Just because you’re buying used, doesn’t mean you have to renounce style. Which is why we here at Used.ca, want to wish Canadian Living magazine a very happy 40th anniversary! For 40 years they’ve been inspiring our team, our friends, our family, and our fellow Canadians to explore our own personal taste and try new things. This is exactly what buying one-off, pre-owned pieces is all about (as well as saving money and sparing the landfill!).

Canadian Living is celebrating their anniversary all year long, with guest editors, remixes of recipes, a re-release of the first ever edition of the magazine and our favourite; timeless tips from their archive – we are big fans of what was relevant yesterday still being relevant today! You can also nominate your community to be featured in their 40th anniversary hub.

So let’s remember 40 years of taste and style with some iconic pieces that we may have seen in the magazine over the years and which classic retro lovers are still buying and selling today.

1970s

The Falcon chair summed up 1970’s chic. This design classic was stylish as well as comfortable. They’re hard to find today, but if you are lucky enough to get your hands on one, they look as contemporary now as they did in yesteryear. This brown Falcon chair was found in our furniture category for just $300 which is an absolute steal – they usually sell in the region of $600, more if they are leather.

1980s

Yes, the vinyl slats left strange marks on your legs, but for the love of pastel, it was worth it. These 1980’s patio chairs wouldn’t look out of place in the modern day garden. We found these by searching 1980s on our local Used.ca site, but garden furniture is popular and snapped up quickly. Our advice is to set up an alert so that you receive an email as soon as the item you are coveting goes on the site.

1990s

If you were a student in the ’90s, you slept on a futon, most likely an IKEA futon. Handy for the spare room and still coveted today for when guests descend, futons are easy to find gently used and in good condition. Expect to pay around $100.

2000s

“What sums up home decor in the 2000s?” I asked, and the whole office chanted “the IKEA Poang chair!” Similar to the Falcon chair of the 1970s, the Poang, is stylish and comfortable. It may be too early just yet, but it won’t be long until the 2000s are back and this chair becomes a trendsetter once more.

2010s

The question is, “what can’t you make from a pallet?” The ultimate in DIY and the pinnacle of the 2010’s trend for upcycling, the pallet can transform into bookshelves, coffee tables, planter boxes, headboards and so much more; we found this great living wall planter on Canadian Living’s website. A pivot in the current shabby chic movement, we here at Used.ca are big fans of keeping these useful wooden crates out of the landfill.

Keep your eye on Canadian Living magazine to see the future of home and personal style and join us in wishing them a very happy 40 years as a Canadian icon!

Useful links

If you love to search for vintage, retro and curiosities follow these useful links and tips.

If you’re coveting a certain item, set up an email alert. You can filter your search by location and price and then use the email alert tool to receive an email every time this item comes on the site.

Search by era as we did for some of the items above.

Search the antiques listings of your local site.

Search collectibles in your area.