An expert junker and flea-market regular transforms her home into a retreat for Christmas with a dash of retro style.
Jessica Richter, the owner of a décor pop-up shop called At Home with Jessi Dee, was born and bred to be a flea-market shopper. “I have been going to flea markets since I was a child,” she says. “My grandmother loved flea markets and thrift stores, so I have many memories of searching for old treasures with her.” It’s a passion that’s carried into her adulthood, and she’s now a full-fledged junker who is always on the hunt for one-of-a-kind pieces—while enjoying the one-of-a-kind people she meets along the way. “It’s about the people,” Jessica says. “There’s nothing better than talking with fellow junkers. Their stories about their finds are always so genuine and enthralling.”
Jessica herself is one such person. She always goes the extra step and researches her finds so she can learn the history behind them, which allows the pieces to be conversation starters. When she heads out on the hunt, she has no shopping list, saying, “Never, ever do I head into a flea market with a specific item in mind. I find things that speak to me, that pull at my emotions.” She tells people that if you find something you love, you’ll always find a place for it in your home, and that’s always been true for her.
“I never plan ahead. My approach is to just turn on the Christmas music and go one tote at a time.”
Flea-Market Finery for Christmas with a Dash of Retro
Jessica’s home is located in Doniphan, Nebraska, and it’s a modern farmhouse with a vintage twist. Just after Halloween, she descends into her basement and re-emerges with totes and boxes filled with all things Christmas. “Decorating for the holidays usually takes me at least two weeks,” she says. “My tree is always the last to go up because it’s the first thing to go down.” Similar to her junking process, Jessica doesn’t have a set vision. “I never plan ahead,” she says. “My approach is to just turn on the Christmas music and go one tote at a time.”
This year for her Christmas with a dash of retro vibe, Jessica went with a color scheme of reds, whites and greens, with touches of blues and pinks. “It’s fun to mix unexpected colors,” Jessica says. The colors give a bright, pretty retro vibe to the room and enhance the vintage pieces in Jessica’s décor. The pieces include a veritable forest of bottlebrush trees and an array of Santas, which take many forms, including figurines, mugs, cookie jars and stuffed dolls. One has pride of place on the mantel and is placed there because it’s Jessica’s very first Santa, purchased for her by her beloved grandma.
“There’s nothing better than talking with fellow junkers. Their stories about their finds are always so genuine and enthralling.”
Holiday Haul
Old glass bulbs are also distributed throughout Jessica’s home for a gilded-glass touch. “Some of my bulbs date all the way back to the early 1900s,” Jessica says. “I’ve been avidly collecting them for over 20 years. I take great care in putting them up and down.” She uses them in a variety of ways, displaying them in boxes, bowls and glass jars. But her favorite way to showcase them is on a small, branchy Christmas tree that sits in a windowsill. The natural light pouring through the window reflects and shines off the glass bulbs in a mesmerizing and magical way.
In the main bedroom, a DIY tarp above the bed and bottlebrush trees bring an immediate sense of whimsy, while denim bedding and a Nordic quilt finish the look. “And, of course, a row of colorful stockings and a garland hit all the right Christmas notes,” Jessica adds.
The entryway has a similar Christmas with a dash of retro style. An 1800s meeting bench anchors the area, while signs of the holidays—stockings and greenery—deck the halls with retro exuberance.
Every aspect of Jessica’s holiday décor is as imaginative as she is. Her open-ended approach to design creates a stunning Christmas with a dash of retro home that’s a treat for all who enter.
a simple yet stunning statement any time of year.
Feeling the Christmas with a dash of retro vibes? Don’t miss this year’s upcoming holiday special issue! You’ll be able to order your copy here. Meanwhile, 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.