Living small doesn’t mean that the only way you can do your interior is with neutral or boring decoration.
If you love it, neutral is just fine. But if you’re a vintage-style lover who likes to collect retro treasures, you don’t have to sacrifice on that. You can bring aesthetics you like into compact homes, especially park model homes. A small house can be a great canvas for vintage charm.
If you need some tips, you’re in the right place.
Let’s dive in!
Choose eras and color palettes.
You need to know what visual direction you’re aiming for.
Make that clear in your head before you start buying anything. Just pick two eras you like, like mid-century modern, Art Deco, or even a 1970s bohemian look. Then you can start mapping a color palette. You need to do that if you want to tie those two eras together. It’s important to choose colors wisely because small spaces can easily appear cluttered if you don’t have a guiding palette.
Also, with this approach, you can go to a thrift store and shop with a plan; you’ll select items that are a good fit for your chosen theme.
Select downsized antique furniture.
Size is one of the determining factors in a park model.
You can’t buy a massive piece of furniture and place it in a park model – it simply won’t fit. And even if it does, it’ll take too much space. It’s smart to find furniture that is made for smaller areas. Old furniture is often a better fit when it comes to size than modern furniture. Even with lighting, you can take this approach.
For example, find some table lamps with a slim pedestal, wall sconces, or smaller chandeliers. That’s going to save you a lot of space, but you won’t have to give up on personality.
Layer materials and textures for depth
Small rooms sometimes don’t have depth.
It’s logical because they are small, but you can add depth with smart choices. You can add some interesting rugs, then some blankets on the bed, and choose contrasting colors.
When you do layering, that creates a warm feeling, which is the most popular in cold climates like Colorado or Montana. But even if you don’t live in cold climates, it’s always a good choice to add some warmth to the place you live in.
Go vertical
Vertical space is so important in small homes.
You can use it for storage, but also to add some vintage-style details. You can still place a lot of your vintage treasures if you use walls, and you won’t clog countertops or tables.
Every inch of space matters in park model homes, and if you use it wisely, you’ll still have enough of it for everything you want.
Focal pieces with thrifted art
When you live in a small home, you can add only one standout piece per room, and that is going to be enough. It can be a bold oil painting, an ornate mirror, or an antique wall clock, whatever you like.
Park model owners across states, Oregon, Arizona, and New York, also prefer to choose one focal point per room and let smaller items surround it.
This way, the inside of your home doesn’t become cluttered, but also displays your best treasures.
Combine modern comforts discreetly
No matter how much you love retro style, you still need some modern comforts.
It can be quite tricky to blend them into retro space, but you can do it discreetly. Hide wires, go for appliances in neutral-colored or retro-designed finishes, and hide smart devices away.
Florida mini-homes could need robust AC units; Montana homes need heat. Whatever, use cabinetry, fabric wraps, or a location where you place it to make modern pieces blend into the background and let the old-fashioned personality shine.
Seasonally swap out pieces to give your space a lift
In a tiny house, you can still refresh the space when you want to. And you can do it without any remodeling or big changes.
The easiest way is to swap out decor seasonally. Change your summer vibe decor to some fall and winter colors when the colder months come.
Also, when winter is over, get some spring decor to give your home a fresh look.
Park model homeowners from different states use seasonal styling to characterize their immediate surroundings. In Washington state, for example, nautical vintage elements are ideal for summer by the sea, while woolen throws and rustic wood furniture are suitable for mountain cabins.
In Arizona, you would use desert hues and lightweight fabric.
Why ‘park’ And ‘vintage’ Models Are A Perfect Pair
Park model homes are small, so everything has to have a function.
Vintage furniture is usually adaptable, durable, and full of character, which makes it a good fit. A vintage cabinet can be used for storage and as a centerpiece in the room.
Among regional options, park model homes Washington residents go for are often built with large windows and open-plan living because there are many coastal front properties involved. But they also come with rustic charm, making them an easy fit for accessorizing with second-hand, unique finds.
In states such as Colorado or Utah, where winters are quite harsh and there’s lots of snow, park model homes are built a bit differently, where steep roofs are mandatory and reinforced insulation is a must to combat the low temperatures during winter times. For these homes, ‘vintage’ is present in the form of weathered wood finishes and antique metal fixtures to create that wood cabin-like feel.
Conclusion
If you have the right approach, you can add personality to your park model home.
You don’t need a big space to make it unique. All you need to do is add things that make sense. Blend items with the style you want, and buy functional items.
You can have character in a small home, of course, but only if you know how to choose the right pieces.