I love history, I love vintage items, and I love using vintage items and antiques in my decor. But, I also think this is something everyone should do. Adding vintage items is one of the easiest ways to make your home timeless. Few and far between are the homes that can’t benefit from a few touches from the past. You may not want to add so many that your home starts to feel like an antique shop, but sprinkling in a few vintage pieces here and there will give your house a collected feel and depth that you simply can’t buy at the nearest chain store.
By adding vintage to your décor, you give your home a timelessness and collected feel that cannot be gotten any other way. Look at homes in magazines—I’ll bet just about all of them contain one element that you could not just go to the nearest chain store to purchase. That is the other thing about adding vintage items to your decor—it makes your home unique. It is very unlikely that anyone else will have the exact same vintage piece as you do and, even rarer, that they would use it the same way as you do. Is it expensive? I suppose if you are buying original antique chairs from the 18th century then yes, they will come at a price; however, so many vintage items can be found for a song at thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales. You most likely already have a few things handed down from a relative! Have I sold you yet on using vintage in your decor? I hope so! If you would like to start incorporating vintage into your decor here are a few ideas of where to begin.
Books
Vintage books are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to start incorporating vintage elements into your decor and to make your home feel timeless. You can find them at library book sales, yard sales, online, Goodwill, and just about every thrift shop. Use a couple of books as a riser for a candle. (You may want to cushion the bottom of the candle with a coaster before sitting directly on your books—we are not fans of book burnings here!) You can tie a few books together with a piece of burlap cloth and slide a faux or dried flower in the ties and use it as part of a vignette. Vintage books can also look great next to a candle on your mantle.
Vintage Candle Sticks
These too can be found almost anywhere and quite cheaply. Use them in your centerpiece, to frame a large photo or sign, or in any vignette you assemble to give dimension. Also, think of how you can use them in unique ways—candlesticks don’t have to just hold candles! In the fall they can hold a baby pumpkin, or a small bird figurine, and I have even used candlesticks to hold my air plants! (Before I killed them..)
Vintage Clocks
Does anything add feeling and depth to a house like an old clock? How much time has passed through its hands.… I would even go as far as to say it doesn’t have to work! A truly beautiful clock is a work of art and can thus be hung on a wall as such.
Old Photos
An old photo adds so much sophistication—bonus points if it’s a photo of your family and you know who the people are! You can look around and find a gorgeous vintage frame, or update the photo with a modern frame—either way will create a great talking point in your home’s décor and give your home a timeless feel!
Wall Decor
While we are talking about things to put on walls, let’s not forget old paintings and other art. Purchasing old art that may have been reproduced quite a bit during its day and has now faded from popularity can be an inexpensive way to bring taste and style to your home. Instead of opting for a sign from a big box store, do a little searching and see if you can find something older that speaks to you. Art doesn’t have to be limited to paintings and drawings—a beautiful piece of needlepoint, an old mirror—these count too!
Furniture
Antique and vintage furniture is oftentimes made so much more solidly than today’s modern furniture! Sometimes you may need to paint or refinish the piece to bring it into style, other times the patina may have aged it nicely. My large upright piano has had a hard life in its 100+ year lifespan and is no longer in pristine condition. I love how it looks worn and well loved! And as they say, if it’s been around for a 100 years or more and is still going strong, you probably won’t be able to hurt it either—at least not easily!
Kitchenware
Ironstone pitchers, wooden dough bowls, and vintage serving trays are goldmines! You can use antique pitchers and crockery to hold unsightly paraphernalia: rubber bands, twist ties, etc. A crystal dish to hold sugar will add elegance to your coffee or tea station. Also don’t overlook the antique china—you don’t need a full set! You can mix and match different pieces for an even more unique and collected look.
Antique Tins and Baskets
You can use these to store items ranging from office supplies to cotton balls in your bathroom. You can also place a plastic cup within the tin and use it as a planter. The same goes for old baskets.
Miscellaneous
Antique irons, baskets, vintage rug beaters and basically anything under the sun can add an old soul to your decor. If you see something you love, try reimagining it outside of its intended use. Maybe a vintage hat can be turned into a front door hanging. Keep your eye open for little bits and bobbles as well; an antique knob off of an old dresser can replace a modern hardware on a drawer, giving it more of a collected feel. Can you add flowers and use the rug beater as a wall hanging? Get creative! And as always—happy decorating!
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