward to it every single year this year did not disappoint and the very first thing I want to show you is this basket the second I saw this I grabbed it because it's such a close dupe to a pottery barn basket They have on their website right now and that is exactly how I plan to use it I want to use it as a storage piece in a bathroom Just like the pottery barn inspiration and I think it is going to look so beautiful when you're thrifting For baskets don't overlook ones that look a little dirty or dull a good clean and a little wax can completely Transform a tired basket into something that looks brand new So the first thing I did was give this basket a really good cleaning You want to make sure you remove any dust debris or old residue before you do anything else? This is such an important step. It makes a huge difference in the final result. Now. Here's the fun part I wanted to add handles to this basket So it looked even more like the pottery barn version and I use something you might already have at home a bamboo Broomstick from Dollarama. I love finding unexpected uses for dollar store items like this you can also use a Toilet plunger that comes with the wooden handle that handle would be perfect for this as well I had one on hand So I cut it down to size to fit through the holes on either side of the basket When measuring for handles like this measure twice and cut once I mark my cutting lines with tape This keeps everything in place and gives you a really clean accurate cut once I had my measurements I took the piece outside and my husband cut it for me right there in the garage Then I bought it back in and gave the ends a little sanding just to smooth everything out and I also scuff sanded the whole piece Now for the finish and this is the step that takes this basket from thrift find to designer piece I used the brown Dixie Belle bestang wax This is almost like an antiquing wax and it gives such a beautiful warm rich tone I applied it all over them all over the stick a Handle and worked it in really well I actually used this exact same technique a few weeks ago when I made a book holder using bamboo cutting Boards from Dollar Tree and I loved the way that turned out so I knew it would be perfect here, too Dixie Belle wax is one of my absolute favorite products for giving thrifty pieces that warm age Expensive look a little goes a long way and working in with a brush or clot in circular motions and buffing it out for a gorgeous Finish and here is how it looks styled in a bathroom Oh, I just love this so much. Not only is it incredibly stylish, but it's also completely functional It holds everything beautifully This is what thrifting is all about you guys a $3 yard sale basket a bamboo stick from Dollarama and a little wax and Look at the result Okay, next up is one of my favorite projects in this video because I have been eyeing a decor This type of wall decor for a while now You see them everywhere pottery barn crack and barrel or barrel monkey and co and they are they are all Waste so beautiful, but also so expensive So when I spotted this charger at the yard sale for just $3, I stopped in my tracks It was about 16 and a half inches wide Which is a really nice substantial size for wall decor and I immediately knew this was going to be a wall piece when thrifting for Chargers or plates to use as wall decor look for ones that are at least 12 inches wide Anything smaller tends to get lost on a wall the bigger the better for impact So I cleaned this piece up really well, and here's a little decision I made along the way that I think is worth sharing I was originally going to use the front of the charger, but then flipping it over I realized the back was actually going to work much better The texture was perfect and it would be it would be a little easier to hang So if you're ever working with a charger or a plate don't overlook the back sometimes it is the better side Maybe for the charger is not so much for the plates. I Divided the charger into sections Using I use painters tape to mask off every other one and Then using the same brown Dixie belt wax I colored in alternating sections This created such a beautiful geometric design and look so intentional and high-end You can really make this your own paint every other section in the metallic use a different color wax or even try a stencil pattern There are so many gorgeous ideas online for chart for wall decor and the technique is the same no matter what style you choose What I love about the wax for this project is how easily and evenly goes on I wanted just a slightly different variation rather than a totally different color just enough contrast to create that beautiful Geometric effect once the wax was dry I pulled back the tape and I was so pleased with how clean those lines were To hang it up. I simply tied a piece of twine through the back You could also add a proper plate hanger hook if you prefer But I found the twine was completely sufficient and it adds a really lovely natural touch And here it is hanging on the wall, and I just love it It is unique sword artisan looking and the best part is I can build around it add smaller pieces layering other textures make it into a little gallery moment a $3.00 charger and a little wax that is that is it you guys Now these next pieces did not require a lot of DIY necessarily, but they did require Serious amount of elbow grease and I think that is such an important thing to talk about when it comes to directing Sometimes the transformation and that's about what you add is about what you remove I picked up these two candlesticks a value village It's a smaller one was priced priced at $6.99 and the larger one at $4.99 But I ended up getting both for $4.99 Which was a very happy which I was very happy about The problem was the day they were absolutely colored in old wax drips like completely coated When thrifting candlesticks or candle holders never pass them up just because they were waxy or dirty Old wax is almost always removable and underneath. There's often a gorgeous piece waiting to to come out I started by trying to remove the wax using white lightning cleaner and while it was Working it was going to take me forever at that rate. So I switched strategies I took both pieces to the sink and ran really hot water over them and that took the wax right off Such a game-changer tip if you are ever dealing with waxy thrifted candles pieces Hot water is honestly your best friend for removing old candle wax from thrifty pieces or for many pieces Run the hottest