Everyone Had It In The Early 2000s, Now It’s The Thrift Store Find We Want In Our Homes

There is no arguing that the early aughts are having a moment. Teenagers are embracing Juicy Couture track suits, “Scrubs” is back on TV, and everyone is trying to make their home look like a Nancy Meyers movie set. For interiors, a return to 2000s decor means a Tuscan kitchen (the quirky kitchen style no one ever expected to trend again), dark wood, oversized furniture, and oil-rubbed bronze fixtures. Now, savvy decor lovers are snapping up oil-rubbed-bronze pieces secondhand for a steal to give their interiors a level of warmth and lived-in patina that matte black or stainless steel just can’t.

Unlike a monochromatic matte black, oil-rubbed bronze delivers the same dark effect with a softer hand and added character that designers are loving. To emulate aged bronze, this dark finish features a deep brown to near-black base, accented with copper-hued highlights. The tarnished vibe is perfect for homes with antique flavor, plus the material is more forgiving with fingerprints and water spots than matte black or stainless. The best part? Oil-rubbed bronze is considered a “living finish,” meaning pieces only get better as they age and patina, making them the perfect accessories to buy secondhand.

Read more: 16 Outdated Kitchen Features That Are Unexpectedly Coming Back In Style

How to thrift and style oil-rubbed bronze accessories

When homeowners turned toward a minimalist aesthetic in the 2010s (looking at you, Millennial gray), Marie Kondo–worshipping homeowners donated their oil-rubbed bronze hardware, bathroom fixtures, and lighting in droves. Now, these pieces are widely found in salvage reuse shops, thrift stores, and online on sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. And while this is largely thought of as a kitchen trend from past decades that’s making a comeback, oil-rubbed bronze can be incorporated throughout the home. Think porch lanterns, chandeliers, bathroom faucets and towel bars, mirrors, light switch covers, doorknobs, and of course, cabinet hardware.

The key to making this trend look current is to embrace mixed metals, the kitchen cabinet trend that allows you to mix and match. Oil-rubbed bronze cabinet pulls, for example, can add a rustic complement to stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. Or, a rubbed bronze chandelier can set the tone for a layered, vintage aesthetic in the entryway paired with matte black, contemporary door pulls. Ornate metal shelves are easily found on Etsy to bring an Arts and Crafts vibe to your living spaces. Add these baroque accessories sparingly to give your home a layered, rustic aesthetic without going full-on rooster kitchen — unless, of course, that’s your vibe.

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