The Bedroom Decor Staple Designers Say You Should Buy At Thrift Stores

Your bedroom is one of the most personal spaces in the home, so your style should really shine there. Lamps are a great way to showcase that personality, but when stores like Amazon or Target often offer cookie-cutter designs, it can be difficult to find some truly unique pieces. That's why interior designers suggest browsing thrift store lighting aisles to uncover some interesting vintage pieces. There you're bound to find some bedroom lighting ideas that won't disappoint. "Light fixtures are often referred to as the jewelry of a room, and bedside lamps are no different," Danielle Davis, the founder of 56th Street Design Studio, told The Spruce. "Vintage lamps are always a fun addition to the bedroom."

If you don't have many interesting thrift stores by your house, you can expand the action of "thrifting" to online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, allowing you to browse the local selection without ever leaving your home. You can also expand to more curated sites like Etsy or Chairish, which interior designers particularly recommend when sourcing lighting for the bedroom. "They have a great selection of unusual lighting fixtures that serve as both functional lighting and a way to show off your personality," Jess Harrell, the founder of The Styled Domicile, told Southern Living. These sites are some of the best places to buy used vintage decor online. If the sheer number of listings feels intimidating, filter them by material or era. "To narrow things down, try searching by decade," HGTV host and designer Emily Henderson suggests on her blog, using style descriptors such as "space age" or "Palm Beach Regency" for inspiration. 

When shopping for secondhand lighting for your bedroom, confirm that any pieces you're considering work properly or can be rewired safely to reduce fire risk in your sleeping area. It's best to ask to plug in table lamps and floor lamps you find at thrift stores, antique shops, or garage sales before taking them home.

What's more, inspect if all pieces of the lamp are still intact and in working order. As David Calligeros, founder of Remains Lighting, told Martha Stewart, "Make sure that arms are solidly attached — no broken solder joints — and that you're not missing any significant elements of the fixture." Calligeros also suggests choosing fixtures with screw-in base sockets, which are simpler to repair than many of their fluorescent and LED counterparts. Even if a vintage lamp or fixture seems safe, consider having a pro take a look and, if there's a problem, explaining what type of rewiring kit is needed. If you rather not rewire a pendant or replace a lamp socket on your own, you can always hire an electrician to do the job.