How to Use Baskets and Crates in Vintage Decor

Hi Friends, I'm excited today to be joining in on a Hop with a great group of talented gals created by Cindy from County Road 407. She's put together this fun gathering for those of us that are lovers of farmhouse and vintage decor. This month we're sharing our ideas for using baskets and crates in our vintage decor, vignettes and hopefully gaining some much needed storage.

 If you're coming from visiting our friend Amber

 at Follow the Yellow Brick Home welcome, I'm so glad that you are here. 

Thank you Cindy for such a fun gathering!

This is a very photo heavy post, since I have baskets in use constantly all over the house. Instead of just taking current photos of my baskets and crates I thought I would share photos of them throughout the seasons and holidays. I tend to think of my baskets as "staples" in my decor, so they usually are included in whatever seasonal decor I create. Many times they have a designated spot and they tend to stay there, and I just decorate around them.

I've collected food hampers and lunch baskets for a long time and had them stacked in my hallway 2 houses ago. When we moved to this house I took out my magic white paintbrush and gave them all a good couple of coats of chalk paint. Most of my furniture in the Hearth Room, Kitchen and Garden Room is white so they looked better and went with the flow, all being white. I use these to store my dried hydrangeas, velvet pumpkins, and some holiday ribbon.

Another basket that is in constant use is more like a basket/tray. I keep it on the baker's rack as a catch-all for odds and ends; flower and peat pots and vintage garden goods. Here it is holding my grandmother's set of Homer Laughlin china. When I bought this basket years ago it had a dark green wash, but I repainted it with a French gray to have it blend in with my other decor.

Here it is in the Garden Room on the baker's rack bottom shelf.
As you can see it's filled with garden related items and tends
to be a bit of a catch-all.

At our previous home in the Fall kitchen sitting area...

Another way I use baskets is on a cupboard top to add a little interest,
and to move the eye upward.

I don't add a lot of decor up there, but sometimes a few floral pieces

 or vines that are seasonal. I recently added an old vintage flag

for some patriotic drama in the Hearth Room.

It's a large antique laundry basket

that has it's natural time worn patina.

I have two cupboards in the Garden Room,
where I use a basket on the top.

At this new place I was able to actually use this old pie safe in the Garden Room.

It had been used as storage in our last house, 

so it was nice to be able to use and decorate it. 

This basket is newer and had a natural wicker/wood finish.

It was white washed years ago.

This is a dish cabinet in the casual Dining Area of the Garden Room.
The Garden Room/ Sun Room has a vaulted ceiling so the cupboards
definitely needed something on top to help fill visual space.

This basket is really old and once had a whitewash,

but over time has worn away. 

At our previous home I used one of the gray washed laundry baskets

tipped on it's side so that I could add in some seasonal pieces.

It made a perfect backdrop for all the seasonal decor.

Christmas

Fall

I also keep an antique basket under my Dining Room buffet 

which often is filled with hydrangeas.
Sometimes it makes it's way to the Dining Room table
as a centerpiece filled with vines and seasonal flowers.

Another basket in constant use is my

 rolling market basket which is always filled with seasonal flowers,

and has been hanging out in the Hearth Room.

A few years ago I found a few of these large fishing creels at the vintage markets.
I didn't realize these were actually fish baskets, (yuck) but have 3 of them now
that I sometimes stack. I use these in the formal living room for decor storage.

I think the smaller basket on top is a lunch hamper.

This larger one was dried out and brittle when I found it.
I used a wood stain and wood polish combination to bring it back to life.

(before pic)

Last summer I located a reproduction fishing creel

to replace a vintage one that had finally bit the dust.

It's obvious it's a reproduction, but it's still fun and easily decorated.

I love anything "twiggy" and found a few of these grapevine

baskets a few years ago that I like to use with Ivy and for seasonal vignettes.

Here's another one that I put together permanently with a rabbit for Easter.

I have a small collection of wicker funeral baskets that I love using, especially for Spring.

This one is a fun "Easter Basket".

...and this green metal one that I put together for Autumn.

This new metal Italian wire basket sits on my Dining Room table

most of the time. A few years ago I painted it French Gray from

it's original black finish.

It makes for one huge arrangement that covers

a lot of real estate on my table.

I have a few crates that I use constantly, and the one I go to most of the time is this white crate probably from the 60's. I used it this way with the red logo, but 2 years ago I decided it was more versatile if I would give it a coat of white chalk paint. I'm so glad I did because now I can use it any time or season. I like having a base to corral items for a centerpiece or vignette.

Here it is in the Garden Room this Spring.

...and holding a collection of ivy china.

...then a January candle vignette.

I have a few French wine crates that I've found at fleas or vintage markets,
that are easy for gathering decor and creating a focal point.

I keep another one on the bottom of the etagere in the Garden Room. 

It's another place to keep flower pots and saucers.

Another wine crate holds cookbooks in the old "cookbook nook".

I don't want to forget metal lunch hampers
and all the fun designs they have.

These next 2 small wicker baskets get used throughout the year

 for plants and seasonal displays.

I also have a few wire baskets that are great for seasonal decor.

Here's one on the hearth last Christmas.

I have a love for lambs and sheep, so when I found this crate several years ago it had to come home with me. Right now I'm using it in my Garden Room to hold bags of birdseed. I tend to be a bit messy, so anything I can use to help keep all my "stuff" corralled really helps.

Another fun find is this Arra Apple crate which is perfect for summer vignettes.

And one more basket staple is my Gray wash door basket 

which can usually be found on the front porch or door for most seasons and holidays. 

I love using a basket because it's super easy

to get a large variegated bouquet together in it.

Here it is on the door last Christmas.

And a few years ago for Fall.

Don't you just love this old illustration of baskets?

Thanks so much for coming by.

I hope you'll visit Michelle from The Painted Hinge, next,

to see her wonderful collections of baskets with her vintage decor.

Just click on the links below to catch any of the posts you might have missed.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Hope you'll join us Monday Evening!

joining in here:

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Inspire Me Monday at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

 Celebrate Your Story at The Zucchini Sisters,  Create Bake, Make at Across the Blvd

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda,  LouLouGirls Fabulous Party

Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z,  Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
Party in Your PJ's at Apple Street Cottage
  Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles  

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode,  Share Your Style at French Ethereal
Charming Homes and Gardens at Shiplap and Shells

Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home,  Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home,  Grace at Home at Imparting Grace

 Create, Bake, and Grow at Shabby Art Boutique, Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge