Organize & Display Your Favorite Books With An Adorable Vintage Thrift Flip Idea

The thrift store is a brilliant place to find vintage-inspired finds for your home, and unexpected items are often some of the best finds, especially if you're willing to try a quick DIY. The concept of all-in-one-pan baked dishes has been around for centuries, but casseroles really took a center stage around the mid 1900s, when canned foods made it easier than ever to whip up a simple, filling dish. In many households, the casserole quite literally had a stage of its own: special silver casserole stands designed to hold the pan for easy serving. Today, the thrift store is often overflowing with these silver plated casserole servers, which are often missing their glass or silver lid. Just because they may not be so useful today doesn't mean they can't serve a pretty purpose in your home! In an Instagram reel, Leslie Rodgers (@cozy_in_georgia) shared a fun idea to transform one of these old casserole servers into your new favorite piece of practical décor. Simply pick up a thrifted casserole stand that catches your eye, clean it up, and use the hollow center to keep books organized. 

Because vintage silver items could contain trace lead, some casserole servers shouldn't be used for preparing food, but you can still appreciate their beauty as décor. While you may not have expected to come home from the thrift store with a silver plated casserole stand, this forgotten silverware piece can be surprisingly versatile. Here's how to transform her pieces into a charming vintage book stand and ideas for incorporating the thrifted piece into your home's style. 

In her Instagram video, Leslie Rodgers demonstrates a few ways to transform a vintage casserole server into an elegant piece of décor, starting with a book organizer. After picking up the piece from a thrift store, Rodgers styled the vintage casserole server on a table adorned with a lace doily and flowers. Next, she put together a stack of vintage-looking hardcover books, tied then with a velvet ribbon, and popped them vertically into the center. When they're corralled upright in the server, these books won't take up so much valuable table space on the coffee table or beside your favorite reading chair. Plus, the silver stand is perfect for a "hipstoric" home aesthetic, the latest vintage-loving décor trend. 

For results that look elegant and put-together, polish the silver after bringing it home or explore the best way to clean silver plated items without using any chemicals. While they're generally less common, you may also be able to find brass or copper casserole servers at your local thrift store or online — perfect for those who like a warm interior color scheme.