CUBBY CRAZE

Use these fun statement pieces to display vintage collectibles in your home.

Use these fun statement pieces to display décor and vintage collectibles in your home.

From vintage postal sorters and library card filers to hardware drawer cabinets, the possibilities for vintage cubbies are endless. Instagrammer Robyn Huff of Robyn’s French Nest collects vintage cubbies for both use and display in her home. “I’ve always loved little drawers,” she says. Here’s how you can collect them too.

HOW TO GET THEM

Robyn finds her vintage cubbies at vintage markets and antiques stores. “It’s good to have a relationship with dealers, so if there’s a specific piece you’re looking for, they can keep an eye out for you,” she says. Look for pieces that are sturdy and fit your space. “These are investment pieces, and you aren’t going to find them for really cheap,” Robyn says. “So be patient and make sure you have the right spot for it.”You can spend anywhere from $400 to $4,000 on vintage cubbies, and Robyn recommends looking in the $500–$1,500 range. “But it also depends on where you are,” she says. “Here in Florida, pieces cost a little more because they’ve traveled. We aren’t pulling them right out of old barns.”

HOW TO USE THEM

When you get your vintage cubby home, make sure you clean it up. “Usually hosing it out really well and letting it dry in the sun is all you need,” Robyn says. “Sometimes I need to use a degreaser, and I’ll powerwash it on a low setting.” She also prefers not to paint her vintage cubbies. “I’m really passionate about leaving found items as they are,” she says.

Once the piece is clean and dry, you can use it in your home for function and display. “Cubbies are such a great way to display collections,” Robyn says. “They always have a history behind them.”

PHOTOGRAPHY B Y ROBYN H U F F This is a vintage postal sorter Robyn kept with its original chippy paint. “As much as possible, I like to leave the original patina,” she says.

(above, right) This beautiful apothecary piece was originally in an old barn before Robyn bought it. She repainted this one because the original green didn’t work well with the color palette in her home.

(above, left) The metal piece in Robyn’s sunroom is a vintage postal sorter from France. “It’s neat to think about the history there, how people would have used it originally,” she says.