Vintage Meets Modern: Five Tips to Perfect This Design Look.

Do you have a particular fondness for things used in the past? Appreciate the beauty of vintage interior design by proudly showcasing antique furniture in your home, made simple with these guidelines to blend design choices from every era! Be sure to stop by Wood Country Building Services today to learn more.

Tip #1 - Choose Accent Pieces

If you like furniture with a funky look, it’s easy to go overboard and create a visually cluttered, mismatched space. Consider selecting a few eclectic items to use as accent pieces against a more neutral setting. For example, a neon lamp could be displayed on a plain metal table. You could also consider using a boldly patterned rug in the centre of a room with plain fabric furniture. But this concept also works in reverse.

Vintage pieces can bring some elegance to a space. A classy vintage coffee table can add sophistication to a room with a trendy feel. By using this contrast to your advantage, you embrace the personality of vintage pieces within a contemporary style.

Tip #2 - Choose an Aesthetic

Before purchasing vintage furniture, decide where you will use a specific piece in your home. Make sure it follows the aesthetic of the room you want to put it in. You can make a space look more uniform by choosing furniture that fits with the colour scheme you already have in that room, as well as the overall vibe of the space. This way, your vintage furniture complements your existing furniture and décor instead of clashing with your style. You could do this by choosing an old sofa to go beside a rustic fireplace or coffee table in the living room. This is a great way to ensure your room blends together, while highlighting a vintage feel.

Tip #3 - Embrace the Contemporary Style

Something to consider is that vintage furniture can also fit into modern style, regardless of its age. Plenty of antique furniture pieces have a timeless look that can be used in many different areas of your home. For example, wooden furniture is still often used in modern homes, and is easy to find when shopping for vintage furniture. Pieces like this are great if you’re not sure about incorporating a vintage look throughout your home and want furniture that will still be relevant to interior design years down the road.

You could consider a vintage wooden desk in a bedroom that already has a wooden dresser in a similar colour. Similarly, a vintage vase with a simple pattern can spruce up a room without drawing too much attention away from your current décor.

Tip #4 - Repurpose Furniture for Practicality

Before you commit to a piece of furniture, it’s important to be sure you will actually use it. There’s nothing wrong with buying vintage furniture just for the look of it, but you might regret a purchase that ends up just collecting dust. Vintage furniture is often in rougher shape than new furniture, and you should be sure you can repair any damage that makes it unusable.

That’s not to say that broken vintage furniture should be thrown out right away. You can often repurpose pieces that are too damaged to be used for their original purpose. For example, ripped or stained curtains can be repurposed into covers for accent pillows to brighten up a living room. You can also consider staining wooden pieces to match your current furniture, or changing up details like drawer handles to make the pieces truly yours.

Get creative when repurposing vintage pieces, but be sure you’re not modifying any rare or valuable pieces.

Tip #5 - Know Where to Shop

It’s important to do your research before purchasing any type of furniture, but vintage pieces often come with their own risks. Some shops may market as “vintage,” but they are actually new. Be sure that you trust your source and the quality of their pieces.

You should also consider your intentions with the furniture. If you’re looking for a piece to refurbish or use in a space where it might be damaged or weathered, consider shopping at a thrift store where pieces are more common and less expensive. If you’re looking to start a collection, you may want to shop at specialty antique stores to make sure you find what you’re looking for. Garage sales and estate sales are also great places to find hidden gems.

You’re now ready to start shopping for your new favourite vintage furniture pieces! Get creative with bringing vintage style into your home, and be sure to visit us if you need help getting started!