Texas Antiques Week Recap - Fall 2021
Happy Fall Y’all! Christmas aside, it is my favorite time of the year in Texas. One of the main reasons is because of Texas Antiques Week in Warrenton and Round Top. In case you didn’t know, twice a year, (Fall & Spring) for about 2 weeks more than 100,000 people arrive along the 25 mile road between Warrenton and Round Top, Texas, for Texas Antiques Week to shop more than 4000 antique, collector, decor, and fashion vendors in about 85 venues in barns, dance halls, under tents, and in fields. Dependent on where you search, you can find anything from high end European furniture to handmade crafts. For an avid thrifter like me, it is the ultimate dream!
Click HERE if you want to read my recap from last Fall, and HERE is my recap from a couple of years ago.
It is so much fun to go every season to see what is trending and how the show grows. This year a lot of the vendors were still struggling with the effects of Covid, and some of the vendors had less inventory because they weren’t able to get their crates from Europe. I did notice that the prices were higher this year. But, I still had so much fun and found some incredible treasures.
This year I was on a mission to find some charming pieces for the Country Peony Studio. Specifically, I was on the lookout for a mantle, apothecary cabinet, vintage sign, and matching bookshelves. I did score a vintage mantle and some quilts for another vintage quilt jacket collection launch.
Since I am only about 30 minutes from Warrenton, I enjoyed going a couple of times this show and I wanted to share a photo recap with you.
But first, some recommendations:
Arrive early. Highway 237 (one lane road that runs through Warrenton and Round Top) can get backed up quickly.
Wear comfortable shoes that you don't mind getting dirty as most of the make-shift venues are in the middle of cow pastures.
Wear a crossbody bag for easy access to your valuables.
Bring a large tote to carry water, snacks and smaller purchases in. The Texas heat can get to you and it is important to stay hydrated.
Some people find it helpful to roll wagons around to help with the larger items.
Bring plenty of cash for parking, purchases and food. Most vendors also accept checks. The internet connections aren't always reliable which means the credit card machines don't always work. And, you can normally bargain for a better deal with cash since the vendor doesn’t have to pay for a credit card fee.
Make friends with vendors. Most of the show vendors are very friendly and will help tell the story of the piece you are buying. The vendor world is also very small, and so chances are they will know of a vendor with a similar style for you to visit.
Bring a tape measurer with dimensions of spaces in your home that you are looking for.
We always like to go on the last day, because most vendors are willing to negotiate with you so they don't have to bring as many items home.
Now grab a cup of coffee or tea, and enjoy a photo recap from my time at the 2021 Fall Show for Texas Antiques Week
Blue Hills
My first stop of the show was Blue Hills in Round Top. They recently added some new buildings and new vendors, and it is definitely a must see! The buildings are beautiful in their own right, but they also house some fantastic treasures during the show.
Two of my favorite vendors this Fall were Gina Bowhill and Leftovers Antiques.
Gina Bowhill
Gina Bowhill’s booth was full of beautiful European antiques. I wanted to take everything home with me! Please see below!
Leftovers Antiques
Leftovers Antiques has a brick and mortar store in Brenham, Texas (just down the road), and has such a beautiful aesthetic. Their booth was so well setup and I was admiring every corner. Primitive American antiques with gorgeous patinas. Definitely my style, and you can enjoy some fun pieces from their space below.
Junk Gypsy
Self proclaimed, “Purveyors of the World’s Finest Junk”, Junk Gypsy is a really fun stop in Round Top that is full of whimsical displays featuring their thrifted finds and their signature cowboy-chic style of home goods and clothing. This Fall, they had a wonderful lineup on their front lawn, including: vintage clothing vendors, food, drinks, live music, and a delightful coffee truck. I loved looking at their colorful and fun displays and how they repurposed their vintage items to become practical and beautiful works of art!
I really want a pair of their stunning boots. Does anything stand out to you from their store below?
Fields of Warrenton:
Warrenton is full of many treasures, but you have to dig for them. I love the variety and sheer amount of treasures that Warrenton has to offer. Here are some of my favorite venues in Warrenton:
COLE’S ANTIQUE SHOW
With over 250 antique vendors, I like to start my Warrenton adventure at Cole’s Antique Show. I like to start here because they have free parking and good bathrooms. The building is also air controlled, and houses some really fun vendors that come year after year. I especially love all of their vintage kitchen items and tools.
Excess Field
Excess field in Warrenton offers a variety of vintage items from fun and funky, to mid-century modern, to french country. One of my favorite vendors at Excess 1 is Jacob with Industrial Light, because he has some wonderful architectural pieces and vintage sinks. I have purchased several Eastlake doors from him, and they are all one-of-a-kind. Please see all of the fun items below from the Excess fields.
After Excess Field, I like to walk through the different tents throughout Warrenton to see what deals and treasures I can find. My daughter enjoyed sifting through all of the fun marbles and costume jewelry.
Punkie’s Palace is a feast for the eyes as you can see below!
The Big Red Barn
The Big Red Barn is a great venue to visit at the beginning of the day. They are only open the last week of the show, and there is a cover charge. But, the vendors have beautiful items that are very well curated.
It is so much fun looking at all of their treasures. The venue is also air controlled which is great for the Texas heat, and they have good bathrooms. Shippers are on-site if you find a treasure that doesn’t fit in your car. The style is true, high quality American antiques. Their continental tents on-site that are also air controlled have higher end European antiques.
My husband and I especially love visiting The Big Red Barn to see the Country Accents Antiques booth. They have some beautiful vintage general store pieces. This is where we purchased our kitchen island from.
Enjoy some pictures below of the wonderful treasures I found at the Big Red Barn.
Marburger Farm
Marburger Farm is definitely a must-see! Like The Big Red Barn, it is open the last week of the show and has a cover charge. But, it will not disappoint!
Marburger Farm is full of charming buildings with amazing vendors, and tents with really inspiring treasures. I love going to Marburger Farm just for the sheer inspiration of how the booths and the treasures are displayed! I haven’t been in a while, because it can be a bit overwhelming. But, I went this Fall and I am so glad that I did. However, if you do go, I recommend setting out a day or atleast a morning to scour the beautiful finds!
If you don't find any antiques to take home, you will certainly enjoy the beautiful landscape and charming atmosphere of Round Top and Warrenton. I hope you enjoyed this fun recap of Fall 2020 Texas Antiques Week. Until next time, Happy Thrifting!
