How to Add a Vintage Flair to Your Home
There is no denying that an old home has a certain irresistible charm. Whether it’s an elegant Victorian or a humble farmhouse, a classic Colonial or a cozy Arts and Crafts Bungalow, the attention to detail and sense of history of these homes offer something modern design is hard-pressed to compete with. You don’t have to own a vintage home, however, to get a little vintage flair in your space. There are plenty of ways you can incorporate vintage elements in the décor of your newer home to add a feeling of presence and timelessness. A few well-chosen items can offer big impact, even on a small budget. Try some of these ideas to add a little vintage flair to every room in your home.
Kitchen
Cabinets make up a large part of a kitchen’s décor, and for that reason they’re a perfect place to start. Swapping out boring modern hardware for more vintage-inspired designs will make a big difference and won’t cost a lot. Painting cabinets with a fresh color like sky blue, apple green, or even a clean white will also give the feeling of an older home. Removing doors from some of the cabinets creates an opportunity to display collections and creates a vintage feeling. Consider removing doors from some lower cabinets, particularly the ones below a sink, and replace with vintage dishtowels or fabric fashioned into curtains. Dishtowels or vintage tablecloths can also make fun window treatments. Old pitchers, tins, or canisters make great kitchen storage and also add a vintage feel.
Bath
You don’t have to go out and purchase a claw foot tub and pedestal sink to add some vintage flair to a bathroom. You can do it by adding a few inexpensive touches. Bead board is a great way to create an old fashioned feeling. Put it halfway to two-thirds up the wall, top with a 2X4, and then install a variety of vintage hooks to hang towels and robes. Beautiful vintage frames are fairly easy to find, and if you add a mirror, they’re much more interesting than a basic medicine cabinet. Old glass jars are also reasonable and can store extra soaps or other toiletries. Ads from old magazines for personal hygiene products make inexpensive and fun artwork.
Living Room
Nothing adds a pop of vintage flair as much as old, weathered architectural pieces, such as corbels or decorative ironwork. Consider using these pieces as artwork or to create shelving to hold books or other collections. Vintage suitcases or trunks make great side and coffee tables and add an eclectic feeling to a room. Vintage or vintage-inspired fabric can add a lot of personality, either as slipcovers, window treatments, or even throw pillows.
Dining Room
Adding vintage touches to a dining room is easy because charming old china and serving pieces are easy to come by, inexpensive, and fun to collect! Don’t worry about matching, the eclectic mix is part of the fun! Display in a china cabinet or use plates and platters as artwork instead. Vintage candlesticks also make a great collection for a dining room. For a fun and extremely budget-friendly alternative to expensive dining chairs, try picking up a mix of chairs and painting them the same color to unify them.
Bedroom
The bed is the focal point of any bedroom, so adding vintage-inspired fabrics like traditional ticking or a classic toile will create a big impact, even if it’s on something as small as throw pillow. Vintage boxes make great jewelry storage, and old benches fit nicely at the end of the bed and add extra seating as well as vintage flair.
