Trash to treasure: Meghan Daniel of Thrift Score breathes new life into forgotten décor
With little opportunity to leave home this past year, our humble abodes have all of a sudden taken up quite a responsibility, assuming multiple roles as workspace, vacation oasis and refuge from the world, and all within the same groupings of furniture, art and decorations we used to take for granted. And try as they might, the spaces we occupied every day could risk becoming a bit…boring. But with a general sense of uncertainty still lingering in the air, frugality has become just as important as fresh new decor—which is exactly how Meghan Daniel and Matthew McPherson, the couple behind Thrift Score, turned their homeware-hunting hobby into a thriving Instagram business.
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From Southwest-inspired lamp bases to wine glasses, framed paintings and even the occasional vintage book, the items posted on Thrift Score go beyond Daniel’s own aesthetic, culminating in a quirky collection of décor and home accessories that would suit a variety of spaces in need of a good style switch-up.
“I started becoming interested in thrifting way back in college, starting with clothes,” says Daniel. “But I realized I had little patience for that. I knew that I really liked changing up my space a lot, though, and I figured that thrifting home décor was a cheap and guilt-free way to do that, since I wouldn’t feel guilty about not using something I spent $2 on versus a more expensive piece from somewhere like West Elm.”
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As Daniel began to thrift more often—tag-teaming with her boyfriend McPherson, who Daniel says represents the entrepreneurial spirit of the endeavor, always stopping by thrift stores after work to find fun and interesting pieces—she began to come across more and more items that didn’t necessarily fit her own style or needs, but which were too good to leave behind. With a quick clean or repair, the abandoned items she’d found around town were good as new.
“When choosing pieces to sell, I get a lot of inspiration from other design pages on Instagram, plus I buy a lot of home design and vintage-themed decorating books, so I’m interested in a lot of different styles that aren’t necessarily all mine,” says Daniel. “I pay attention to other people’s styles, whether they’re boho or classic, and I keep that in mind when I’m styling photos, as well as what’s trending at the time.”
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Even Daniel’s own home décor has gone through multiple mini-transformations this past year—and always at minimal cost.
“I have so many gallery walls, so I change those up a lot,” she says. “I rearrange furniture, and I definitely like switching around knickknacks on tables and shelves. I’ve reorganized books by color or by size, and blankets and throw pillows are constantly changing. Accent chairs are also an easier, bigger thing to switch around now and then.”
To hunt for your own inspiration, check out Daniel and McPherson’s Instagram at @itsthriftscore, and watch out for occasional pop-ups at The Hope Shop. Those on the lookout for a specific piece of décor can DM Daniel via Instagram and ask that she keep an eye out. Otherwise, shoppers can scan her posts for items on sale, or follow the account for announcements a few days prior to each collection drop in Thrift Score’s Instagram stories. To purchase, simply DM the account with the item you wish to purchase, and pay via Venmo or Paypal within the hour.
