Finding Antiques and Primitives on a Budget

It seems like more and more people this day in age are getting into Antique and Primitive decor. Prices for such things have skyrocketed in the past few years, making it difficult for anyone on a budget to decorate with Primitive flair. Stores now specialize in selling anything from the Amish Barn Stars to any rustique they can get their hands on. It is very easy to drop a few hundred dollars in stores like these, and walk out the doors with only a few items. Not to mention, those items are in such high demand that the stores never have to offer sales or incentives to make money. Here are a few tips for achieving a Primitive style on a budget, not to mention adding a few Antiques along the way.

You really never know what to expect with each Primitive and Antique store you walk into. Such different items, from different times and tastes, some stores offer "Expensive Junk" or items that no one really wants for a huge price tag. You can spend days on end looking for the right look, while never finding it. The biggest secret in Antique shopping is going to auctions. Sure, you could sit there for hours waiting on a certain item, but odds are you will save money. People usually go to auctions for specific items, or just to look around. Go to household or estate auction, where people sell contents directly out of a house. Sometimes you can venture upon something really valuable for just a few bucks. Also, some items like chairs and Antique furniture tend to go cheap. You can pick up an entire set of furniture under a hundred dollars a lot of times.

Another thing with auctions is that sometimes you will find items that are diamonds in the rough. Items that have had a hard life, and don't look the best. If you are somewhat handy, or just like to experiment, buy items like these and restore them. A lot of times, you can pick up unrestored items for just a few dollars. People pass items like these by, thinking they are too much work. If you have the time, restoration really is not that bad. For wooden items, go to your local hardware store and pick up some Murphy's Oil Soap, a scraper, Varnish Remover (products like Goo Gone work well too), sponge tipped brushes, a varnish that suits you and what you like, and a clear coat product. That is all you need to restore. Pick a varnish that matches your interior of your house, or a product that closely resembles the Antique you are working with. Your first tip in restoration is to wash the Antique with the Murphy's Oil Soap, then let it air dry. After it is dry, pour the Varnish Remover on it and let it sit a few minutes. After a few minutes, start scraping at the existing finish. It may take awhile, but make sure you have all the finish off. Then wash the Antique with Murphy's Oil Soap again and let it dry. Finally, you are ready to start staining or varnishing. Take your sponge tipped brush and coat the entire wood surface with the stain or varnish. Once finished, let it dry overnight and apply a clear coat the next day. That is all you do to refinish a wooden Antique.

Another big market for Primitives and Antiques is the Internet. You can search for specific items, or just do a broad search for anything Primitive or Antique related. You can find a lot of things fairly cheap on line as well. A lot of Primitives such as Barn Stars, curtains, signs, anything can be found on sites such as Ebay cheaper than any specialty store. Antiques can also be bought on line, however, ask for pictures and details, sometimes things aren't what they seem. You can look at pictures of a beautiful item, then once it gets to your house, it's not what you thought it was. Just be careful and use good judgment.

However you choose to shop for Primitives and Antiques make sure to keep in mind that it may take awhile to search for the right item. Be patient and keep looking. Shop around for better prices. The same items that the specialty stores carry are right under your thumb, you just have to take the time to search for them.