Old Is The New ‘New’ — How The Economics Of Resale, Thrift, And Vintage Are Changing The Kind Of Interiors We Covet

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Resale and vintage shopping are becoming more prominent in interiors, according to a Livingetc report citing market forecasts and industry surveys. The figures point to growing secondhand markets, but they do not establish how much of that growth is driven by home decor or whether the trend will continue at the same pace.

Secondhand and vintage goods are gaining visibility in interior design, with younger shoppers appearing more often at estate sales and designers increasingly sourcing older furniture, according to a 2026 Livingetc report. The report cites forecasts for growth in resale markets and a survey finding that 81% of interior designers source furniture and decor from the 1920s through the 1990s.

The Livingetc report describes a change in who shops estate sales and thrift stores: younger buyers are now joining retirees, dealers and interior designers in search of clothing, lighting, art and furniture. The article’s author says the gatherings once felt like a niche market but now attract a broader crowd. That observation is personal reporting, not a count of shoppers or a measure of sales across the sector.

Several market estimates cited in the report indicate wider growth in secondhand goods. ThredUp’s 13th Annual Resale Report projects that the global secondhand apparel market will reach about $367 billion by 2029, including roughly $74 billion in the United States. Apparel is not the same as furniture, so those figures suggest momentum in resale more generally rather than measuring demand for secondhand home furnishings directly.

For furniture, Mordor Intelligence estimates the global secondhand furniture market will grow from about $47 billion in 2025 to $62.7 billion by 2031. Technavio separately projects the market will expand by about $11.24 billion between 2025 and 2030. The report also says UK vintage furniture marketplace Vinterior recorded a 53% year-over-year rise in sales to interior designers in 2026. These are attributed estimates and company figures, not a single standardized measure of the entire resale market.

Vintage Moves Into Design Practice

The reported shift matters because it changes what consumers and professionals treat as desirable in a home. Instead of relying only on new finishes and matching sets, some shoppers and designers are placing greater value on patina, visible craftsmanship and an object’s history. A secondhand piece can offer a distinctive look, and reuse can keep an item in circulation rather than replacing it.

The Livingetc report also describes a change in the meaning of secondhand shopping. Thrifting may still help buyers work within a budget, but the article argues that uniqueness and sustainability have become part of its appeal. In its account, provenance—the story of where an item came from—can itself add to its perceived value. That is a description of changing taste, not evidence that every vintage item is more sustainable or better made than a new one.

For the market, growing interest could mean more competition for sought-after pieces and greater attention from designers and retailers. The report’s figures suggest that resale is no longer confined to informal thrift shops, but the available data does not establish how much secondhand furniture has displaced purchases of new goods.

From Budget Finds to Provenance

The report’s author recalls beginning to shop at auctions and thrift stores with a grandmother whose budget did not always accommodate her taste. The author later made secondhand shops a first stop for items such as dining tables and art, and describes previously being among the youngest people at estate sales. The contrast with the younger shoppers seen there now is the article’s central observation.

Livingetc connects that change to a broader preference for objects with a story and signs of age. It points to “wood bragging” on social media, where owners discuss the former home or source of timber 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 show how reclaimed materials can be presented as a design feature, though a single example does not indicate how common the practice is.

The report places this interest alongside resale-market forecasts and designer survey results. The 1stDibs Annual Designer Survey for 2026 found that 81% of surveyed interior designers source furniture and decor dating from the 1920s to the 1990s. That finding supports the claim that vintage is present in professional design work, but it does not show how much vintage furniture designers buy or how frequently they use it.

““Thrifting is no longer part of the subculture. It’s the marketplace.””

— Livingetc report author

Limits of the Market Evidence

The figures cited come from different organizations, markets and time periods, so they are not directly comparable. The secondhand apparel forecast is not a measure of furniture sales, while the furniture estimates use separate research methods. The report does not provide the full survey methodology or sample size for the 1stDibs designer finding.

It is also unclear how much of the reported interest reflects lasting changes in buying habits, temporary fashion, inflation-related budget choices or increased attention to resale platforms. Vinterior’s reported sales increase applies to its own designer customers, and the report does not give the underlying sales totals. The available information does not establish whether resale growth is reducing purchases of new furniture or how environmental benefits vary by item, transport and refurbishment.

Whether Demand Keeps Growing

The next useful indicators will be updated resale and furniture-market data, including figures that distinguish home furnishings from apparel and show actual sales alongside forecasts. Further reporting on the methods behind designer surveys and marketplace growth could clarify how broad the shift is across regions and price ranges.

For now, the Livingetc report presents a market in which secondhand goods are more visible in both consumer shopping and professional interiors. Whether that visibility becomes sustained growth—and how much it changes purchases of new furniture—remains to be established by later sales data.

Key Questions

What is the main development in the report?

The report describes resale and vintage goods becoming more prominent in interiors, with younger shoppers appearing at estate sales and designers sourcing older pieces.

How large is the secondhand furniture market expected to become?

Mordor Intelligence estimates that the global market will grow from about $47 billion in 2025 to $62.7 billion by 2031. This is a forecast, not a confirmed future result.

What did the 2026 designer survey find?

The Livingetc report says 81% of designers surveyed for the 1stDibs Annual Designer Survey source furniture and decor from the 1920s through the 1990s. The report does not provide the survey’s sample size or full methodology.

Does the apparel resale forecast measure furniture sales?

No. ThredUp’s projection concerns secondhand apparel. It provides broader resale-market context, but it is not a direct measure of secondhand furniture demand.

Is the growth in vintage interiors proven to be environmentally better?

The report links resale with sustainability-minded shopping, but the figures it cites do not measure the environmental impact of individual purchases or prove that every secondhand item has a lower impact than a new one.

Source: rss