water your tap will give you do it directly over the wax and it will melt right away No chemicals needed after the hot water. So they were still a little touch greasy So I went back in with a little more white lightning cleaner just to degrease them completely and get them a nice Get them nice and clean. Now while I was cleaning I noticed that the larger candlestick had a small black mark on one edge. I don't think it was a damage I think it might have just been how it came originally I wanted to blend it in so I took some antique gold spray paint and just very lightly misted the area and it blended in perfectly with the original finish you would never know a Light mist of metallic or antique gold spray paint is such a useful trick for touching up thrifted metal pieces hold the can far back and use short light bursts for natural looking blend rather than a solid coat and Here they are styled on the coffee table, they're really beautiful size They look so elegant and honestly, they look like pieces that could have come from a high-end home decor So all they need was a good clean and one tiny touch-up and I'm so happy I grabbed both of them this next piece is another one from value village that I actually picked up a little while ago for four five forty nine and Similar to the candlesticks the DIY here was minimal But the impact is everything all this way is needed was a really good cleaning I sprayed it down with the water and vinegar cleaner, which is my go-to for cleaning glass and ceramic pieces shined it up let it dry completely and then added a candle inside a 50-50 mix of white vinegar and water in a spray barrel is the best natural Cleaner for glass ceramic and even some metal pieces It cuts through grime removes odor and leaves everything sparkling without any harsh chemicals and you guys This is such a close dupe to a pottery barn piece like almost identical I love that you walk and walk into a yard sale thrift store with fresh eyes and see the potential in pieces that someone else looked right past sometimes the best DIY is knowing when to leave something alone and just let it shine a Good clean the right candle the right placement and the designer moment right there Okay, so this next section is all about wall art. I want to share a few different ways I approach this because I think each one has something really useful for you First and some of you might remember this tip from a previous video. I want to talk about these dollar three calendars This is such an easy and affordable way to add beautiful art to your home, especially if you love seasonal decorating like I do I Got this frame at the yard sale and it is really a special one When I showed it in a hall on my other channel someone in the comment pointed out that they you could see the shape of An angel in the clouds in the photograph that was inside and it turns out the photographer who took this photo had recent At that time had lost an infant and believed this was a sign So it is an incredible meaningful image I'm going to keep this print but swap it into a different frame for summer decorating I wanted to give it the respect it deserves So for the this frame instead of original print I use the landscape calendar page from Dollar Tree the landscapes in this calendars are up in these calendars are absolutely gorgeous And they work really well for seasonal decorating I picked up a beautiful beach scene with a little sailboat in the distance. It is just so serene and perfect for summer Dollar Tree calendars are one of the best-kept secrets in budget decorating the landscape ones Especially have stunning photography that looks like real art once it's in frame to get the sizing, right? I use the existing mat from the frame as a template trace around it and cut my calendar page to the exact right size I reassembled the frame cleaned the glass because thrifty frames always need their glass clean and that was it Here is how it looks styled on a shelf. I just love it It is so pretty and so summery and it cost me almost nothing The last piece I want to share is this beautiful oval wooden vintage frame that I also found at the art sale It had a plastic cover rather than glass So I decided not to use the cover at all and honestly it did not need it Now this frame would be absolutely perfect for that Mod podge painting technique that I have shown on this channel before where you can make a print look like an actual oil painting I have a full lots of tutorials for that if you want to check them out, but for this one I decided to keep it simple I cut out the lighthouse image and placed it right into the oval frame and it looked perfect I it felt so vintage so artisan and so collected Oval and arched frames are having such a big moment in home decor right now Keep your eyes out for them at thrift stores and yard sales They're usually very inexpensive and they add such a sophisticated shape to a gallery wall My vision is to create a vintage inspired gallery wall using pieces like this one where I can swap out the art Seasonally as my mood changes. I love the flexibility You get a beautiful curated wall, but it never has to feel permanent or expensive to update And that is a wrap in today's video you guys Can you just take a moment to appreciate what started where we started with yard sale finds thrift store pieces a few dollars spent a few dollars spent and look that was and Look that what we ended up with and look at what we ended up with a beautiful basket and one-of-a-kind Walter Wall charger decor elegant candlesticks a stunning vase and gorgeous wall art all of it High and look high and looking all of it budget-friendly and all of it made with a little creativity and a lot of heart I hope this video reminded you that the best home decor does not have to come from a store Sometimes it is sitting on a folding table at a yard sale for $3 Just waiting for someone to see its potential and that someone is you now I want to hear from you which project was your favorite drop in the comments below I genuinely love reading every single one. And if you try any of these, please please tag me I repost your recreation all the time and seeing your version seriously makes my whole day If you enjoyed this video give it a big thumbs up It helps this channel so much and it helps YouTube Share this with more people who would love these ideas And if you are not subscribed yet hit the subscribe button and the bell So you never miss a new video and I will see you in the next one. Happy thrifting happy DIYing and by you guys