The Vintage Home Decor Shop You Probably Never Heard Of — Until Now

As you've been cooped up in your space over the past few months, you might be realizing your home is in need of some sprucing up. And while IKEA and Target are great for affordable, cute home finds, if you're looking for something a bit more unique and eclectic, vintage could be the way to go. Though scavenging through an old warehouse or thrift store with rare furniture is an adventure, it's just not in the cards right now. However, you can score treasures from some of the best vintage shops for home decor on Instagram or online.

What qualifies as "vintage" might vary depending on who you ask. But, according to Meghan Lavery-King, co-founder of vintage furniture shop Home Union, "we generally [date back] 25 to 30 years for us to acknowledge something as vintage. [...] Something remains vintage in our eyes until it reaches 100 years old, then it becomes an antique."

Some research also goes into determining if a piece qualifies as vintage. "For our aesthetic, we've spent a good deal of time cross-referencing labels and designers against when they designed certain pieces, or when they were working for specific brands," explains Lavery-King, who founded Home Union with husband Daniel King. "A good tell for us is also materials used, quality of construction, and where the piece was made."

Lavery-King's advice for those who want to ensure they are buying an authentic vintage item is to buy from a trusted expert. "Buy from a reputable source, much like an art appraiser, a good source will be able to show you why a piece is the real deal if it's not labeled. Or if you buy a piece from an original owner they can often tell you in great detail where they bought the piece, at what store, and when. We've been amazed by how many people have kept receipts from the 1970's."

Elif Filyos, co-founder of Singulier MTL, an online vintage fashion and home goods shop, explains that a major benefit of buying vintage anything is that whatever you get will be unique and mostly one-of-a-kind. "For home goods, it’s even safer because, with clothing, you can never be sure about the sizing and some people still find it odd to wear second-hand, but you can’t go wrong with vintage home goods. And, unless you are into a super-modern style, every type of furniture or home good you see around is somewhat a replica of a vintage piece. Why buy an imitation when you can buy an original?"

Plus, if your taste is on the trendier side, many of-the-moment pieces are found shopping vintage. "Most of what is trending now, like chunky coffee tables or mushroom lamps, can be found much more easily in the form of vintage as opposed to new," Abigail Campbell, owner of Abigail Bell Vintage, tells TZR.

To elevate your space as you spend more time at home, ahead, 10 vintage shops to get you going. But as vintage is one-of-a-kind, don't sleep on a piece if you love it.

We only include products that have been independently selected by The Zoe Report's editorial team. However, we may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Home Union

Home Union strategically sources its pieces so they fit the brand's "identity" says Lavery-King to TZR. "It’s so rewarding when we find something we have never seen before," she explains. "It’s like, wow, someone had this piece for how long? They were into this wild piece and lived with it since the '70s? That’s cool."

Lavery notes that not just anything vintage will be at Home Union. She and her husband and co-founder are very decisive of what pieces will be in their store. "We only bring in pieces we truly like or think someone will love in their home. There is some design that is so good but not functional — in the end it needs to function."

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Abigail Bell Vintage

"Originally born in 2009, I created my shop out of my passion for the hunt," Campbell explains. "I couldn't stop even when I'd reached my max, so I decided instead of stopping, why not turn it into a business?" Abigail Bell Vintage is located in Bushwick, Brooklyn, but smaller items can be shipped both nationally and internationally. For furniture and oversized items, you can contact for a white glove shipping quote.

Campbell says she keeps her eyes peeled for a few characteristics when she's out sourcing. "I look for unique shapes, pastels, and interesting textures," says the shop owner. "I'm not as concerned with the piece being designer. If it's interesting, I'll take it!"

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Snug Vintage

Founder Jennifer Simons tells TZR Snug Vintage's aesthetic is exactly how it sounds. "Snug! Comfy, cozy, intimate," she explains. On the shop's Instagram page, you'll be greeted with a visually pleasing assortment of vintage items for sale and mood boards of interior inspiration. "I don't adhere to any specific era. My mood board photos range from 1912 to 2020, but I do have a soft spot for '80s post-modernism, organic design, and color." In its offerings, the shop has an assortment of vases, kitchen items, lighting, and cool chairs.

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: The Break

Though its primary focus is on fashion, The Break has a small selection of chic housewares. For sleek vases, glasses, and pitchers, turn to the Brooklyn-based vintage shop.

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Singulier MTL

If you're looking for trendy household decor, this is the place to find it. "I’ve been working in fashion for a long time so I naturally follow the trends," Filyos tells TZR. "Most of the time I know what I’m looking for, but I always keep an open eye for whatever attracts me."

Filyos and her business partner Ada Cakar are careful with what they have in their lineup. "We always said we don’t want to be another thrift shop," says the store owner. "When you're at a thrift shop, not a curated vintage store, you see everything, no selection whatsoever — too basic, things you can find anywhere, there is nothing remarkable about them at all. We didn't want to be a shop like that. We want everything at the shop to be special and unique, of quality and stylish."

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Adaptations NY

A home favorite among New Yorkers, Adaptations NY offers up both vintage and modern furniture and decor. The Brooklyn store is a go-to destination for statement-making couches and chairs, as well as beautiful dressers and credenzas. As the store is temporarily closed, take a peak at its website and shop from there. For larger items, pickup/delivery in the area is preferred, although you can email for a delivery quote.

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: The Apartment Life

Toronto-based vintage shop The Apartment Life features an impressive selection of unique furniture and home decor. Everything from retro seating to mushroom lamps are found in its offerings. The store even offers styling services, which have gone virtual due to COVID-19. "Currently I’m offering design consultations online and my upholstery services are busier than ever right now," Fiona Watt, owner of The Apartment Life, tells TZR. "I think everyone is home and deciding it is finally time to tackle the projects they have been long thinking about. I’ve been doing fabric consultations online and then I mail narrowed-down physical fabric samples. Once we decide on a fabric I do contactless pick-up of the furniture and work on it in the shop."

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Resident Objects

Resident Objects does its business a bit differently. Instead of a website, the Los Angeles-based vintage shop uses Instagram to sell its pieces. If you see something you like, all you need to do is direct message the page, @residentobjects, to purchase it. Its offerings include dreamy pastel vases, retro mirrors, and printed seating.

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Vintage Hut Furniture

If you're home style leans more boho, you'll fall head-over-heels for Vintage Hut Furniture. Featuring everything from Moroccan rugs to ornate mirrors, shop the Toronto-based store through its Instagram and Etsy page. All you need is one of its vivid items to add some color to your space.

Vintage Shop For Home Decor: Lane Home

Like Resident Objects, Lane Home also operates on Instagram. The Georgia-based vintage shop specializes in funky vases and glasses. But note that all sales are final, so make sure you really love the piece before sending a DM.