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Thrifting is one of my favorite things to do and I love to decorate with thrifted bread boards!  Today, I’m sharing 9 of my favorite ways to use them around our home.  Keep reading for ideas to decorate with thrifted bread boards!

You all know how much I love thrifting.  At the same time, however, I don’t love to just have a bunch of stuff that I don’t use!  One thing that I love using in my decor are cutting boards and bread boards.  They are always on my thrifting list!

Today is our monthly Thrifting with the Gals post, where we each share some of our favorite thrifted finds.  The other ladies have some fun things to share today, so make sure to check all of them out:

• Rachel from The Pond’s Farmhouse.
• Ann from Dabbling and Decorating
• Kristin from White Arrows Home

I especially want to welcome our guest host Jessica from Old Barn Company.  You will love her thrifted style and beautiful decor ideas!

9 Easy Ways to Decorate with Thrifted Bread Boards

1. Decorate with thrifted bread boards in the kitchen!

Because I have collected a lot of bread boards over time, they have to be stored somewhere when I’m not using them.  One of my favorite places to store my thrifted bread boards is by using them as kitchen decor!  

There is usually a rotating gallery of different sizes and shapes, textures and colors, leaning at the back of my stove.  (Of course, not too many so that there are no safety concerns!)

A great way to display your bread boards is by layering and leaning them against your kitchen backsplash.  They can break up a long stretch of countertop in a way that looks and feels functional for a kitchen, too.  I love to use decor in rooms where it seems most natural for it to be!

You can find some bread boards similar to the ones displayed here:

• Large vintage one with lots of patina
• Small, French cheese board
• Medium, reclaimed wood

2. Use bread boards for a dining room centerpiece!

One place where you’l often find a vintage bread board in our home is on the dining room table.  Oftentimes, I use a bread board as part of my dining table centerpiece.  

Not only does it give an extra layer and character to the centerpiece, but it is very convenient too!  We can easily slide the bread board centerpiece over on the table if we need to use the space for homework, projects, or the inevitable…laundry!

I found this vintage European bread board on a recent vintage shopping trip.  Since I was able to purchase the whole stack of breadboards for a steal of a deal, I definitely consider it to be a thrifted find!  I love that it has a corner broken off and also the gray patina, aged over time. It gives a lot of character to this every day, functional centerpiece!

You can find some of my tips for hunting for vintage items on this post!

3. Wood bread boards are perfect to break up neutrals!

Another, less obvious way, that I use bread boards is to break up light, neutral colors.  On my dining room shelves, for example, the white ironstone would blend right into the white cabinet.  So, I used a few different bread boards to add depth and interest to my styling.

While this round, European bread board was not thrifted (they can be pretty expensive!), it was a gift and I enjoy using it.  If you ever get lucky enough to find one of these while thrifting, grab it!!!! 

4. Decorate with thrifted bread boards on a shelf or wall!

Have you ever thought about using bread boards as wall decor?  They can be so beautifully displayed and add a lot of character to a room.  I’ve always thought it would be such a pretty dining room gallery wall!

Since I don’t have an empty wall, I use some vintage French wash boards to add height and fill vertical space in my antique apothecary cabinet.  I love that they are subtle, break up the neutrals, like I mentioned early, and also add extra texture.

You can decorate with thrifted bread boards by using them to hang or lean against a wall or shelf!  They are guaranteed to be a pretty layer of character and texture in your room!

My vintage French wash boards were a fun find along the World’s Longest Yard Sale!  Even though they are wash boards instead of bread boards, I still use them in centerpieces, for shelf styling, and even to hold desserts sometimes!  The narrow size makes them very functional for a lot of different things.

You can find some pretty ones HERE and HERE!

5. Make food look pretty with thrifted bread boards!

One practical way that I like to use my bread boards are on my kitchen island.  Grapes, for example, are a favorite snack for my kiddos.  Since that’s a healthy snack, I can’t argue with it!

 I try to keep some conveniently set out for them on the kitchen island.  Under my ironstone berry strainer, I keep a bread board to protect my wood kitchen island from any water or moisture from the fruit.

We’ve also used bread boards for charcuterie boards or to display snacks or desserts.  One of my favorites was our turkey charcuterie board!  There are so many possibilities to decorate with food and pretty serving ware, like a bread board, makes food look even better!

6. Decorate with thrifted bread boards on a coffee table!

On my coffee table, I often decorate with thrifted bread boards!  They make a perfect vase for vignettes and then it’s easier to move them around to clear the table for family games or puzzles too!

 I almost always use a base under a decor vignette.  It gives an extra layer and also helps all of the decor accessories feel tied together, rather than just separate piece sitting together.

You can find a lot more ideas for vignettes and my “go-to formula” for creating vignettes over on this post!

No matter the spot, I love to use bread boards as a base for vignettes.  I use them on console tables, dining tables, coffee tables, cabinets, shelves, the kitchen island, and anywhere else that I might be creating a vignette.  Having a collection of different sizes allows me to use them in a lot of different ways!

You can find some of my favorite coffee table styling ideas for spring over on this post!  You’ll be able to see how almost every vignette has a large bread board!

7. Decorate with thrifted bread boards by stacking them!

This might seem like a really simple way to decorate with thrifted bread boards, but it’s something I do all the time!  A stack of old bread boards just looks pretty, I think!  It also helps with decorating because you can use a stack of bread boards on a cabinet or table to help you get varied heights for a vignette!

Especially styled in a kitchen or dining area, a stack of old bread boards looks like it “just belongs” and is pretty too!

Tip: Especially for bread boards that you want to stack, they don’t all have to be expensive, European antiques!  Just watch for some at thrift shops that have a little wear to them.  They will look great styled all together!

8. Set a candle on a bread board!

Another super simple way to use a smaller-sized vintage bread board, like this one, for example, is to turn a candle into a decor vignette!  Add a favorite candle (this is my favorite!), a little greenery wreath, and you have a perfect vignette to add to any space!

9. Decorate with thrifted bread boards for shelf styling!

One less obvious way that I like to decorate with thrifted bread boards is by using them on shelves.  This is a way to break up neutral colors, like the white ironstone on the white shelf, for example.  However, it also adds some height variation so I can style these dishes with a little more interest, rather than lined up on the shelf.

Finding small ones can be a little tricky, but keep your eyes open!  You may find the one that perfectly fits your shelves!  Here are a couple small cheese boards that could be great for shelving:

• I love the thickness and patina of this 6″ wide antique cheese board!
• There are two size options here, both perfect for shelves!

Thrifting with the Gals

I hope this has given you an idea of another fun thing to add to your thrifting list!  Stay tuned each month for a new “Thrifting with the Gals” post!  The other bloggers always share such great ideas and it’s also fun to meet new bloggers with our guest host feature!

Thanks to Jessica from Old Barn Company for joining us this week.  Make sure to follow her on Instagram too.  Her account is beautiful!

Rachel – The Ponds Farmhouse

Ann – Dabbling & Decorating

Kristin – White Arrows Home

Happy thrifting!!!

I’d love for you to follow me on social media!  You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!  

Blessings,

(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.  Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)