Four vintage-style home decor tips we love
Vintage revival: How to recreate a retro home today
Vintage home decor generally refers to an approach to design that incorporates furnishings, accessories, and colour palettes from a period past. Or, modern versions of these that attempt to recreate a similar aesthetic. Whether your inspiration is classic Victorian style or retro seventies vibes, here are four interior design tips that BOWERBIRD Interiors’ design experts love.
Understand your era
Vintage is an all-encompassing term that can span years, decades, or even centuries. To effortlessly execute a beautiful, modern-day home inspired by all things old-school, start by narrowing down your options to a specific era. Whether it’s Georgian architecture (with its emphasis on gothic details, ornate additions, and opulent and elaborate furniture), an art deco aesthetic – that saw the emergence of playful pop tones and fun furnishings, or the classic retro stylings of the days of disco, finessing your focus is the first place to start.
Something old, something new
One of the most important tips our property styling experts can offer to recreate a cool, vintage-inspired home that doesn’t wander into kitsch, is to incorporate older elements into more modern looks. Whether it’s pairing a vintage bedhead with a fresh quilt cover, or an antique lounge with contemporary cushions, striking a balance between old and new is an essential element in introducing vintage home decor into your living spaces, while keeping them off the track of tacky.
Anchor your aesthetic
Maximise the impact of your vintage approach by investing in key furnishings as focal points. For example, curate your kitchen around well-worn, handcrafted stools, chairs, and benches, create a vintage vibe in your living room with a mid-century sofa and console, or invest in an old-fashioned armoire in your bedroom for a classic sleeping space. Once you’ve completed this canvas, the addition of a few accessories – such as an antique mirror, retro rug, or even a set of sentimental dishes displayed in the dining area – is all you need to complement and complete your look, minus the clutter.
Everything old is new again
Don’t have the time to devote your entire weekend to vintage store crawls, antique auctions on eBay, or estate shopping? Fortunately, many contemporary designers have made the task of incorporating vintage style into your home easy by manufacturing modern versions of furnishings, accessories, and upholstery inspired by their classical counterparts.
For a nostalgic, nanna-approved look – based on new buys – opt for aged materials like brass, bronze, or copper, plush textures such velvet, tweed, leather or corduroy, and decorative patterns – including florals or black and white checkerboard decor.
And on that note, getting creative is the key to making vintage work in this millennium. Don’t be afraid to use an old piece for a purpose for which it may have not been originally intended. Consider it a way to bring the past to the present in a truly practical way!
BOWERBIRD Interiors’ interior experts have styled all sorts of properties over the years. Talk to our Interior Designers to help you curate your home and achieve a vintage style that you love.