In my experience, the secret to a home going from ‘good’ to ‘reality show judge approved’ is the presence of at least one unique, authentic, feature piece of decoration or furniture to draw attention.
So, where to find these vintage gems without having to ‘Mike Wolff’ it through the dirty and rusty barns of strangers? Fortunately, Australia has some great online-accessible vintage auction houses that regularly offer an eclectic mix of items at decent prices and I would like to make the job easy for you by highlighting some favorite items!
To highlight this, I’ve taken a look at the wares at Vickers & Hoad in Waterloo and pulled out some amazing finds for tomorrow’s auction. These auctions are held over Saturday and/or Sunday at the Waterloo Sale Room: 224 Young St, Waterloo NSW 2017. Or you can bid online through the site (invaluable.com) or via their app.
1. Brass Bed Frame
This amazing vintage full brass bed frame speaks for itself with its authentic patina and classic vintage styling it adds a touch of ‘industrial country’ (thankyou Neale Whitaker…) to any bedroom. At that pricing, could be the steal of the auction! ($50 – $75)
2. Steamer Trunk
A common decorator choice for a side or coffee table is a stack of vintage suitcases – while these are typically a dime a dozen at vintage sales – rarely do they have the condition, detailing and original travel stickers of this steamer trunk. Make this the ‘top case’ of your new side table! ($100 – $150)
3. Coffee Mill
Nothing better than vintage and functional – Aussies who love coffee (most…) will find a home for this olde English coffee mill ($40-$60)
4. Iron Window Frame
This beautiful original iron window frame is one piece that I hesitated to add to the list – not because I don’t like it, but because I think it is rusty gold and I love it and didn’t want to alert more people to its existence… I can already picture it as the feature piece against the exposed brick wall of our living room! ($800 -$1,200… gulp!)
5. Louis Vuitton Bag
The ultimate Valentines gift – vintage Louis Vuitton bag (but at a price…$600-$800)
6. A-Frame Wine Rack
This vintage A-Frame wine rack would be brilliant in the corner of any dining room – imagine it filled with red wine bottles! fantastic form and function ($200 – $300)
7. French Leather Armchairs
I can picture cozying up on one of these in front of the fire, cup of hot chocolate in hand and a hand-knitted rug covering my tootsies. This pair of vintage French Leather armchairs are a steal, estimated to go between $600-$800 buckaroos.
8. Vintage Motorbikes
Aaaand lastly… in no way is this a decorator piece, nor does it belong inside your house… but since it is Valentine’s Day tomorrow, I thought I’d add one in for all the fellas. After flicking through the auction items, the collection of vintage motorbikes and bicycles their classic lines and detail and their raw horse power punctuate the collection of armoires and glassware like a breathe of fresh air!
