Hello beauties! I’m so glad you’re here! We’re talking about vintage items today and how to style them!

Want to add some vintage items into your home and don’t know how to mix styles? Well you’ve come to the right place! Today, I’m going to be sharing all the juicy details on how to mix the old with the new for a timeless look, so keep reading!

Vintage pieces have a way of telling a story and adding warmth and character to a space. Good design is all about the people who live in them, the memories they create and experiences they share. In my creative process, it typically takes me a few tries of rearranging to find the perfect place for that vintage item. I think it’s important to let the peice sit, step back and take in the whole space. Most times, it takes me a few tries of styling open shelving or a consul before I find a combination that sits well with me. Give yourself freedom to experiment with different combinations until you create something you love.

Affiliate Disclosure

1. Textures & Tones

When I’m giving my girls advice for combining vintage elements in a space, I alway mention textures and tones. for a balanced look in a space, I like too combine different textures and tones. For example on a coffee table, you might use a terracotta vessel with faux green stems, a vintage copper bowl or tray and a stack of leather books. The key here is to evaluate your items and look to combine different elements ( wood, stone, metal, plant life, books etc) The different textures of each item help to balance everything and keep your eye moving through the space.

When you’re thinking of tones, think dark versus light. If you have a light colored coffee table, you’ll want at least one item that has a dark hue for some contrast. To me, using the element of contrast well in a space doesn’t necessarily look like using opposite colors on the color wheel. On the contrary, it looks like choosing a few neutral tones and using darker and lighter versions of the same hue. To me, I think of it like music. In an orchestra, all the instruments are different but the music sounds beautiful because they are all playing in the same key. The same with colors. If you have too many colors from different families in the same space, it can feel cluttered and jumbled.

 

2. Mix the old with the new

Okay, I know we’ve all heard this before, but it’s true – mix the old with the new. My grandmother had a house full of antiques but they got lost in the clutter and everything felt old. Looking back, its actually sad we never appreciated the beautiful pieces she had because things felt cluttered and everything was old. This is not the feeling you want in your space, unless maybe you have an antique store!

The key to having a space with room to breath and inspiration all around is to mix beautiful new items with some beloved and vintage pieces. This creates that lived in feeling that you just cant get when everything is brand new. Come on, you know the feeling when you combine that rustic piece of furniture with a brand new crisp linen sofa – its life!

from left to right: afloral.com, lightanddwell.com, Mindy Gayer Design Co., brookmoraleshome

 

3. What to look for

Okay so you want to add some vintage pieces to your home and dont know what to look for? Here’s 4 easy items to start with!

Look for something woven like a small vintage rug or tapestry (etsy is a great place to look for this!) a vintage or antique painting (some you can find have gorgeous ornate frames), a terracotta vessel (great for holding greens, flowers or to decorate open shelving) a solid silver or brass object (think brass bowl or tray, metal book ends, candlesticks etc – the possibilities are endless). Check out a few of these gorgeous pieces!

All vintage items above from Your Weekly Home

The reason I mention these items is that they can pair with practically any decor style and can be used in just about any space – whether it be a bedroom, kitchen or living room. My favorite places to shop for vintage items is antique markets, garage sales, thrift stores and facebook marketplace! To me, looking for antiques is like a treasure hunt and just makes me so happy when I find something unique and timeless.

Alright, well thats it! I really hope this helps you start thinking creatively and gives you some tools to add those special vintage items in your space! Let me know what you find and how you incorporate it into your space. Id love to hear from you!

XO – Catherine