From ads, watches, cars, and bicycles to hairdos, fashion, and interior design, vintage is back and in trend these days. Evocative of most glamorous 20th-century epochs, vintage elements seem to be more at home in a modern living area than contemporary pieces, and many interior decorators are turning to retro features to achieve a sense of stability, refinement, nostalgia, and familiarity. Judging by its popularity, vintage is the new modern face of design, and here are some simple ways to incorporate the essence of bygone times into your home.
Life in the Lap of Timeless Elegance
Vintage-inspired living rooms feature lots of wood veneer, often marked by dark nuances and subtle treatments. Antiquated sofas, modernist armchairs, overhauled writing desks, retro coffee tables, and solid wood shelving are common in this style. Carpeting often boasts geometric patterns and solid contrasts, but it can be pulled back to expose floorboards for a dash of minimalist elegance. Wall paint is usually white or pastel, and retro paintings and wall art are used as tasteful visual accents to reproduce the feel of bygone eras. Upholstery designs are often minimal, and the atmosphere of warmth and coziness is achieved through vintage carpets, indoor foliage, and imaginative accessories such as colorful cushions and ethnic throws, gramophones, radio receivers, and potpourri.
Wined and Dined on an Evergreen Style
For a nostalgic yet chic dining room, outfit the windows with airy curtains in neutral colors and use second-hand tables and chairs made from natural materials. For a vintage tablescape, leave the surface nude or outfit it with a monochromatic tablecloth, display a bunch of flowers as a centerpiece, and bring out retro tableware. If you are a lover of fine spirits, you can showcase your treasured liquor collection on a wine rack made from reclaimed wood. To achieve a more rustic appeal, replace existing flooring with parquet and add a quaint area rug to the seating area: this will also render a more lived-in feel to the dining room and keep it cozy during cold months.
Agent Bond of Bathroom Looks
To achieve a vintage bathroom look, ditch window curtains and turn to standalone bathtubs, elongated over-sink mirrors, monochromatic tiles, and neutral wall paint. For a more grounded ambiance, you can replace tiles with hardwood flooring altogether. Moisture is a force to be reckoned with in areas with lots of wood and high humidity, but reputed bathroom renovation companies say that incorporating water-sensitive materials in loos is viable granted proper installation and quality protective coating. To round off the retro look, use faucet and shower heads with a gold- or silver-hued finish, clean-lined matte cabinetry, and an odd shabby-chic laundry basket or imposing Victorian-esque mirror.
A Retro Boudoir Off Magazine Covers
Bedrooms gone vintage are an image of refinement and moderation: with wooden bedposts, large mirrors with elaborate frames, and neutral linens, a retro boudoir inspires intimacy, balance, and daydreams. Wardrobes and armoires can bear a shabby chic note for added visual interest, and French country nightstands will also look at home in this décor. A lush canopy can be added to the sleeping area to liven up the vintage look, but a similar trick can be achieved through deployment of vintage clocks, worn-out storage chests, floor lamps with brass stands, or by use of dark-hued wallpapers with a royal feel.
From scratch to sophisticated, vintage elements can transform a shabby home into sheer eye-candy and make it look more balanced, peaceful, and homely. Though minimalist designs with just a few ornamental touches are typical of vintage interiors, the inimitable charm of natural materials and rugged fabrics topped by functional accessories will make you fall in love with your home in its new vintage-come-modern groove.
Zoe Clark
Author bio:
Zoe Clark is a journalist, freelance stylist and blogger. She is a visual storyteller and aesthetician by heart who often writes about decorating and DIY ideas. She loves sparking creativity in people and giving them ideas for their own spaces. You can find her blogging at Smooth Decorator.
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