Hunting for Vintage Gems

Remember ice-cold Coca-Cola in glass bottles? That sweet, refreshing treat on a balmy North Coast day? Treasure hunting for quirky home décor pieces is hard work, you know, so that ice-cold beverage in a classic glass bottle after a thrilling morning of vintage décor discovery was the cherry on top!

On the hunt for one-of-a-kind, quirky home accessories, a good friend and I recently took a sho’t left to The Vintage Barn, just off Esenembe Road. I wanted my home to show my own, authentic taste, rather than reflect a standard furniture catalogue. 

What a joy! When scavenging for second-hand décor, you never know what waits around the next corner. Every piece is a time capsule of a bygone era. Best of all, perhaps, repurposing old items keeps quality wares out of landfills – a win for the environment.

Stepping onto the grounds, we felt like we had teleported into an episode of one of those famous treasure hunting TV shows like American Pickers or Salvage Hunters. Mike Wolfe could have appeared from behind a piece at any time. One of my favourites was a refurbished Mobil Gas Fridge – perfect for the man cave! Mimicking an old Mobil petrol pump on the outside, complete with a gas nozzle door handle, the inside is all vintage fridge, generously spacious and rock-solid. 

Then there were decades-old clocks, antique rotary telephones and a geometry set that surely belonged to someone’s great-grandfather. If you are into statement-making quirky signage, indulge yourself in anything from humorous bar signs to historic South African road signs, old American gas station and motor oil signs or an array of car registration plates from all over. 

I really loved the vinyl collection, which took me on a mind-music journey: the ritual of picking up the heavy sleeve, smelling the old paper and admiring the artwork on the cover. Then carefully removing the record from the sleeve without touching the grooves, placing it on the turntable and checking for dust. The cueing lever rises, the tonearm moves into position, and the stylus lowers onto the record’s outer edge. Then the magic of warm, organic and imperfect sound infuses the room – as if the musicians are not playing through a speaker but in the room with you. Ahh, bliss …

Imagining what the heavy corner cupboards, and classic old couches and scatter cushions could be is half the fun. It unlocks your latent creativity and takes you down a rabbit hole of possibilities; it’s an Alice in Wonderland of creative exploration tied to creating a home that’s authentically you. 

Instagram: thevintagebarnballito