This home sparkles with festive vintage finds, a retro-inspired holiday palette and fun, unique pieces.
For Melanie Brunk (@brunkjunk on Instagram), the flea market bug bit at a young age, when her mother and grandmother took her to flea markets, antiques stores and garage sales. She learned to love bright notes of nostalgia, especially for the holidays. “I learned from them how to hunt for the perfect treasure,” she says. And vintage holiday décor has always had a special place in her heart. “I love the traditions, nostalgia and memories the holidays bring,” Melanie says. “I never want to grow up—and Christmas is the perfect time to let your inner child out to play.”
A speech pathologist and mother of two, Melanie enjoys hunting for vintage treasures at local antiques shops in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as well as with her girlfriends at the First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas. “That’s where I have been lucky enough to find many of my Tonka vehicles and vintage Christmas pieces,” Melanie says. When it comes to her favorite items in her collection, Melanie likes to style her Fisher Price houses. “I love adding bottlebrush trees, tiny string lights and fake snow to them for Christmas,” she says. “Don’t forget Santa’s sleigh on the roof!”
How to Style a Knickknack Shelf
Do you have a lot of knickknacks but aren’t sure how to style them? Melanie offers the following tips to transform any shelf space into the perfect display
for your décor odds and ends:
- Pick a theme. Before starting, collect your pieces and see if there is any overall common element that you can use to group them together. “I’ve styled shelves around a holiday theme or a color theme,” Melanie says.
- Select a centerpiece. “I like to pick my favorite piece or the biggest piece from the theme I’ve chosen for the center of the shelf to ensure that’s the first place your eye is drawn,” Melanie says.
- Even it out. Build out from your centerpiece, filling in spaces on either side. “Make sure the knickknacks are balanced so the shelves look symmetrical and cohesive,” Melanie advises.
Spotlight: Vintage Radios
Perhaps not the first thing that comes to mind for vintage holiday décor, these vintage radios are full of retro charm and are another unique addition to Melanie’s overall design. She started collecting them when her mother gave her one as gift. She offers the following tips for those wanting to include these fun pieces in their décor:
What do you look for?
- “For me, aesthetics are the main focus when looking for vintage radios, so whether or not the radio is functional doesn’t matter. This allows me to pay very little for them since they usually say ‘as is’ on the price tag. I also like the idea of giving a beautiful piece another life even if it no longer serves its original purpose…it’s still valuable to me!”
How do you style them?
- “I like varying the way I style them from season to season. Sometimes, I group them all together to make a statement. Other times, I’ll separate them or group them by color. They’re so versatile and I love how well they mix with other collections or stand alone.”
Where do you find them?
- “My mom gave me my first vintage radio when I moved into my house. I’ve found all of the others at my local antiques stores. It pays to be consistent with the hunt when you want to build collections.”
Spotlight: Vintage Vehicles
Melanie’s collection of vintage cars, vans and trucks are a unique addition to her Christmas décor. Perfect for adding in little knickknacks and for styling in festive vignettes, these vehicles also have their own stories to tell. Melanie shares some quick tips below on what to look for:
Why do you like them?
- “I love their bright colors, the use of metal and the intricate designs. It makes me happy to think of all the life they have lived before they came my way.”
How do you style them?
- “Usually, I have a Christmas tree tied to the top of them with twine or a bunch of elves riding around in the truck bed.”
Where do you find them?
- “Antiques stores, flea markets and eBay.”
How much do you pay for them?
- “I typically pay between $15-$40, but I’ve also paid more for one I just had to have (I’m looking at you, Mister Buddy Ice Cream Truck!).”
Don’t miss this year’s upcoming holiday special issue! You’ll be able to order your copy here. Meanwhile, you can explore other holiday homes with creative uses of vintage finds such as Christmas at Gran’s: Festive Decor Inspired by Nostalgia. Or you can get to work on some holiday DIY crafts such as DIY Wine Glass Cloche and Upcycled Paper Scrap Gift Tags. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for more updates and flea market inspiration.