Vintage crocks and stoneware were the kinds of pieces I was always drawn to but never knew what to do with. Yes, they look beautiful and often have great texture or color, but it’s not always obvious how to incorporate them into your home. As an avid antique collector, I am constantly asking myself how I can create a collected and curated look without making my home feel cluttered and overwhelming. I approach this by making sure many of my antiques serve a purpose in my home, in addition to being beautiful conversation pieces. A great example of this is our vintage radio. We love the midcentury look of this radio in our living room and we enjoy using it to listen to baseball games in the spring and summer.
As new decor becomes more and more expensive, antique pieces like vintage crocks have become increasingly popular in recent years. One thing I find challenging about decorating with antiques is how to incorporate them into my home without making my home look like it’s a museum or your grandma’s house that hasn’t changed since 1973. With this in mind, I have been experimenting with creating a soft, lived in home that feels cozy and curated at the same time. What I love about using vintage crocks is how versatile and useful they are. They can be filled with wooden spoons, flowers, kindling for fires, blankets, and so much more.
In this blog I will be sharing how I style vintage crocks in my home for beauty and functionality. I like to use them in my kitchen, living room, bar, and outside, as you will see in the following pictures. I want to remind you that everything is changeable in your style. Don’t be afraid to test out a look and live with it for a while before making an adjustment. It’s okay to tinker with your decor, allowing it to change as you or the needs of your home change.
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I love using Pinterest for styling and decor inspiration. I recently made a board for decorating with vintage crocks and will be adding to it as I find more ideas. I would highly recommend you make your own board and search keywords like “rustic stoneware” or “vintage Americana crocks” for the best results.
Where to find Vintage Crocks
I’ve found beautiful vintage crocks at thrift stores, estate sales, and antique stores over the years. If you’re looking for something more specific, there are many vintage crocks and stoneware options on Ebay and Etsy.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is my favorite place to style vintage crocks because there are so many ways for them to be useful. Currently I’m storing my sourdough starter in a crock which has been working great. I also use a smaller crock for coffee beans at my coffee and tea station and a tiny crock that is the perfect size for leftover breadcrumbs or seasoning salt.
Living room
The living room is an unassuming location for vintage crocks. By my fireplace I like to have one filled with kindling during fire season. This kind of display is incredibly functional and alluring as it calls me to use the space to make my home warm and cozy.
The Bar
I recently discovered that crocks make excellent wine or champagne buckets. Fill halfway with ice and add your bottle of choice. If you have a larger crock, you can add several bottles which is so festive for a dinner party or cocktail hour! You can also use the crocks as ice buckets for guests to mix their own drinks.
Outside
The possibilities are absolutely endless for using vintage crocks outside. I’ve filled them with soil and flowers, used them to display walking sticks, or as storage for garden tools. Outside, vintage crocks can feel more rustic, simple, and functional than inside your home.
The Bathroom
The bathroom is a great place to use vintage stoneware for its beauty and functionality. I like to add rolled washcloths, bath salts, luffas, skin care products, or toilet paper rolls to mine. The best part is that stoneware can be easily cleaned and wiped down, so it wears well.
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