If you live in a newer home, you might feel like something is missing. Though it feels clean and crisp, it doesn’t give you that warm welcoming feeling that you knew as a kid. Maybe the walls are too bare, or your porch and entry way feel uninviting. Maybe it’s the kitchen that’s lacking character, or your living room feels impersonal and cold. Here are some quick tips and tricks to help you add old-time vintage charm to every room in your home.
Decide on a Time Period
Before you start adding every cool item that you find at a thrift store into your interior decorating scheme, decide on an era to stick to. Here are some options:
- Victorian — late 1800s
- French Country — beginning in 1600s
- Classic/Traditional — 1700s
- Modern — 1960s
- Bohemian — 1970s
Browse through online galleries, magazines and books until you really have a feel for that style. This way, every item that you bring home from a flea market or tag sale will stick to a unified theme.
Shop With Your Theme In Mind
Collect items that work with the theme you’ve decided on. If you add in just a few touches here and there while sticking to a theme, suddenly you have a very cool, old-time vibe happening in the room! For example, a few colorful boho throw pillows along with a great beaded curtain would make a boring room suddenly feel fun and personalized.
Be Selective
When you display vintage items in your home, you need to be really proud of them. Though the item, like a chair or table, might serve a function in the room it is also a piece of art. It is important to see it that way! If you have trouble making decisions while shopping, snap a photo of the piece and sleep on it. Check in on the photo the next morning, and see how you feel.
Identify Focal Points
Pay special attention to the focal points of each room. For example, the mantle might be a focal point in your living room. The center of the kitchen counter might be the focus of your kitchen. These areas are hot-spots — pour your efforts into these areas. Browse second hand shops for cool pieces to feature in this area. Here are some ideas:
- Wall art
- Statue
- Vase
- Pitcher
Put Your Heart Into It
In modern society, our homes can get left by the wayside. Our busy schedules and to-do lists often pull us out of the home. When you decide to add some old-time charm into your space it is an opportunity to infuse love into your home environment.
The little decorations and touches that you add into your space can show the world — and yourself– how much you care for your home. Put your heart into your decorating efforts. Each time you see that little vintage dream-catcher on the porch, or the Victorian fabric curtains you added above the sink, you’ll smile.
Little touches can go a long way. Once you decide on an era, stick to it. Begin to shop for items that go along with that time period. Be selective! Place neat older items in areas of the room where the eye naturally goes — like the mantle place or center of a table. Lastly, feel good about your efforts. The more you get into the loving, nurturing spirit, the better you will feel in your charming home!
Does your apartment or house feel new or does it already have old-time charm? Tell us about your status in the comments section below.