A wise man once said, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and it’s pretty easy to believe it when you look at style trends. Clothing looks go in and out of fashion, and health trends disappear and come back again. The same is true of our interior décor.
But some may be hesitant to incorporate older pieces into their room design, not wanting to make their houses look like a living history museum. Our tips for adding vintage elements to your home décor will help you make it happen.
Mix With Modern
The first rule of adding vintage elements to your interior design is it isn’t all about your vintage elements. After all, only using vintage elements is a surefire way to make your home look antiquated. To give your home a fresh, chic look, mix vintage elements into a modern style. For example:
- Take an older furniture style and give it a modern paint or upholstery pattern
- Hang modern art from an old-fashioned picture rail
- Conversely, display classical artwork in a more modern room
- Add a throw blanket or rug with a vintage style under modern furniture
- Use modern chairs at an old fashion table or vice versa
- Add a vintage-inspired wallpaper as an accent wall
When in doubt, fall back on the 80/20 rule. Decorate 80 percent of the room with a modern aesthetic, then use the other 20 percent for vintage twists.
Choose a Time Period
While it’s a good idea to mix your retro pieces with modern ones, you should avoid mixing them with retro pieces from different time periods. For instance, a 50s-style sofa would look awkward sitting next to an embroidered, Victorian-esque armchair.
When planning out your room design, try to pick a single period and stick with it. A useful way to make your design look more unified is to look at photos of popular vintage design aesthetics, such as:
- French country style
- Mid-century modern
- Cottage core
- Art deco
- Farmhouse chic
Look for Statement Pieces
If you’re worried about going overboard with your vintage elements, focus on choosing a single statement piece. Along with keeping your vintage inspiration subtle, it will give your room a focal point for a more unified design. Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Art pieces
- Large lighting pieces, like a chandelier
- An architectural element, like a fireplace or woodwork
- Antique furniture
The one thing to keep in mind with antique furniture is it can potentially be more fragile than other pieces. You’ll have to put a little more effort into protecting it from damage, but the effort is well worth the cost.