Here’s Where Designers In Connecticut Are Going For The Best Antique Finds

CONNECTICUT — You never know what you might find picking over someone else’s family heirlooms and other cast-offs at Connecticut antique and second-hand finds.

If you’re looking for the ultimate secondhand store experience, head to RT Facts in Kent, and Litchfield County Auctions in Litchfield,

The stores on the new HGTV list are a haven for people who enjoy the thrill of the hunt for items with unique historic or aesthetic appeal and other hidden treasures, according to design professionals who haunt them.

For the “Antique Stores Designers Love, State by State,” HGTV asked professional designers from around the country to share their favorite local gems for antique, vintage, and thrifted decor. HGTV designer Lindsey Walsh said "RT Facts is the place I go when I’m looking for that super-unique sizzle piece that makes a room pop. Whether it’s 1940s French dining chairs, Venetian bronze sconces or a vintage canoe, RT Facts’ pieces are guaranteed statement makers."

When she is hoping to score a bargain, Walsh heads over to Litchfield County Auctions.

"They typically have incredible oil paintings, chests, dining chairs, buffet servers, benches and silver. I once scored an amazing 16th-century English oak buffet server for a fraction of the cost you’d find anywhere else," she wrote.

If you’re looking for a longer, multi-state road trip check out the stores HGTV recommended in Massachusetts and New York.

Brimfield Antique Shows, in Brimfield, MA, is the go-to spot for a project that requires vintage rugs or case goods. There, "the interesting assortment never fails to disappoint."

Newel Gallery in Long Island City, NY, is a family-owned business that got its start furnishing Broadway productions in 1939. Many of their pieces are even used for movie sets to create an authentic representation of a particular era, according to HGTV designer James Yarosh.

“The best things to gather as you crisscross the country are, of course, the memories you make along the way,” HGTV said. “New-to-you home finds that’ll make your own space even cooler, now — those are pretty good, too.”