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We found your new favorite pottery.
As design editors who pore over interiors daily, we’ve noticed a common element in nearly every room we love, no matter its style, location, or size: collections of antiques. Designers love to decorate their own spaces—and those of their clients—with items you can’t just buy off the shelf but need to hunt for, collect, and curate. We’ve seen groupings of everything from rare coffee table books to vintage wicker baskets, and it’s making us wonder what’s worth collecting right now. So we turned to professional interior designers to ask, What is the something old—a book, a Depression-era drinking glass, or anything of the like—you think is new again?
Their responses were all different, but they shared the same advice: Start with something you love. If you still need inspiration, take a peek at the collections eight designers have amassed below. We think these pieces are poised for a well-deserved revival.
• 13 Ways Experts Find the Most Valuable Items in Thrift Stores
• 20 Items You Should Never Pass Up at a Flea Market
• The “Top Secret” Spot for Vintage Dishes and Glasses
“Edmond Lachenal was a French potter who lived nearly 100 years, halfway through the 19th and 20th centuries. I came across Lachenal’s work at the Paris flea market, and the color stopped me in my tracks! Aside from the saturated color, the organic Art Nouveau forms are very intriguing. The pieces [like the blue vase shown at left] stand on their own individually, look amazing en masse, and also make a beautiful option for florals.”
—Bridget Tiek, Next Wave designer and founder of TIEK BYDAY
“My mom collected Nantucket baskets growing up. Our built-ins in our family room were styled with both the baskets and vintage blue-and-white plates in stands. When I started styling my own shelves in my home, I housed her baskets, which she gave me when we moved in, in our living room. I interspersed them with my ever-expanding collection of interior design books, which I constantly reference for inspiration and history.”
—Ariel Okin, founder of Ariel Okin
“I love discovering antique benches. There’s something so special about them. A bench often sits in a place that sees a lot of life, whether it’s for putting on shoes, taking a moment to rest, or gathering with others. This particular bench is from early 18th-century New England, and I can only imagine the estate or farmhouse it once belonged to and the many lives and stories it has witnessed over the centuries. While I deeply appreciate new pieces crafted by ethical and thoughtful makers, there’s something incredibly intriguing about an antique created by an unknown hand. The idea that this bench has lived so many lives and now resides in a space that continues to see daily activity makes it all the more unique and meaningful. It carries a quiet history, seamlessly blending the past with the present in a way that feels both organic and inspiring.”
—Becky Shea, founder of Becky Shea Design
“I have always had a deep affection for glassware because each piece tells a story and holds a memory. Over the years, I have collected everything from my father’s school mug to luminous vintage pink crystal I found on 1stDibs. Some were passed down, others discovered in far-flung corners of the world—like the tea cups brought back from Istanbul or the gold-rimmed glasses I found at Pier 1 in London in 1986. There is a joy in using them every day, mixing old with new, and letting these cherished pieces travel from room to room. They’re proof that when you buy what you love, it always finds a place.”
—Charlotte Barnes, Charlotte Barnes Interior Design & Decoration
“We always tell clients not to get rid of your oldies but goodies—meaning those accessories that have heartfelt significance to you and your family and maybe have been passed down from previous generations. In our dining room, for instance, I have two extremely important pieces to me: They were given to me by my mother, Audrey James, and they belonged to her mother, Ella Mae Eason. I like to call them ‘gold plaques,’ even though they’re not heavy in weight nor real gold, but they feel that special to me. While I never got to meet my grandmother, every time I walk by them in our home, I’m reminded of the stories my mom and her sisters would tell us: How creative she was and how she loved interior design. These plaques are an opportunity to share my love of interior design with her and feel close to her. Sometimes the best accessories, art, and knickknacks in your home don’t have to be highly valuable to hold tremendous value. You can’t replace these types of vintage items in your heart or home. So keep the old accessories, shine them up and create space for them in your design.”
—Regina Reaves, Next Wave designer and cofounder of R&R Interior Design
“I’m a collector of many things: antique china, blown-glass cups, even hand-painted eggs. These decorative objects are woven into my home and often used when hosting dinner parties or entertaining. Sometimes I’ll set the table with a different colorful blown-glass cup for each guest or a different china pattern representative of each guest’s personality. I’ve got lots of table decorations to fit different themes, too. For example, I’ve done spring parties decorated with small fawn figurines, or at Easter I might use decoratively painted eggs; at Thanksgiving, I have a huge porcelain goose terrine I often put on the table. By having collections, I’m able to create a different mood and feeling for every event I host. By changing out the tablecloth, the dishware, flowers, and decorative details you can create a totally different mood, whether you’re going for light and fresh or sultry and moody.”
—Summer Thornton, principal and interior designer of Summer Thornton Design
“I collect porcelain vases, vessels, and pots from the Japanese Meiji period (1868 to 1912). My grandfather had offices in Japan in the 1970s, so he had collected many of these over the years. No one in my family really cared or wanted them, so naturally I snagged them for myself. I saw the great beauty in them, as my grandfather did. The artistry, the colors, and the illustrations are just so intense and dynamic. They really don’t make things like this anymore, and it makes me feel connected to my grandfather’s spirit.”
—Sasha Bikoff, founder and principal of Sasha Bikoff Interior Designer
“I collect antique frames from the early 1900s and love pairing them with contemporary art, whether it’s a print I’ve sourced, a piece by a favorite artist, or one of my own paintings. There’s a beautiful tension in the contrast: the ornate, timeworn detail of the frame meeting the fresh energy of modern work. Frames often go unnoticed, but antique ones were crafted with incredible artistry. They weren’t just borders; they were part of the composition. I see them as quiet collaborators, giving dimension and depth to whatever they surround. When I incorporate these framed pieces into clients’ homes—especially in unexpected places—they instantly add soul and a sense of story.”
—Autumn Oser, Next Wave designer and founder and principal designer of Haldon House
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