From Thrift Store to Center Piece

From hosting an elegant dinner party to a down-home get-together, you likely want to have some sort of centerpiece that reflects the occasion. Centerpieces are fun, beautiful ways to coordinate your table and pull all the pieces together. The really good ones get talked about and eyed enviously – and they don't have to be expensive, either.

Scour the Thrift Store

Go to your local thrift store and have a good look around at their housewares and antiques section – look for candelabras, soap dishes, candy dishes, baskets (wooden, wire, etc.), novelty mugs, wine glasses – anything that you could put together as a single piece.

Select a few Pieces that Work Together

Choose one or two pieces that could go together as a centerpiece – such as a large candy dish and two wine glasses, or a basket and little trinkets. You can also buy a stand-alone piece and polish it up when you get home, or you can glue two items together to make one outstanding piece.

Get Creative

Once you have your selections, you may need to stop by a craft or hardware store to pick up supplies to put them all together to create a finished product. Model glue or super glue, spray paint, and other crafty supplies can help transform a thrift store piece into a dazzling centerpiece. For example, the wine glasses and candy dish may not match, so pick up some silver spray paint, glitter, and glue. Glue the glasses stem-down to the bottom of the candy dish. Let it dry, then spray paint it a gleaming silver, and add glitter. Once it's dry, you'll have a bright holiday centerpiece.

Baskets & Service Centerpieces

If you can find a number of differently sized baskets, there's no need to have a single centerpiece – you can use the whole middle of the table, running down its length, as your centerpiece. Take several baskets of differing sizes, polish them up with wood oil or glaze (or spray paint a metal basket), dress them with cloth napkins that match your theme, and use them as bread baskets.

Themes

When browsing at the thrift store to make your selections, think about what the theme of your dinner will be – is it a holiday party, birthday, or other special occasion? Is it a “just because” get-together? What colors will be on your table? Do you want the centerpiece to blend in, or contrast in an eye-catching way? Answer these questions ahead of time to help you pick the right pieces for your centerpiece.

Centerpieces don't have to be expensive to be beautiful and make a statement. They can be fun, elegant, or seasonally themed and still be affordable.