The deeper you get into thrifting, the more obscure your obsessions become.
Many of my best finds started with a single discovery and then eventually became a collection. About six years ago, I found a decorative plate at an estate sale and noticed it was signed by the artist. Then, a year ago, I came across another plate by the same artist at an Atlanta antique gallery.
Often when you find something and flip it over, the maker’s mark will send you down a rabbit hole or create a long-held obsession with a particular brand or artist that may last your lifetime. Before long, you’re searching for that brand every time you walk into a thrift store.
That’s how several of the names on today’s list found their way onto my radar.
Some are collectible but still surprisingly affordable, and others are hiding in plain sight because most shoppers don’t recognize the name. All of them are brands I would happily bring home if I found them tomorrow.
I’ve shared many of my favorite under-the-radar home brands and clothing brands before, but one post is never going to cover them all. And these are, frankly, a little bit more focused on smaller home accessories, decorative items, and the like. The really special, statement-y stuff.
Alessi
Michael Graves for Alessi salad bowl, $237 // Frank Gehry for Alessi kettle, $468 // Joanna Lyle for Alessi fruit bowl, $225 // Alessi juicer, $74
Alessi is probably the most recognizable name on today’s list, but I still think it’s overlooked by many thrift shoppers.
Founded in Italy in 1921, the company is best-known for turning everyday household objects into pieces of industrial design. Its also partnered with a number of big-name designers over the years: Michael Graves, Philippe Starck, Ettore Sottsass, and Achille Castiglion have produced everything from corkscrews and kettles to fruit bowls and serving trays for the brand.
Probably the most iconic Alessi pieces are Graves’ whimsical bird-whistle kettle and Starck’s Juicy Salif citrus juicer, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for serving pieces, kitchen accessories, and stainless-steel tabletop items that are funky and functional.
As a bonus: even decades-old Alessi pieces still look remarkably modern (making this one of those brands worth thrifting if only because it still looks so current).
What to look for:
Stainless-steel trays
Serving bowls
Ice buckets
Kitchen accessories
Michael Graves-designed pieces
Philippe Starck-designed pieces
Search terms:
Alessi Italy
Alessi stainless steel
Alessi Michael Graves
Alessi Philippe Starck
The brands below are considerably less familiar, but they’re exactly the kinds of names I search for when I’m scrolling estate sales, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay.
