Video: Antiques: Shopping and Haul + Decorate with Me for the 4th of July

If your summer decorating has been on the back burner, you’re not alone—here’s how I gave my butler’s pantry a quick and charming patriotic refresh just in time for the Fourth of July.

I’ll be honest—this summer has been a whirlwind, and I just haven’t had the time to do much seasonal decorating around my house. But with the Fourth of July right around the corner and company coming over, I decided it was the perfect time to freshen up my butler’s pantry with a few red, white, and blue touches.

I decided to visit my favorite antique mall in Johnson City, Tennessee, and then shopped my own decor stash at home to pull together something simple and festive. Let me show you what I found and how it all came together!

Video: Antiques: Shopping and Haul + Decorate with Me for the 4th of July

I haven’t done a whole lot of decorating yet this summer—it’s just been a really busy couple of months, and for whatever reason, I’ve had my hands full with other projects. But since the Fourth of July is just a few days away, I decided I wanted to decorate my butler’s pantry with a little patriotic flair.

Now, I usually do something seasonal in there, but the last time I decorated this space was right before Easter. So yeah… I still had some Easter stuff up lol.

I thought it would be fun to do something I’ve actually never done before—decorate the butler’s pantry for the Fourth of July. Usually, I decorate this space for spring, fall, Christmas, Easter… that kind of thing. I usually do a pineapple theme in late summer, although this year I pulled out the pineapples early in the spring. So anyway, this was something new and fun!

Antique Mall Finds

I wasn’t sure if it was too late in the season to find anything red, white, and blue, but this antique mall usually doesn’t disappoint. But sure enough, I found a few things I really love!

Here’s what I brought home:

• A little card that says “Let’s Go to the Parade” – It was only $2 and I thought it would be perfect on my tiered tray. The whole vibe just fits for the Fourth of July.
• A red vintage bingo card – They had a whole collection of these, and I might go back for more later, but I just picked up one for now. It was $2.50 and I think it could work on the tray if it’s not too tall.
• A blue and white plate – $5.99. It has the administrative building from the University of Louisville on it, and since I live in Kentucky, I thought that was sweet.
• Another blue and white plate – This one has a ship docking from the sea. On the back, it says “St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project,” and there are even flags printed on the back, which I thought was just really pretty. It was originally $7.99 but I got it for $7.19 with the discount.

Shopping My Own Home Decor Stash

After I got home, I went digging through my decor drawers to see what else I had that might work with a summer patriotic theme.

Here’s what I found:

• A wooden spool with some little flags stuck in it
• A vintage red lantern
• A cute little creamer and sugar bowl set
• A milk glass vase I’ve had for probably 30 years—I use it for flowers all the time
• Some red and white gingham ribbon
• A red-handled biscuit cutter
• A tea towel and a little vintage hanky
• A set of vintage aluminum Jello molds I’ve had forever
• A salt and pepper shaker set shaped like a red truck and camper
• A couple of wooden blocks from Hobby Lobby I never ended up using
• Some National Park postcards from Target
• And a couple of vintage field guides—one for Florida and another for birds of North America. They both have that red, white, and blue vibe going on, and I just thought they’d look cute.

This past spring I did a fruit and pineapple theme, and it’s just been sitting untouched ever since!

I always start with greenery on my tiered tray. These little faux plants from Hobby Lobby are some of my go-to’s. I usually do one on the top and two on the bottom, sometimes standing, sometimes laying down—just depends on the space. They really help fill it out and give it some dimension.

After that, I start with my larger pieces and work my way down. One of my favorite things lately is decorative ribbon. I love this gingham one I’ve been using—it’s just so sweet. I tied a bow around the neck of my milk bottle and tucked a flag in there. Super simple, super cute.

I also decided to take down my hot cocoa sign—it just doesn’t feel right for summertime. I don’t have anything to replace it with yet, so for now that spot will just be blank.

The Finished Look

I’m really happy with the way it turned out! It’s an eclectic mix of unique vintage pieces that I love and the colors all work together so well! What do you think?

I’m so patriotic, and I just really love the American flag. If you’ve been around for a while, you probably remember the gigantic flag I hung in my mudroom. It’s been up all year and I have no intention of taking it down anytime soon. To me, summer and the American flag just go hand in hand.

I’m so glad I took the time to decorate, especially with company coming over. It’s not a big space, but the butler’s pantry always feels more welcoming when it’s dressed for the season. 🙂

If you haven’t already, be sure to grab my free July Bucket List printable! It’s got some really cute and fun ideas for summer—just pick the ones that sound good to you. You can download it right here.

And don’t forget to check out the brand new 2025–2026 Homemaker’s Society Planner. I’ve combined a few of my most popular products into one—and I’ve been getting such good feedback on it already. You can purchase it here:

• Spiral Bound: 2025 – 2026 Homemaker’s Planner
• PDF: 2025-2026 Homemaker’s Planner (Digital)

Let me know what you think of the butler’s pantry refresh in the comments! I’d love to hear how you’re decorating for the season or what summer touches you’ve added around your home. Hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July with your family and friends!