Too many vintage elements can make your space seem dated, while too many modern pieces can seem impersonal. You can add a touch of historic charm to your home through decor, hardware, mirrors, art, carpets, furniture and lamps. While vintage items can definitely be antique, vintage refers to items or furniture that are from a different era and that could be 50 years old. Marked by big, bold geometries, uncomplicated colors and pop art, the postmodern style injects unexpected fun into almost any room in the house.
Adding decorative accessories such as the vintage kitchen book scale, an old vase and a vintage board are just some of the ways to add vintage elements to a kitchen. Antiques often display refined craftsmanship that's harder to come by today, and feature intricate wood carvings, marquetry, or decorative ornaments that you won't find in ordinary modern furniture. If you are looking to create the maximum impact in a modern room with an antique piece, go for a striking large-scale piece, such as an antique wardrobe, a baroque or art deco headboard, or a huge vintage rustic table. If you're looking for vintage items to add to your home, you'll add texture, uniqueness and character to your home.
In the meantime, I hope this list will give you some initial ideas and help you develop even more ideas to add that vintage touch to your kitchen. This same formula can work for large-scale decorative pieces, such as a giant gold French mirror or a huge vintage rug to decorate a living room that would otherwise be contemporary. The Heidi Caillier design adds a thoughtful personality to this living room with lots of touches of vintage charm. Make these pieces functional and appropriate for modern lifestyles by painting, restoring interiors, or adding upholstery to an old bed or armchair frame to give a feeling of modern comfort.
Give life to old furniture that may be languishing elsewhere by finding a new purpose for it. Obviously, what's new isn't vintage, but today there are a lot of items that are made with a vintage look, so while I love the real thing, adding items that have a “vintage look” is just as good for adding a vintage aesthetic to your new or modern home. Don't get me wrong, I love a fresh look and I'm always interested in the latest trends, but there's something about a wink to the past, to old treasures and vintage finds that I'll always fall in love with. The vintage French style living room and lobby before and after the tour show how I turned this eighties house into a beautiful modern home with French and vintage touches.
Vintage adds something to your home that makes it unique and not as simple as any other home.