Knowing how to blend vintage with modern home decor can mean the difference between an inviting, balanced and unique home, and one that looks like you might be going into the antiques business but don’t have anywhere to store the pieces, so they’re scattered aimlessly throughout your house. You don’t want that. 🙂
I’ve gone through periods of my decorating life where vintage and antique pieces were interwoven throughout almost every room. It’s a warm, comforting and inviting look that evokes a bygone era.
Having said that, though, you don’t have to mingle the antique and updated style in every single room of the home. A few pieces strategically placed can make a huge impact. Let’s delve into it a bit more and learn about some other ways to blend vintage with modern home decor. There is more than one method to incorporate these eras successfully!
Blend the Old with the New
You don’t have to segregate your vintage and new items in order for them to look great in the house, and in fact, don’t to that!
A grand old dresser that is repurposed into a media stand will add some depth and warmth to your modern Family Room, for example. The beautiful china pictured below stands on it’s own, but the niche is turned into something even more interesting with the modern side chair and wall art.
Another way to blend the eras is to add new pieces onto the vintage. For example, you might decide to accent an antique sofa or chair with some fresh, brightly patterned pillows. Mixing the old and the new will integrate your design and make the whole home feel as if it is a living, breathing ecosystem
Group by Finish and Era
The main fear people have when they bring antiques into the house is that the item will look like a fish out of water and stand out against everything else in the home. However you can avoid this concern by grouping a few items of the same finish together in your living space.
For example, in the living room you can have a wall which hosts a dark mahogany cabinet and side chairs which were popular in the Victorian era. Rather than your home feeling like a museum, it will feel like a well rounded, interesting and cohesive space.
Go Vintage with Lighting
A lighting fixture might not be the first vintage item which comes to mind, however antique lighting can change a room and make it feel more luxurious and grand.
If you want to bring some class in your home you can find a chandelier online or at an auction and hang this in a predominant place in the house. It will become a focal point, and, it can make the whole space feel grand.
Case in point is the beautiful vintage chandelier in the image below. The Kitchen is updated Farmhouse style, with lighting and table/chairs that take us back to simpler times. You wouldn’t expect to see a chandelier in the Kitchen, would you? But in this instance it is a beautiful, authentic, historic addition to the space.
On Display
It can be more of a challenge to display small antique items, particularly if you have a collection or a grouping of pieces.
One suggestion is to use an element that is quite modern, such as glass shelves, to display your small vintage pieces. The contemporary shelving would make a unique counterpoint to the antique books, figurines, china cups, or whatever you have to display.
Place them in an area of the room where they will be protected from daily activities, for obvious reasons. 🙂
The 80/20 Rule
When mixing modern and antique furniture, the 80/20 rule is a simple yet effective method to ensure that your space looks well planned.
Unless you’re an avid antiques collector, in most cases the majority will be contemporary. The remaining 20 percent of vintage accents don’t have to bet be large pieces of furniture; it could include smaller details such as an accent table (I remember my grandmother’s telephone table…always loved that piece!) leather-bound diaries, framed vintage prints or a striking grandfather clock.
Tie It Together With Color
Color has a way of pulling it all together, and when you blend antiques with modern decor the philosophy holds true. Use your selected color palette throughout a space, on both vintage and updated pieces, to create a cohesive and stylized look.
It’s not hard to blend vintage with modern home decor if you just remember these simple suggestions!
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I love this!! I have so many antiques but love modern…thank you for the great advice!!
Thanks Holly, I’m glad you found this helpful 🙂