17 Best Thrift Store Finds for Summer Home Decor (Thrifting with the Gals)

Thrifting in the summer is one of my favorite ways to refresh our home with charm, color, and a little unexpected fun.

In this post, I’m sharing 17 of the best thrift store finds for summer home decor—the kinds of pieces that bring vintage personality and seasonal flair to any space.

From garden planters to lemonade sets and colorful outdoor chairs, these ideas will have you browsing the aisles with fresh eyes.

17 Best Thrift Store Finds for Summer Home Decor

If you love hunting for vintage treasures in the summertime, this list is for you. These 17 best thrift store finds for summer home decor are perfect for styling your porch, garden, or cottage with charm and character. From colorful outdoor chairs to terracotta pots and lemonade sets, each piece adds a little something special to your seasonal spaces.

1. Thrifting for Terracotta Pots and Garden Planters

Old terracotta pots are colorful, chippy, and add texture to outside summer decor like benches, gardens, shelving, and more. Grab them up while they last. Because weathered terracotta pots are in high demand! And if they have a little green summer moss on them, even better for your summer thrift~ Explore more in this Terracotta Decor: How to Use Pots in Every Room post.

2. Colorful Outdoor Chairs to Thrift for Summer Decor

Bright, colorful chairs add charm and character to backyard tables in the summertime. Circle a small bistro table with these beauties, use them as extra outdoor seating, and place them in your gardens, sunrooms, etc… Vintage chairs are wonderful summer thrifts. Explore more ideas in this Antique Chair Styles: A Decorating Guide to 15 Timeless Vintage Finds post.

3. Repurpose Old Shoes and Pocketbooks as Planters

Old boots, sneakers, and pocketbooks make for whimsical summer thrift garden decor. Fill them with your favorite plants and place them on your front door steps, in the garden, on a chair, etc. You’ll love the market that I spied these best thrift store finds for summer at in this Sage Farm Antiques Early Evening Buy post.

4. Vintage Ladders: A Fun and Functional Summer Thrift Find

Old ladders, specially painted in vibrant colors—what’s not to love? Use them in the garden with terracotta pots displayed on the rungs, or lean the ladder up against a barn, garage, etc. It’s a great way to add color with functionality outdoors this summer’s thrift.

5. Thrifted Lemonade Sets for Summertime Entertaining

I have a thing for vintage and retro lemonade sets. I love serving iced tea in old lemonade sets on the porch during the summer. I also use one in our new breakfast nook that you may enjoy seeing.

6. Blue and White Bowls: Classic Thrift Store Decor for Summer

Small blue and white bowls are collector items. I’ll thrift these little vessels right up. They’re wonderful for holding seashells, sea glass, small driftwood, and other summer collectibles. Explore more in this Vintage Coastal Coffee Table Decor Ideas post.

7. Collecting McCoy Vases: A Summer Thrift Store Favorite

I’ve started my own vintage McCoy vase collection; see more in this Vintage Eclectic Decor Meets Craft Room Design post. They come in all different pastel colors and make wonderful vases for all your summer flower arrangements. You may also enjoy this Wildflower Arrangement Ideas from a New England Roadside Scavenger Hunt post.

8. Vintage Quilts: Cozy Summer Decor to Thrift Now

Quilts aren’t just for cozy winter days. They’re alluring home decor accessories in the summertime, too. Just look at this gorgeous vintage blue quilt in our sunroom last summer before we changed it all up; see more in the post, Four-Season Sunroom Makeover with Grand Mountain Views.

9. Thrifted Blue and White Platters for Summer Styling

Blue and white platters are very affordable these days. I collected and created this vintage platter wall that you may enjoy seeing in this How to Create a Vintage Plate Wall with Blue and White Platters post. Don’t like the platters? Create a similar look with collected vintage blue and white dishes.

Or use thrifted platters as serving trays for hors d’oeuvres and appetizers, as I did in this How to Style a Vintage-Inspired Cheese Board with Local Vermont Finds post.

10. Galvanized Buckets: Versatile Summer Thrift Store Finds

Galvanized buckets aren’t just for holding water. They are super fun to use in summer flower bouquets. See more in the post, 15 Floral Designs in a Metal Galvanized Bucket & Pails.

11. Old Roadmaps: Unique Vintage Decor for Summer Display

Last summer, a bundle of old New England roadmaps was among my favorite yet interesting thrift finds for summer. And I love them! They’re super cute on a table in our guest bedroom. They make a great conversation piece on the coffee table, too.

12. Vintage Telephones: A Fun Thrift Store Find with Nostalgia

Best summer thrift store finds are old telephones. They are darling on tables, desks, and in kitchens.

13. Boat Oars and Nautical Decor to Thrift This Summer

Old boat oars make fantastic beachy summer home decor accessories. They can be hung on the wall, leaning up in a corner, on the side of a house, and more.

14. Shutters: Rustic Thrift Finds for Outdoor Summer Decor

I love picking up old shutters to hang on walls, center a tablescape, hang pictures, and more. Shutters are great for adding texture to your home decor.

15. Vintage Tablecloths to Thrift for Summer Table Settings

In my opinion, tablecloths are one of the best thrift store finds for summer you could add to your interior and exterior decor designs. You can find them everywhere; they’re inexpensive, and they add so much character to outdoor and indoor tablescapes.

Thrift them up!

See more in this Charming Outdoor Table Setting with Vintage Indoor Style post. You may also enjoy the post 21+ Charming Backyard Table Settings You’ll Love.

16. Old License Plates: Creative Thrifted Decor for Summer

Old license plates are great for making wall hangings for game rooms, garages, worksheds, and bedrooms. I made several wall hangings with my father’s old vanity license plates here. See more in the post, License Plate Decor Ideas: Two Easy DIY Projects Using Vintage Vanity Plates.

17. Trophy Finds: Styling Vintage Trophies as Summer Decor

Old trophies make for imaginative summer flower bouquets. From small to large, they definitely pack a punch. So collect away, as these will look fabulous anywhere in your home this summer!

Polish them up so they look brand new or keep them that fabulous old patina, the choice is yours!

I hope this list of thrift store finds for summer home decor gave you a few new ideas to look for on your next treasure hunt. Whether you’re styling a porch with vintage chairs, filling galvanized buckets with flowers, or spotting the perfect McCoy vase, summer is such a fun season for thrifting and decorating.

What’s your favorite summer thrift find? Leave a comment below or tag me in your vintage decor adventures—I’d love to see how you’re styling your seasonal finds! And don’t forget to browse more Thrifting with the Gals posts here for even more vintage inspiration.

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Thrifting with the Gals – Summer Thrift Edition

Thrifting with the Gals is a monthly blog hop where a group of vintage-loving friends share their latest thrift store finds and decorating ideas. We post new treasures and styling inspiration every third Thursday of the month, from coast to coast and season to season. You can explore more from the series right here on my Thrifting with the Gals page.