Last week I promised to share the window-shopping (and the few actual purchases) we made during our family week at the beach. We came home with two small treasures: a wooden whale sign for Clara’s room—perfect for a fifth-anniversary nod to wood—and a thrift-store basket that I’m hoping to convert into a hanging pendant light.
Both finds are quirky and charming in their own ways, and I’ll share a few more details about them in a separate post, but for now I wanted to show the rest of the visual treats we discovered while cruising antique shops and boutiques.
One of our first stops was the Ole Sale Barn in Maryland, where we’ve scored interesting pieces before (like the L-turned-7 in our office). That’s where the basket came from — a messy little trove of vintage finds that invited plenty of digging.
Inside the basket: organized chaos of every kind. It’s the kind of jumble you can’t help but sift through, hunting for a small treasure or project-ready piece.
I also spotted a large metal grate outside that would make an amazing tabletop. Imagine it set on a wide ceramic planter to create a unique outdoor side table — just secure it with heavy-duty adhesive and you’ve got instant industrial-chic patio furniture.
That spot is also home to Beyoncé the chicken (and her offspring), which always adds a bit of farmyard charm to the visit.
Among the more nostalgic discoveries: a stack of vintage dolls that took me right back to my childhood. I used to line up figures like these on my windowsills until the sun faded the backs of their hair — guilty as charged.
There were clever hardware finds too — these metal pieces would make great towel bars in a bathroom or clever hooks for a laundry room or mudroom.
We actually used a thrifted horse as a quirky towel holder in our hall bath a while back, proving that small vintage items can become functional, budget-friendly decor.
Architectural salvage always gets me excited — ornate wood panels, carved screens and vintage window frames are such instant character-makers for a room.
Another small idea I loved: inexpensive gold plates grouped together on the wall. A collection of seven or so, arranged asymmetrically, would create a warm, vintage-inspired focal wall.
From there we headed to Beach Plum Antiques in Bethany, a must-stop for vintage lovers. The shop always has a rotating selection of interesting furniture and one-off pieces.
My favorite find was a long, solid-wood bench priced at $85. It was impressively long — easily twice the size of your average bench — and I could already picture it painted a deep matte black on our porch. Unfortunately it wouldn’t fit in the car, so I had to leave it for someone else to enjoy.
I also loved a chunky wood floor lamp with a stitched rectangular shade; it had that clean, mid-century-modern vibe you might see in design magazines. Even though it was already sold, I lingered for a while admiring its shape.
Stacked vintage suitcases and trunks were a charming display — one reddish leather suitcase paired with a nubby linen-striped case looked like it was wearing suspenders. These kinds of layered textures give a room instant global-travel character.
A giant metal pig caught my eye as well — imagine it painted bright yellow to liven up an office, or coated with chalkboard paint and hung in a kitchen for notes and lists. It was whimsical and full of personality.
We also biked by a sweet house with crisp white trim and a navy door that stopped me in my tracks — a simple, classic look that felt perfectly beachy.
At Mod Cottage in Rehoboth we picked up Clara’s wooden whale sign for her frame wall. The shop also featured rows of colorful gurgle pots that I tried (unsuccessfully) to convince John we needed on our kitchen shelves — he didn’t bite, but I did manage to smuggle home a small yellow one.
Some sculptural vases in the store felt like modern art — geometric and beautiful enough to anchor a shelf or console table. And a large beach-inspired print caught my eye; it was out of our price range, but it sparked ideas for a future DIY watercolor piece.
We couldn’t resist a playful moment: John posed with a chihuahua pillow — a funny repeat of a photo from when I was pregnant with Clara two years earlier. Call it Full Circle Chihuahua Pillow Blogging.
I was also inspired by woven platters displayed on the wall; I’m thinking about picking up inexpensive versions and painting them matte white with a colorful center for a breezy, collected look.
Over the shop’s register hung a set of playful lights. John declared them “not his thing,” but I appreciated their charm — little, unexpected touches like these can make a shop feel memorable.
Bella Luna in Rehoboth was another highlight. Lightweight scarves there looked like they could double as table runners, loose curtains, or casual pillow covers — breezy textiles that would add soft movement to a room.
They also had a collection of faux animal heads that were full of personality, especially when grouped together. We dubbed the deer head “Burger face” and it was a favorite.
A beautiful mirror there was priced around $300 — not cheap, but it was mesmerising, and the ceiling treatment in the shop (soft wide planks and chunky white beams) felt refreshingly unexpected compared to the usual beadboard you often see in beach homes.
We also admired a set of bird prints, especially a green sandpiper-like one in the top left. Looking back, I regret not taking him home. Next time.
We even snapped an Instagram shot of scrabble-tile mugs — a simple, personalized gift idea that’s easy to fill with someone’s favorite treats or small presents.
On the way home we veered off Rt 113 to a tiny thrift store about 45 minutes from Bethany. I often shout “stop the car!” and dive out to explore — and this time the detour paid off with a few hidden gems tucked into a small space.
A mid-century-style chair and ottoman called to me — I imagined them reupholstered in a deep charcoal, emerald, or navy for a dramatic, modern update.
I also liked a large green glass jar that would be lovely on a countertop filled with flour or sugar, lending texture and color to a kitchen vignette.
Decorative trays begged to be displayed on a wall as a trio — the owl tray, paired with two coordinating designs, felt like a ready-made grouping for a kitchen or entry wall. I even put them back together on the shelf hoping someone would take all three as a set.
So that wraps up our latest thrifting and window-shopping adventure. I’m a little sad we only returned home with the whale sign and the basket-turned-light, but mostly relieved — that leaves room (and budget) for future finds. What are you spotting lately on your thrift hunts or vacation stops? Do you make a point of popping into shops along the way when you travel?