You’ve seen it countless times in magazines and on the internet; pictures of cute homes with vintage décor. The bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms, are all covered in antique furniture that evokes the feeling of nostalgia in you. You would give anything to transform your home into a vintage-styled masterpiece.
Creating a vintage-looking home is possible without you breaking the bank. Read on to learn how to convert your home to a more retro, vintage-style one.
What is Vintage?
Vintage is usually used to mean antique, and while it could be true, that is not all it is. Vintage means something of a different era or time, especially a time when something of quality was produced.
It could mean anything from ancient times or as recent as 50 years ago. Something from the Elizabethan era in the 16th century is as vintage as something your grandmother wore when she was young.
These days, you can find many new items with a vintage look. These imitate the real antique ones to cater to vintage-loving customers. So, whether you go for the actual old/antique accessories, or you fake it with modern vintage items, the goal is to give your home a vintage appearance.
What is a Vintage-Style Home?
There’s a common misconception people have about vintage-styled homes. Many people think it means having a myriad of antique items strewn about the house. To others, a vintage-styled home contains old, or semi-used collector’s items.
Yes, for a vintage-looking home, one does need such antique-looking items, but that’s not all it’s about. Instead, vintage-style home décor should portray a style that has been well-thought-out and planned. The décor is usually centered around a theme. You might choose to have a general theme reflecting the whole house. You can also choose to have different themes in various rooms of the house.
A vintage home uses selected, antique items to exude charm, class, and elegance. Timeless, old-school accessories placed in strategic places and know-how is all you need to transform your home into a vintage-styled abode.
For example, a lovely antique brass mirror, elegantly designed, lends a vintage touch to the room. Having a copper tub in the bathroom with a long antique faucet adds a chic, retro vibe to your home. A copper clawfoot tub sends an even stronger message. There are many details one can add to a house that spells an overall vintage style.
How to Create a Vintage-styled Home
There are many ways to make your home vintage-styled without spending a fortune. These are some tips that will show you how.
1. Choose a Period
The first thing to do is to decide what era you want your home to reflect. It’s always a good idea to choose a famously stylish era. Even though each room can have a different theme, it’s best for the home to reflect a certain age. This is necessary so that your home décor does not look random or confused.
Transport guests to the classic Victorian era with moody, gothic furniture and accessories. Designers in the late 1800s were fascinated with dark wood and elaborate furniture décor.
Or would you prefer The Art Nouveau era which was more surreal and artistic? Use flowers and curved furniture to reflect this more ethereal age.
2. Select a Color Theme
Next, your home would look attractive, vintage, and classic if each room followed a specific color pattern. Select a classic palette of colors to portray careful thought and artistic planning. You can use neutral color schemes with a touch of color for a retro, artistic vibe.
From wall fixtures to wall art and furniture, a vintage palette can be either light and use a lot of creamy white, or gold, bronze, and brass. These colors incur nostalgia and wistfulness in the onlooker.
Strategically place an old globe, antique toys, a chic typewriter, or all three, but make sure they follow the same hue and pattern of the room for a synergic blend of colors.
3. Decorate Your Home With Antiques
To make your home look classic and to suggest a cozy, vintage look, use wooden and metal furniture and accessories, preferably in bronze or gold tones. Also, use ornamental gold-colored mirrors, especially those with figurines carved onto them. These are even better accessories as they give off an antique look.
Bed frames, chandeliers, and doorknobs, either bronze or brass, also add to the vintage aesthetic. Note that a heavier antique piece is more high-end than a lightweight one. If it’s heavy, it was made of the actual material and not an imitation. You don’t want a wooden couch frame that would collapse under your weight.
For kitchenware, invest in earthen pots, or bronze or brass vessels. Chefs swear that food cooked in earthen kitchenware is tastier than those in ordinary steel pots. They are also proven to be healthier.
An old grandfather clock, elaborate frames, and paintings are excellent ways to give your home a vintage look. Select ornate, Victorian-style artworks to add a beautiful vintage touch to your home.
4. Add Statement Pieces
Another way to design your home vintage is to create a focal point in every room. Instead of going all out with antique furniture or pieces placed all over the house, you can opt for vintage statement pieces.
A modern home can still have the charm of a vintage era with a big brass dining table in the middle of the dining room. Compliment that with ornately carved dining chairs as the focal point of that room.
A bronze ornamental antique wall mirror with flowers daintily carved into it brings all the nostalgia of a time long forgotten. The center-stage vintage piece becomes a statement well understood.
5. Utilize the Best of Both Worlds
The contrast of a modern home against select antique pieces adds flair and an undeniable vintage feel to a home. This mix and match aesthetic lends a high-end style to a room without the expensive price tag.
Opt for a stylish set of couches and side tables amidst antique lamps, silverware, and candelabra. Modern furniture in a vintage wall-papered room blends both the contemporary and vintage styles perfectly.
6. Incorporate Retro and Rustic Elements
Paint some of the more retro furniture with a bold and vibrant hue. Match a vintage furniture piece with new items. You can paint a rustic accessory a positively retro color for an old and new aesthetic blend.
Introduce an exquisite and decorative vibe to your bedroom. Use modern bedding on brass, vintage bed, complete with flowers carved on the headboard and flowers in the wallpaper. This delightful mix of the old and new styles is all the rave.
Conclusion
You don’t have to break the bank to give your home a vintage look. Scout flea markets, garage sales, and auction houses for cheap, attractive furniture and accessories. These would help you transform your home into an effortless vintage masterpiece.
