7 Easy Ways to Use Vintage Furniture in Home Décor
The vintage casual style has been growing in popularity among décor enthusiasts, and for a good reason. It is as warm and welcoming as it sounds, making it perfect for creating a comfortable, inviting home. This creative décor style is a culmination of the desire to mix themes, periods, and finishes while keeping the home calm and harmonious. It represents a delicate yet effortless balance between formal and laidback, new and old, structured and spontaneous.
The overall effect is a controlled space that is never stuffy, elegant, but never contrived. If you are looking to create a vintage casual space, you will need to draw from the antique looks of vintage furniture and then balance the room with some contemporary twists.
Classic Vintage Trademarks
When looking for vintage furniture pieces, it helps to look for these classic identifiers. They include:
- Lighter wood or paint finishes – darker options are often distressed
- Elegant sofas and chairs that are not stiff
- Straight or slightly curved legs or ball and club bases
- An air of solidity and durable quality
- Some metallic accents, but never overwhelming
The biggest pull for the vintage casual style is the inherent contrast that gives off cohesive looks and sophistication.
7 Tips to Incorporate Vintage Furniture into Your Home
Refresh Your Living Room with Vintage Finds
Incorporate some vintage furniture pieces among modern living room furniture to achieve a unique, layered look. For pieces that will get the most use, such as accent chairs or a sofa, they need to be durable. In this case, investing in newer pieces or refurbished vintage items may be a good option. You can then complement these with other vintage items, such as a coffee table or a small side table. Adding an antique patterned rug layered with a faux cowhide on top can add visual interest. For wall décor, large framed vintage posters that coordinate with your colour scheme are great additions.
Bring Vintage Furnishings into Your Bedroom
Vintage furniture can go a long way in giving your bedroom a casual, comfortable vibe. To incorporate these pieces, it is important to remember that they do not need to match perfectly. Focus on finding items with similar colour schemes or styles, then create a cohesive look by applying the concept of symmetry. Use similar sized items in the same manner, such as placing two mismatched but similar height wooden dressers as nightstands. You can also use small antique rugs on either side of the bed to add a splash of colour.
Use Vintage in the Kitchen
Antique pieces can also work well in a contemporary kitchen. Adding vintage dishware to your open shelves or hanging an antique sign in your modern kitchen can quickly add an old-fashioned look to your space. Placing vintage glass jars filled with dry ingredients and rustic shelves in a white kitchen can introduce warmth to the space without taking away from the modern elements.
Add Vintage Style to a Bathroom
Vintage furniture items also have their place in a bathroom. For storage of bath products, extra towels, and other necessities, you can repurpose an old dresser. Paired with rustic wood shelves and classic wall art, vintage furniture can add warmth and interest to an otherwise neutral space. Other options for incorporating the style in your bathroom include wire baskets and antique glass jars to stash rolls of toilet paper and cotton balls.
Decorate with Vintage Textiles
You will be surprised by how well vintage fabrics can be used to decorate. Old tea towels and grain sacks can become cases for throw pillows, and old quilts can make beautiful wall hangings, even in a modern room. You can also decide to use antique blankets or curtains to create a covered headboard. Think outside the box and use vintage textiles in creative ways. You can even frame vintage scarves for instant artwork.
Accessorize with Vintage Table Décor
White or neutral walls are a great backdrop for vintage items such as a rustic table, bench, or chairs. Adding a vintage blanket and an old stool will make the room feel more inviting without looking or feeling cluttered. Use bright artwork and an old bowl filled with fruit to contrast the warmth of the wood furniture and add colour to the room. A vintage ceiling fixture will also help draw the eyes up. The neutral walls make the perfect backdrop for displaying your favourite vintage pieces.
Continue Vintage Decorating Outdoors
Showcase your style on the porch or patio with vintage pieces. Use vintage jars or vases to display your garden’s finest blooms or your picks from the farmer’s market. You can also make use of old stools to add height. When outside, it helps to keep a limited colour palette, so it looks cohesive and appealing to those who pass your home.
Things to Remember When Styling with Vintage Pieces
Vintage Casual Shines against a Neutral Backdrop
Neutral backdrops make it easy to incorporate distinct or hard-to-match styles. White, taupe, grey, ivory and beige on your walls and ceilings will allow the many variations in your furniture to stand out.
Blend Styles within a Furniture Grouping
The contrast between modern and vintage furniture is most appealing when grouped. Think of a floral fabric headboard or an acrylic chair with streamlined dressers or a modern dining table with traditional, tufted armchairs.
Use Pieces in Unexpected Ways
There is something intriguing about seeing vintage furniture pieces used in ways and places you’d least expect, such as a bedroom dresser that has been used as a hall table or a wardrobe used as an entertainment center.
Limit Your Colour Palette
There is always a risk that your room might end up looking incoherent when you decide to combine a variety of styles. However, you can avoid this by limiting your colour palette. A strictly black and white kitchen with pops of greenery can tie together the colours of vintage furniture, lighting, and artwork.
Pay Attention to Scale
One of the most valuable tips you need to master interior design is learning to play with the scale of things. Scale, in this case, refers to the comparative size and proportion of objects in a space. Dainty objects such as a settee and lamp look great next to weightier, heavier ones like a fringed velvet sofa and a round pedestal side table. The aim here is to achieve balance along the eye line.
Use the Power of Repetition
Repetition tends to elevate any design project. You can achieve a more polished look by repeating items and patterns, even if your room mixes different styles. Pendant lamps over the dining table lead the eye in the same way a row of similar chairs creates continuity.
Balance Different Materials
Monotony drains interest and intrigue from a room. Therefore, in the same way you play with scale, you should also balance different materials in the room. Think of mixing a sleek marble floor with a more rustic material such as rattan or cane.
Explore Our Vintage Selection to Find the Perfect Piece
The vintage casual style brings out a charmingly warm, individualistic, and quirky look and feel that is also versatile, romantic, and inviting. Using vintage furniture to decorate a room allows you to express your creativity in a unique, fun way.
Are you looking for vintage furniture in Toronto? At Carrocel Fine Furniture, we have an extensive collection of vintage furniture to choose from in our 20,000 sq ft. furniture showroom on 245 Bridgeland Avenue, near Yorkdale Mall. You can also give us a call at 416-999-2525 or contact our team. We will be happy to help you achieve the perfect vintage casual décor in your home.
Vintage Italian Red Velvet Settee in the Style of Zanuso
Red velvet with sleek metal legs- Original fabric
- Vintage Italian Red Velvet Settee in the Style of Zanuso
Vintage Maison Jansen Stone Top Coffee Table
Two-tier design with storage underneath- Stunning white honed stone top
- Vintage Maison Jansen Stone Top Coffee Table
Vintage French Art Deco Marble Top Sideboard Cocktail Bar Cabinet
Topped with black marble- Two curved doors at each end with shelving inside
- Vintage French Art Deco Marble Top Sideboard Cocktail Bar Cabinet
