Introduction: Do you have champagne taste on a sparkling water budget? Me too! I’m a huge fan of the McGee & Co. aesthetic, but I’m not a fan of the designer price tags. Today, I’m sharing how I recreated nearly $1,000 worth of luxury home decor using simple thrift store finds and a little bit of paint. These Studio McGee inspired dupes are the perfect way to bring that “Modern Traditional” feel into your home without breaking the bank.
Project 1: The Hand-Painted Botanical Pot
The Inspiration: The Jordanaire Hand-Painted Pot ($464)
The Thrifted Find: A $8.49 ceramic “cashew pod.”
The Process: To achieve that soft, designer white, I used two coats of Magnolia Mineral Chalk Paint. For the botanical details, I hand-painted wispy leaves and berries using Dixie Belle’s Bunker Hill Blue.
The Secret Sauce: A high-gloss topcoat! This gives the matte paint that expensive, glazed pottery look that characterizes high-end designer pieces.
The Inspiration: McGee & Co. Braided Frames ($64+)
The Thrifted Find: A wicker-textured mirror frame.
The Process: I transformed the frame using Copper Gilding Wax for a sophisticated metallic finish. But the real star is the art!
The Freebie: I created a custom art print to fit this aesthetic. [linked at the end of blog post]
Pro Tip: After printing, I applied Mod Podge in heavy brushstrokes to mimic the texture of an authentic oil painting.
Project 3: The Beachcomber Hurricane Hack
The Inspiration: Beachcomber Glass Hurricane ($448)
The Thrifted Find: A $3.99 glass cylinder.
The Styling: This is a “no-effort” DIY. By layering the glass over a black or gold candlestick, you recreate that high-end Pottery Barn and McGee & Co. look for a fraction of the price. It’s the perfect addition to a spring mantle or a Valentine’s Day tablescape.
Watch the Full Transformation!
If you want to see the step-by-step process of how I painted that botanical pod or how I applied the gilding wax to the wicker frame, you can watch the full video below. I’ll walk you through every detail so you can recreate these high-end looks yourself!
Don’t forget to subscribe to DIYs with Sonja for more high-end dupes and thrift flip inspiration!
Exclusive Freebie: Vintage Art Download
One of my favorite parts of the McGee & Co. aesthetic is the curated, vintage artwork. To help you get the look for the gilded frame DIY featured in this post, I’ve created a custom art print just for you!
I’ve designed this piece to have those moody, traditional tones that pair perfectly with copper and gold accents.
How to use it:
Click the link below to download.
Print it on cardstock or matte photo paper.
Use the “Mod Podge Trick” I shared in the video to give it a textured, oil-painting finish!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE VINTAGE ART PRINT HERE(For personal use only)
Creating a home you love doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands of dollars at high-end retailers. By looking at thrift store items for their shape and texture rather than their original color, you can “dupe” almost any designer look.
We took three simple thrifted items and turned them into pieces inspired by Studio McGee and Pottery Barn—saving nearly $1,000 in the process! Whether you are styling your home for Spring or just adding some cozy touches for Valentine’s Day, I hope these projects prove that luxury is about the feeling of a space, not the price tag.
Which of these three dupes was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below, and if you try one of these projects, tag me on Instagram—I’d love to see your work!
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