For those not in the know (like me five years ago), OBX = The Outer Banks. Which is actually where John first took me for our one year anniversary of dating. Cue the collective aw. Anyway, now that we divulged some details of our recent Outer Banks trip this morning, we wanted to share all of the house-related stuff that we found while we were there. One of our favorite things to do when we travel is search for thrift stores, so I just did a quick hunt for “thrift” on my iPhone and it led us to Hotline Thrift (in Kitty Hawk – it’s a big pink store, you can’t miss it).
Which is where we found these two chunky pedestal bases for $40 (for both) along with a big tabletop. Not a bad deal if you grabbed them both and made two pedestal tables out of them (like we did way back when for our old sunroom). Of course you could paint them any color you’d like after adding one of those $40 ready-made 36″ tabletops from Lowe’s (like glossy white, moody gray, happy yellow, chippy turquoise, etc). Each table would probably factor out to around $65 when it’s all said and done (read more on a project like this here).
This cute desk lamp was just $4, and could totally look like something straight out of Pottery Barn if you spray painted it bright red, dark charcoal gray, or even something fun like lime green.
This Paris map was awesome. And we totally would have bought it if it wasn’t $200 (!!!). I guess the folks at this thrift store smartly googled it and learned it was worth a ton of money. It really was amazing.
Then I laid eyes on this relic from the past. Yes it is an Alf tray, and yes it was only $4. How did I ever leave the store without it – even if just as a gag gift for my brother. “Let’s do lunch! How about yours?” Oh Alf, you slay me.
Then there was this furry lamp. It looked like it was all stinky and musty… not that I leaned in to confirm. It’s so funny to realize that there was a moment in time that this was in fact considered stylish. Crazytown.
Then we found our way over to Hotline Thirft Too, which is basically their sister store in Nags Head, where we found this cute $4 fish tin (once again I can picture it spray painted for a fun modern take – maybe in bright turquoise or poppy orange and hung above the window of a kitchen sink). I think I have a spray paint problem. Sort of along the same lines as my pillow problem. Can’t. Stop.
Next we have the piece de resitance. An item so mystifying that you can’t help but scratch your head and giggle simultaneously. Ladies (and gentlemen?) I present to you, the oversized hairy nutcracker bear. He was literally over two feet tall. Have you ever seen anything like it? I just stood there transfixed – trying to make sense of the whole thing. In the end I couldn’t. What could this possibly mean?
While in Nag’s Head we also had some fun at Meme’s Antique Mall. The first thing to catch my eye were these awesome teal and red glasses (I’ve loved that color combo since the days of Domino magazine). They were $16 for the set (there were around 10 in the set) so definitely not bad.
Clara loved this cute $25 kissing giraffe art + frame (two words that she knows are “kiss” and “giraffe” – the latter of which cutely comes out as: “gee!”).
This industrial white stool was $29. Could be fun in a sleek bathroom pulled up to a clean-lined vanity for putting on the ol’ face every morning.
This old troll gal was $25, which made me want to drop to the floor holding my face. Why? I owned approximately 100 of them as a nine year old. And at $25 a pop, my collection would have earned me $2,500 if my mom hadn’t donated them over a decade ago. Who knew those would be worth something someday? Clearly not me.
This whale weathervane was a whopping $295, but it did make me wonder if someone could DIY one with an old piece of wood and a jigsaw (they could then attach it to a cheaper weather vane base).
This next store isn’t exactly a thrift store, but it was next door to one, so I ducked in. It was called Daniel’s Homeport in Kitty Hawk, and although nothing was as cheap as most thrift store finds (except for that $200 map!) there was some cool stuff.
Like this painterly flower guy ($62 with frame):
And this cool geometric picture frame ($40), which I definitely think could be DIYed with a stencil – or even freehanded if you’re fancy.
This honeycomb wine rack totally had me at hello (you know we have a thing for bees). At $40 we didn’t grab it, but I still remember it fondly.
This cool octagonal mirror was also something I thought could be homemade (hardware store wood and trim mitered and secured over a larger round mirror could recreate the look). So rustic and charming.
I know I’m weird, but I thought this octopus pillow ($37) was the bomb diggety. And yes, I’m cool enough to use that term, circa 1995.
I was also in love with these hook & loop pillows ($50 each) thanks to their bold designs and fun subjects. A little too spendy for a cheap girl like me though. Even with my pillow problem. But I could see them in someone’s hip LA crash pad- like, I dunno… Selena Gomez?
We also ducked into Kellogg Supply Company (right near our rental house) and spied this hilarious version of Monopoly. Burger was chuffed.
