Thrifters prove secondhand style can redefine homes

Lisa Boone, Tribune News Service

After moving to Los Angeles from Palo Alto in 2023 with only a standing desk and a bed frame, Tess van Hulsen and Andrew Chait learned quickly how to furnish an empty rental without buying anything new. Because they love thrifting, decorating together was actually fun for them. Two years later, their love of thrifting, antiquing, bargaining and restoring has turned their Westwood rental into a showcase of "secondhand treasures," says Van Hulsen, 28, who works as a commercial contract specialist. "I have always liked things that have history and character and a story behind them," she says. "Each piece represents a store we love, a lucky find or a successful haggle that ended with us carrying home something with history."

Chait, meanwhile, enjoys the thrill of searching and bargaining. He likes making deals, and even if he walks away, he still feels like he's won. "I'm good at finding value, and Tess has the eye for style," says Chait, 32, who works as a development director. "It's something we really enjoy doing together." At a time when many millennials and Gen Z shoppers enjoy hunting for deals on secondhand items, Van Hulsen and Chait also wanted to avoid "fast furniture, poorly built materials and disposable design," according to Van Hulsen. For them, gently used pieces make their rental feel special. "People my age are taking an interest in having heirlooms and traditional items," Van Hulsen says as she points to a silver-plated trinket tray that holds her jewelry. "I think it's really fun to entertain and bring stuff out when guests come over. It makes the table look nice, and the platters are great for bringing food upstairs when we entertain on our rooftop patio."

Except for a few family heirlooms and some small dressers from IKEA and West Elm, nearly everything in their condo is thrifted. In the living room, an elegant cream-colored linen sofa from the Home Consignment Center is the main piece. On either side are striped linen armchairs, and a wooden coffee table from Facebook Marketplace completes the look, giving the room a relaxed coastal feel. Next to the 2-year-old sofa is an antique Tiger Oak hutch from the Santa Monica Antique and Vintage Market. It's filled with their thrifted finds including silver champagne buckets, candlesticks, colorful Mexican ceramics and a tall rotating server from the Council Shop, a thrift store chain that supports low-income women and families in Los Angeles.

"It's dangerous living so close to the Council Shop," Chait says of the nonprofit, which is within walking distance of the couple's rental. "We probably walk down there every two weeks or so." As the couple walks through their home, they reminisce about how each item has its own story. "I knew we wanted a neutral couch," Van Hulsen says of the sofa that was originally on hold when they first saw it. "Luckily, it is modular, so my mother-in-law and I took it home in pieces in two cars." The china cabinet was discounted to $60 at the Santa Monica Antique and Vintage Market because it was missing some glass pieces. "We purchased it from a father and son who were so nice," says Chait. "Tess and I couldn't fit it in our car, so they delivered it to us for $40."

Adds Van Hulsen: "It's narrow and the perfect size." In the dining room corner next to a table and eight chairs from the UCLA Thrift Shop that they had to pick up in two trips sits a charming oak dresser with carved floral details. "I found it on the street during bulky item pickup day in Palo Alto and brought it down during a holiday car ride back," van Hulsen says. She also found a vintage print of Windsor Castle, now hanging in the entryway, on the street in Palo Alto. "That was the furthest thing we have thrifted," she says. Many of the accessories in their penthouse such as a bright blue Kitchen Aid mixer (which can cost up to $699 new), coffee-table books and a decorative clam shell remind the couple of their favorite place: Palm Springs.

"Palm Springs is our happy place," Van Hulsen says. "We often go there for a night or a long weekend, and there's a reliable string of antique stores there that we love: Sunny Dunes Antique Mall and the Antique Galleries. We keep extending our thrifting to Rancho Mirage — we love Victoria's Attic Antiques and Collectibles — and La Quinta, and we also go to estate sales." Now that they're settled, it's easy to forget how tough it was to find a rental near Chait's new job in Santa Monica. "It was hard," Van Hulsen says. "It was around Christmas, and there wasn't a lot available." "People were making deals and offering to pay more than the listed rent," says Chait. Eventually, they found a bright two-bedroom, two-bath unit in Westwood with high ceilings, a loft and a rooftop patio. "We applied to two other places before we saw this one. It was worth waiting for," van Hulsen says.

Chait grew up in LA and spent 10 years in the Bay Area. He believes buying secondhand from strangers is a great way to get to know the city. "When I went to buy a wine fridge from someone yesterday, we ended up talking about surfing for half an hour," Chait says. "It's fun to meet new people and hear the stories behind what they're selling. Plus, exploring new parts of LA is always interesting."

For them, sticking to a budget is a way to get creative. Whether it's silver platters or things left out on the street during bulky item pickup day, the couple is always searching for stylish, affordable finds. The result is a surprisingly cohesive look with jute rugs, light woods and striped linens creating a relaxed California coastal vibe with touches of Palm Springs and France. "My mom has always been a thrifter," says Van Hulsen. "When we lived in London for four years, we collected all sorts of bits and baubles."

"From the beginning, Tess and Andrew's relationship was stitched together through a shared love for the hunt," her mother Dana McCue said in an email. "Their weekends away were never just about the destination, but about the 'treasures' hidden in dusty corners and the thrill of the 'find.' Today, their beautiful Westwood Penthouse serves as a living gallery of their love story. Each curated piece is more than just decor; it is a physical milestone that captures their journey from that first shared discovery to the life they have built together." Though some couples who are making a home together for the first time prefer to buy new furniture, Van Hulsen and Chait have stuck with secondhand pieces except for their upholstered panel bed, which they purchased at Living Spaces. "That is our only big furniture purchase," Chait says. "Things are so expensive, and so many things fall apart. And besides, we like the stories. That's what we get excited about: the story, talking to people, imagining the life it had before."

They have a dresser from the Venice Canals that Tess squeezed into her Jeep Cherokee, etchings from an estate sale in Carmel, a lamp from the Guy on Motor at Venice in Palms and a vintage mirror from San Diego. "We have thrifted all over California," says Van Hulsen. Silver platters are everywhere: on side tables, under cabinets and also under the bed. "Stubbing my toe on silver is not that bad of a life," she adds, laughing.