Get your vacation home ready for the season without breaking the bank! We reveal top secondhand finds, from charming decor to essential kitchenware, perfect for creating a cozy, unique retreat. Learn how to furnish your home away from home affordably and stylishly.
Top Secondhand Finds to Furnish Your Vacation Home on a Budget
Prepping to open up your vacation home for the season? You’ll want to ensure that this space is well-stocked and furnished so that you and your family will be comfortable all season long in your home away from home. Don’t assume that this means you have to spend a ton in the process, though, because you don’t!
There are many great secondhand finds that are perfect for vacation homes. We spoke with two secondhand experts who share some of their top picks.
A white wicker bowl is filled with a variety of seashells which help build a beachy coastal themed decor without being cheesy.
Themed Decor: Adding Character to Your Vacation Retreat
You don’t want to go overly themed in any vacation home – too much location-specific decor can read as cheesy! We’re all for tasteful touches that reflect the surrounding environment. Consider sourcing thrift store decor for beach houses or lake homes.
Vintage beach- or lake-related accents can add some personality to your waterfront getaway, for example. Thrift store decor for cabins/beach houses are plentiful – if you know where to look.
“Items like vintage paddles and water skis add character and charm to a lake home as wall decor,” says Stacy Verdick Case. Case is the blogger behind Peony Lane Designs, which is dedicated to furniture restoration and interior decor.
“You can repurpose these items to make them functional, too,” she explains. Case notes, “Adding hooks to them make them the perfect place to hang wet gear.”
A cozy throw blanket drapes over a sofa along with pillows in various textures and colors. It’s perfect for a comfortable vacation home setting.
Cozy Throw Blankets: Thrifted Comfort for Your Getaway
There’s nothing better than returning indoors after a long day spent in the sun and curling up to read a good book or watch a favorite movie. Take these cozy moments to the next level by keeping plenty of soft blankets and throws on hand. You can easily integrate blankets into vintage beach decor, as well as vintage lake decor.
Case likes to shop for these items secondhand, noting that they’re easy to source.
A collection of mismatched glassware pieces and wooden utensils, arranged on a kitchen counter, representing budget-friendly secondhand kitchenware.
Kitchenware: Budget-Friendly Essentials for Your Vacation Home
Buying a whole new set of kitchenware to keep at your vacation home doesn’t have to cost you much. Why not source your dishes, glassware, utensils, and more by shopping at thrift stores and estate sales?
If you score complete sets in the process, great, but this isn’t certainly essential.
“The great thing about a vacation home is that not everything needs to match,” says Kendra Hagerman, the founder of Kendra Found It, a budget and lifestyle design blog. “In fact, mismatched mugs, cutlery, and serving dishes are part of the charm of a second home.”
Dining Chairs: Mismatched Charm for Group Gatherings
Vacation houses are often meant for hosting large groups, and you’ll want everyone to have somewhere to sit come dinnertime. That said, you do not need to invest in a standard matching dining set.
As Hagerman puts it, “Who doesn't love a good mismatched dining set at a cottage, beach home, or vacation home? It instantly adds charm to the home and will quite literally save you hundreds of dollars.”
That said, she explains, you will want some kind of common thread tying everything together for a stylish result. “To make your mismatched chairs look intentional, collect chairs that have one thing in common (color, size, ornate details, style, or something else you choose),” she offers.
A colorful assortment of vintage children's toys highlight affordable secondhand options for a vacation home.
Kids’ Toys and Beach Toys: Affordable Fun for the Little Ones
You’ll likely wish to keep some of your children’s favorite toys on hand at your vacation home full-time. That way, you’re not trekking back and forth every weekend with a car full of board games, dolls, and sports gear.
Hagerman is a proponent of shopping secondhand when it comes to toys for her own children.
“They are often still in excellent condition and you can save about 80 percent of the retail price,” she says. “The best part? Kids aren't picky when it comes to toys—they just want to have fun!”
Artwork & Frames: Unique Secondhand Art for Your Walls
A house isn’t a home without art on the walls. Secondhand stores are chock full of amazing finds that will liven up your space in an instant.
“With a little digging, you can find artwork that you won't find elsewhere and items that resonate with you and your home,” says Hagerman, who is drawn to vintage oil paintings and abstracts in particular. If you already have art on hand that you just need to frame, go the secondhand route there, too.
“Frames are often under $5 (vs. $20+ new) and you can fill your home with printable artwork, family photos, or school artwork from family members,” Hagerman adds.
There are many great affordable vacation home decor secondhand finds that are perfect for vacation homes. Choosing secondhand items is also a fantastic way to embrace sustainable home decor for your getaway.
Sarah Lyon is a Washington, DC, native living in New York City. As a freelancer, she frequently covers pieces pertaining to interior design, travel, and other lifestyle topics. Her pieces have appeared in outlets including Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, MyDomaine, the Washington Post, the New York Times, and more. When she isn't writing, Sarah works with designers to help them style spaces for photo shoots (and can't stop rearranging and redecorating her own apartment, either!). She has a penchant for shopping secondhand and loves giving preloved pieces new life. Sarah’s own spaces have appeared on Apartment Therapy, The Everygirl, Houzz, and Washingtonian.com. Her Dupont Circle apartment was featured in both the spring 2019 print edition of Small Space Decorating and the January 2019 print edition of Washingtonian Magazine.
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