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Tamara Wise

PDX Picks: Local Vintage Shopping Favs + How to Incorporate Vintage Pieces in Your Space


This week we're introducing yet another new series on our blog (don't worry, our WD Favorites series isn't dead...we're just on a break ; ). Our new series explores some of our favorite local spots around the Portland area. We're really excited to share these with you!

Our local PDX Picks this week are some of our favorite vintage shops in the Portland area. We love incorporating vintage/antique pieces into our designs and a great way to do so is by shopping at our local spots!

Aurora Mills

Aurora Mills

Located in an enormous barn/warehouse, Aurora Mills is an architectural salvage wonderland located 20 miles south of Portland. They scour the country for unique and one-of-a-kind vintage & antique pieces. Looking through their collected inventory of storied items is a can't miss experience!

Incorporating vintage/antique pieces along with more modern furnishings is a great way to achieve a unique & eclectic look. In our office, we used an antique chinoiserie desk, a vintage drafting table, a vintage library ladder & wooden crates (both found at Aurora Mills) along with industrial modern stools, a new Moroccan rug and clean modern shelving. The end result is a collected space that feels effortlessly curated.

Wise Design Office

Lounge Lizard

Lounge Lizard

Lounge Lizard is one of our go to spots for Mid Century furniture in PDX. Located in SE Portland, this shop is super fun to visit. They are known for their fantastic selection of mid-century furniture and colorful retro lighting. We highly recommend grabbing brunch somewhere on Hawthorne and then paying a visit to oogle all of the great finds!

In our Rancho Mid Century Modern home, vintage pieces were scattered throughout the space to honor the mid-century architecture. We found the credenza and MCM lamp at Lounge Lizard, while the dining table & chairs and many other pieces were found through Craigslist (another great source for vintage pieces!) In this project and whenever we bring in vintage pieces, we like to mix in some modern elements to keep the space looking fresh with a vintage vibe.

Rancho Mid Century Modern Dining Room

Urbanite

Urbanite

Another favorite local spot (that's dangerously close to our office) is Urbanite. A giant urban warehouse collective of several individual vendors. Each vendor has their own curated and styled collection of vintage/antique/salvaged goods. It's impossible not to come home with some amazing finds from this spot, in fact it's hard not to buy every unique thing you find here!

In our Alberta Arts Bungalow, we wanted to include many vintage & unique items the clients had collected during their travels abroad. The vintage trunk in the photo below was the perfect solution to keep this space feeling uniquely curated. You are guaranteed to find fun finds like this antique steamer trunk at Urbanite!

The Good Mod

Casework.it installation at The Good Mod

The Good Mod is totally a must-do vintage shopping experience in Portland. Located upstairs on the 4th Floor on the corner of 13th and West Burnside, you'll find this huge mid century furniture shopping paradise (did I mention that Portlanders LOVE MCM!?!). Along with a beautiful selection of vintage furniture, you'll also find one-of-a-kind crafted pieces made right there in the shop/workshop. We highly recommend a visit if you live or come to PDX!

In our NW Nob Hill House, we brought in a few vintage pieces to give the space a unique, collected look. We wanted to incorporate pieces from different eras to make the space feel curated and comfortable. We loved how this mid century hutch kept the room feeling fun & fresh in an otherwise sophisticated space. Head to The Good Mod to find great pieces like this hutch and other amazing finds!

SW Nob Hill House Living Room

Hippo Hardware

Hippo Hardware

Hippo Hardware is a beloved Portland institution that has been in the same building on east Burnside since 1976. Selling vintage/antique hardware, plumbing fixtures and lighting, it's a great source for unique pieces!

In our Rancho Mid Century Modern kitchen we used vintage hardware from Hippo to seamlessly blend the modern cabinetry with the architectural style of the home. Incorporating vintage hardware and fixtures is a great subtle way to mix in unique pieces.

Rancho Mid Century Modern

I hope you enjoyed our round up of favorite vintage shopping spots around Portland! Other great places to find fun vintage pieces include: Hawthorne Vintage, Vintage Pink, and I Heart Retro. Be sure to visit some or all of these great spots when you're skipping around PDX!

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