TL;DR
Get business pricing on your home office setup
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Resale and vintage shopping are moving from niche activity into mainstream interiors, with younger shoppers and designers increasingly seeking distinctive, pre-owned pieces. Market forecasts and survey figures cited by Livingetc point to continued growth, although they do not establish how much of the change is driven by cost, sustainability or taste.
Secondhand furniture and vintage sourcing are becoming more visible in mainstream interior design, according to a Livingetc report that points to younger shoppers at estate sales, designer use of older furnishings and forecasts for growth in resale markets. The shift matters to shoppers and the design trade because pre-owned pieces are increasingly presented not only as lower-cost alternatives, but as distinctive objects valued for their age and history.
Livingetc describes a change in who turns up to estate sales and thrift stores. The report’s writer recalls once being among the youngest people in line; now, the writer says, Gen Z shoppers are increasingly searching for clothing and homewares. That account is an observation from the report, rather than a comprehensive count of shoppers, but it illustrates how secondhand shopping has become more visible beyond longtime collectors and dealers.
The figures cited suggest a growing market, though they cover different categories and come from separate sources. ThredUp’s 13th Annual Resale Report projects the global secondhand apparel market will reach about $367 billion by 2029, including roughly $74 billion in the U.S. Livingetc also cites Mordor Intelligence’s estimate that the global secondhand furniture market could grow from about $47 billion in 2025 to $62.7 billion by 2031. These are forecasts, not realized sales totals.
In design, Livingetc cites a 2026 1stDibs survey in which 81% of interior designers reported sourcing furniture and decor from the 1920s through the 1990s. The report also says UK vintage furniture marketplace Vinterior recorded a 53% year-on-year rise in sales to interior designers in 2026. The source material does not provide the survey’s sample size or Vinterior’s underlying sales figures, so those numbers indicate reported activity rather than a full measure of the market.
Why Designers Value Older Pieces
The shift changes what counts as desirable in a home. Instead of treating flawless, newly purchased furnishings as the clearest sign of status, some shoppers and designers are emphasizing patina, craftsmanship and provenance—the visible signs of age and the story of where an object came from. Livingetc describes this as a move toward discernment: finding pieces that feel individual rather than widely replicated.
For buyers, resale can offer access to distinctive furniture and decor, and may provide a lower-cost route to furnishing a space. But the report does not establish that secondhand goods are always cheaper; prices can vary by condition, rarity, seller and demand. Growing interest can also make sought-after vintage pieces harder to find at bargain prices. For designers and retailers, the trend creates more demand for sourcing, evaluating and incorporating used items alongside new products.
Environmental considerations are part of the appeal, with the market forecasts cited by Livingetc pointing to eco-conscious consumption as one driver. The report does not quantify the environmental effects of the purchases it describes. Its clearest evidence is a change in taste and reported commercial activity, not a measured reduction in waste or new production.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Estate Sales to Design Practice
The writer describes thrift shopping as a longtime way to find well-made or unusual items within a limited budget, including tables, art and clothing. Estate sales once seemed to draw a narrower crowd, according to that personal account. The writer now sees more younger shoppers there, a change that suggests secondhand buying has become more culturally visible.
That shift sits alongside a broader interest in objects with a story. Livingetc points to designers repurposing materials and to social media attention around the origins of wood used in furniture. One example in the report is a kitchen island by ROAR Architects made from a London plane tree that once stood in Soho Square. Such projects turn a material’s past into part of the design, rather than hiding signs of age.
The report’s market evidence spans clothing resale, secondhand furniture and designer sourcing, which are related but not interchangeable measures. Apparel forecasts can suggest wider consumer interest in resale, but they do not directly establish the size or growth rate of the home-furnishings market.
“What used to feel niche now feels cultural. The thrill is the same — the early alarm, the first walk-through, the quick mental math — but the crowd has changed.”
— Livingetc report author
secondhand mid-century modern decor
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Limits of the Market Evidence
The scale and causes of the shift remain uncertain. The figures are projections, survey responses and company-specific sales data, not a single audited measure of resale activity across home interiors. The supplied source material does not include the full methodology, sample sizes or detailed baselines for all of the statistics. It also does not quantify how much shoppers’ choices reflect affordability, environmental concerns, uniqueness or changing design preferences.
The source material ends after introducing shoppers’ interest in one-of-a-kind finds, before providing the rest of that discussion. It offers no direct comments from shoppers, marketplace operators or researchers explaining the trend, and it does not establish whether demand will continue at the pace suggested by the forecasts.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How Resale Demand Develops
The next evidence to watch is whether actual resale and secondhand furniture sales keep pace with the projections, and whether designer demand reported by marketplaces continues in subsequent periods. Updated market reports, future designer surveys and clearer sales data could show whether vintage sourcing is becoming a durable part of interior design or remains especially strong in particular categories and price ranges.
For now, the report supports a measured conclusion: secondhand and vintage interiors are gaining visibility, and cited forecasts anticipate further market growth. The size, durability and environmental effects of that change are not yet established by the information provided.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What is changing in interior design?
Livingetc reports that thrifted and vintage furnishings are becoming more visible in design and that designers value older pieces for qualities such as craftsmanship, patina and provenance.
How large is the secondhand furniture market expected to become?
Mordor Intelligence estimates the global secondhand furniture market could grow from about $47 billion in 2025 to around $62.7 billion by 2031. Those figures are estimates and forecasts, not confirmed future sales.
Are designers using vintage furniture?
Livingetc cites a 2026 1stDibs survey in which 81% of designers said they sourced furniture and decor from the 1920s through the 1990s. The supplied material does not state the survey’s sample size.
Is vintage always cheaper than buying new?
The report describes secondhand shopping as a way to find items without breaking the bank, but it does not show that vintage goods are always less expensive. Price depends on the item, its condition, rarity and demand.
Does the report prove resale is reducing environmental harm?
No. It identifies sustainability as one possible driver of resale growth, but provides no measurement of emissions, waste reduction or the environmental impact of the purchases discussed.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
