6 Ways to Score Big While Shopping Vintage Online
Searching for vintage furniture online takes some serious time and dedication. As someone who has spent more hours than I care to count in hot pursuit of the perfect wicker daybed or lucite cocktail table, I can tell you that with a bit of preparation and planning, you can make your vintage treasure hunting much more efficient.
Michael Moeller
One of the things that became a game-changer for me was finally organizing and saving all of my go-to search terms.
Most of us tend to search for the same types of items over and over again. So, to streamline your searching, you should create a master document that you can always refer back to with all of your favorite search terms.
This list took me a long time to compile, but lucky for you, I want to share all my best searches and save you guys loads of time. Mix-and-match these search terms below to find all the best finds in your city (or across the country!).
Vintage Cutting Board Display
A jet black wall provides a dramatic backdrop for this rustic display of vintage cutting and serving boards.
Photo by: Jennifer Puno
Jennifer Puno
Start With General Searches
These are the sorts of searches I do if I'm not necessarily looking for something super specific, but just want to browse and see what's out there. I'll search for things like:
vintage + type of furniture or vintage + material
- vintage rocker
- vintage bench
- vintage cocktail table
- vintage coffee table
- vintage wall hanging
- vintage leather
- vintage acrylic
- vintage lounger
- vintage bed
- vintage sleeper
- vintage patio
- vintage kids
- vintage rug
- vintage mirror
- vintage light fixture
- vintage chandelier
- vintage lamp
Marie Burgos
Add In
Iconic Designers
If you're looking for an item from a specific designer, that's easy peasy; type in the name of the designer and search away. If you know exactly what item you're looking for, you can search for a specific piece like "Eames rocker"; however, I tend to typically put in only the name of the designer as it will expand your results and include things that might have been mislabeled by the seller. Here's a quick list of designers I often search for in the midcentury modern realm:
- Charles and Ray Eames
- Herman Miller
- Drexel Heritage
- Paul Evans
- Thayer Coggin
- Arne Jacobsen
- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
- Milo Baughman
- Paul McCobb
- George Nelson
- Alvar Aalto
- Adrian Pearsall
- Hans Knoll
- Heywood Wakefield
- Harry Bertoia
Vintage Bathroom Art
Vintage bathroom art and accessories create an unusual yet soft feel in this bathroom.
Discover Unusual Items, Too
Sometimes I'm looking for decor or furniture, but I'm not picky about the designer or brand name. This is my go-to list for unusual or interesting items that often help me pull together the finishing touches of a space.
- vintage locker
- vintage school desk
- vintage macrame
- vintage weaving
- vintage bar
- vintage patio
- vintage plant hanger
- vintage kilim
- vintage painting
- vintage ashtray
- vintage animal
- vintage candleholders
- vintage mirror
- vintage needlepoint
- vintage embroidery
Courtesy of Maison 21
Narrow Searches Down by Time
I'm addicted to anything and everything from the 70s. So I often fine-tune my searches by adding a time period to the search term. You can either try adding this to the phrase "vintage" ("vintage 70s macrame," for example) for more specific searches, or replacing the word "vintage" for a larger list of results ("70s macrame"). Sometimes I just search the decade and see what comes up (try all the variations of the decade you're searching for).
- 70s, 1970s or seventies (this, of course, works for any decade)
- MCM
- mid century
- vintage
- antique
- European antique
Lindsey Lang Design, Ltd.; Rob Streeter
Pull In Your Design Style
Another good general term search includes particular styles. This one is a little tricky as sometimes sellers don't know exactly how to categorize their items; however, if you really love a particular decor or design style, these search terms can often result in some great finds.
- Hollywood glam
- boho
- rustic
- traditional
- funky
- groovy
- industrial
- Danish modern
- Americana
- shabby chic
Dining Room With Pink Table and Floral Curtains
Emily Henderson, host of HGTV's Secrets From a Stylist, takes on the chance to make over one couple's empty dining room. For the full-on girly look, floral curtains flank the window and a hot pink table surrounded by the couple's existing Eames chairs takes center stage.
Find Your Favorite Materials
For some more general searching, you can try looking up specific materials. You'll sometimes find that certain materials were more popular during specific time periods (like macrame in the 70s), so this is an effective way of tracking down additional items that were not tagged for a specific decade or designer. I usually pair these materials with the word vintage or antique:
vintage + material or antique + material
- lucite
- acrylic
- macrame
- woven
- sheepskin
- leather
- bakelite
- plexiglass
- teak
- fiberglass
Gray Geometric Rug Shows Through Lucite Coffee Table
A stylish lucite coffee table ensures this living room's funky geometric rug is entirely visible. The lucite table is also durable, safe and less prone to messy fingerprints.
Photo by: Kapito Muller Interiors
Kapito Muller Interiors
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