Amazingly enough, we left empty handed (well, we did grab a post card to send to ourselves, per our tradition). And my ten year old niece Olivia and I got $2 friendship bracelets. BFFs for life, yo.
Do you like to go house shopping on vacation? Is there ever room for anything in the car anyway (ours was pretty packed)? Did you also have dozens of troll dolls as a tween? Did you name them all and line them up in the window so their hair got faded on one side? Yeah, me neither.
Christine says
You left the Alf tray??
YoungHouseLove says
I know, I must have been momentarily insane.
xo,
s
Shauna says
I still have all of my trolls! I have over 60 of those guys! I used to have one of the soft bodied ones and she was dressed as a ballerina, BUT I lost her! :(
RA says
We bought that exact map of Paris at the Notre Dame (yes, THAT Notre Dame) gift shop after climbing to the very top of the cathedral. And back down. Whew!! The cost? 22f. Air fare and hotel? The absolute cheapest student rates we could get at the time. The memories? PRICELESS
YoungHouseLove says
That’s awesome!
xo,
s
Marie says
My mom has a collection of miniature Thanksgiving trolls that we bring out every year to decorate the table. It started out as joke many years ago, now it’s a tradition.
I read this post with my 2 year old twins looking on and they both loved the hairy bear nutcracker!
Lisa says
I love the Outer Banks. Peaceful is the first word that comes to mind. If only it was a shorter drive from Baltimore.
Kate says
Not exactly thrifting, but still wonderful: last night I checked out Craigslist to try to work on chipping away at our list of new-house-needs, and I found a really great new dining table! It’s black, hefty, and includes a leaf that expands it from 5.5′ to 7′. A quick drive with my husband and the trailer and $75, the table was mine! Now off to find chairs…
Cheryl says
I have that giraffe pic hanging in my living room! I proud to say that I bought the print from art.com (with a free shipping code) and made the frame myself out of some decorative chair rail spray painted brown!
Elisabeth@SimpleGreenishLiving says
When I started checking out your blog three or four months ago I slowly started to realize we had so much in common…we’re the same age, we both had backyard weddings, we each had our first child last year. And I had about a hundred troll dolls too. Lol, that seals the deal, we were meant to be friends.
YoungHouseLove says
Done. We just need friendship bracelets.
xo,
s
Elisabeth@SimpleGreenishLiving says
Totally.
Alisha says
Selena would totally have those pillows in her house.
Jesse says
I am so with you on the spraypaint problem. Every time I’m in a thrift store I’m thinking it. You guys found a lot of neat stuff it looks like! Even that weird furry lamp… I’d ditch the shade in exchange for a drum shade, and attack that base with some spray paint. Replace that glass.. who knows. I wonder how big it was though…….
Great stuff!
Hollie @ I'm Busy Procrastinating says
I love The Cottage Shop at Kellogg in Duck! They have the cutest beachy stuff. And their bedding is reasonably priced, if I had a house in OBX to fix up, that is. We rent a house with family for a week in OBX every two years, and this is our off year. We always stay in Duck, Corolla, or Whalehead. We rent beach chairs and umbrellas for the week and just hang out there all day. It makes for a most relaxing vacation!
Courtney says
Guess I need to take a road trip to the east! The last time I went to OBX was in high school (I live in Raleigh) and all I really remember doing was staying at a hostel with peacocks and visiting Kitty Hawk. Now to convince the boyfriend to drive out there with me…
Belinda says
You guys sure do seem to love going to stores, photographing things and writing posts on it!
YoungHouseLove says
What can I say, it’s like therapy. Haha.
xo,
s
jan says
Any advice on thrifting in the VA Beach area?
YoungHouseLove says
We haven’t gone thrifting there- anyone have suggestions for Jan?
xo,
s
Whitney says
Sorry i’m a little late to the party here, but I wanted to say – I bought that EXACT Paris map IN Paris along the Seine for about $8. The fact that they are trying to sell it for $200 is absolutely ridiculous. If you ever vacation there, look for the stands selling prints along the river!
YoungHouseLove says
Love it! Man even their street maps are stylish.
xo,
s
Van says
Loving all the photos of your funky finds! :)!
Amy says
So I’m late to this post…but I just had to say…I grew up with 2 of those furry lamps! Those are the EXACT lamps that my parents had in the living room all the way up until we moved in 1993. They now reside in my parent’s basement!
Bobi says
I have just fallen in love with your blog!! And I LOVE this post as we live an hour from the OBX and my husband grew up there! I have visited all of these thrift stores you mentioned and am a thrift store junky too!!! I was laughing out loud watching your Goodwill Georgia video! Reminded me so much of myself! (: