85 Times People Got Lucky And Found Amazing Antique Lamps In Thrift Shops

People are pushing back against consumerism in almost all aspects of their lives. Furniture is no exception: about one in four of Gen Z chooses to thrift or DIY their home décor, and about 40% say that their homes are a blend of new and secondhand. If search terms on sites like Pinterest are any indication, young people are cuckoo for eco decor.

According to Pinterest's 2025 Fall Trend Report, searches for "dream thrift finds" went up by 550%. For "thrifted kitchen," the increase was a whopping 1,102%, and "thrifted decor" in general had a 238% surge in searches. Gen Z is going back to the basics: thrifting furniture and decor items is cheaper, more sustainable, and prompts an emotional connection.

Many young people feel that what a lot of new furniture and décor stores have to offer these days is impersonal, inauthentic, and just plain boring. People are looking for statement pieces, whether it's their kitchen backsplash or a quirky lava lamp on their nightstand.

According to Pinterest, "this new wave of style is less about following the crowd and more about finding one-of-a-kind pieces that tell personal stories — while keeping planet and budget in mind." This, of course, applies to first-time home and furniture buyers, but, hopefully, it might become the buying philosophy of the generations to come as well.

Ironically, even if secondhand items are often cheaper, they might require some DIY love. Say you find a gorgeous lamp in your local thrift store, but it's a little beat up: it might need repainting, rewiring, or even some new parts. Ironically, some old light fixtures might need retrofitting – upgrading their efficiency and compliance with modern safety standards. That might discourage some buyers, but true collectors are usually used to dedicating time and effort to revamping antique lamps.

Compared to modern LED lighting solutions, vintage lamps are much less energy-efficient. Research of street lighting networks shows that LED lamps consume about 75% less energy and last much longer. For example, LEDs last 60 times longer than filament lamps and six times longer than fluorescent lamps.

Certain vintage lamps can also be unsafe, depending on their age. For example, floor lamps from the 1990s sometimes emit excessive heat and might even burst into flames if they're too old and frayed. "The risk of purchasing vintage lighting is that you may need to have it entirely wired, re-wired, or IP44-rated if it's going into a bathroom," interior designer Octavia Herdso told Livingetc magazine. "However, this is easily resolved, as an electrician can usually handle it, though it will increase the total cost of the item."

For many people, the positives outweigh the risks and cons of owning a vintage lighting fixture. At the end of the day, it's not just a gorgeous piece of decor history – it's an investment. As many of them are one-of-a-kind pieces, they become more valuable as they age. "A well-made light from the seventies or eighties already carries design heritage, which gives it an inherent value that will likely endure," architect and interior designer Claire Sa also told Livingetc.