By Cory Ohlendorf | April 10, 2018

A great looking home is one that's been outfitted much in the same matter as you dress. It's not all one style or one brand. It's eclectic, right? That's how you want to think about your home furnishings. Let me put it this way: A brand-new, gleaming Rolex will never not be cool. But you know what's cooler? A vintage Rolex from the year you were born with just the right amount of patina on the dial.

A mix of old and new from Homepolish.

The same goes for your place. There are plenty of fine options from big box stores and catalogs or speciality stores named after Barns or Barrels. But for a handful of items, you should always aim to buy secondhand, because they're just better if they're vintage. Because vintage means they're broken-in, special and unlike anything else. They come imbibed with history. Of course, shopping a flea market or antique shop can be overwhelming. So here's your game plan: Focus on under-the-radar vintage pieces or items that people don't want to mess with at the flea market. That way, you'll snag them for cheap because no one else realizes the value. We checked in with a few of our favorite designers and compiled the following list. They're paired with examples you can buy online, but I'm sure you'll likely find better deals closer to home.

Storage Options

From little boxes and trays to ethnic baskets and old school ice buckets, there are plenty of storage options littering the secondhand market. And we're here for all of them. Why buy a little generic box from Crate & Barrel to store your remotes or condoms in when you can house the items you don't want to see in a one-of-a-kind container that really adds something to your coffee table, entry nook or nightstand? These are the items that make your kitchen counters and bookshelves look worldly and curated. Don't miss out on that opportunity.

Art

The best art is unique, interesting—and most importantly—meaningful to you. It's hard to tick all three of those boxes if you're buying your art from a mass manufacturer. What's more, the secondhand stuff is usually cheaper too. Remember, it doesn't have to be fine art—old advertisements and shooting targets make for graphic pieces that liven up a wall. As do foreign movie posters. So look for pieces wherever antiques are sold, and even talk to your favorite shops to see where they are sourcing some of the interesting items on their walls.

A stack of books is your best friend when outfitting your place. It instantly adds a shot of your personality and they tend to make for nice pedestals on which to place a plant or candle. But the big books can be pretty damn expensive when purchased new at full retail prices. So click the "search used" option on Amazon or scan through the dog-eared stacks at vintage shops.