Planning to redecorate your home and add some vintage charm to it? Well, it doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive, and you don’t have to visit antique stores to get your hands on vintage decor.
Start with things like old frames, metal baskets, old cartons, and suitcases. Paint the rooms right—choose pastel shades like vintage blue, along with shades of silver and gold for that perfect vintage look.
Here are some simple tips to help you give your rented apartment or house a rustic look:
Old-School Mirrors
Go to that storeroom with the half-forgotten trunks full of old hand-me-downs from your great-grandparents. Look for old mirrors, with gold or silver-toned trim on the frames.
You could even buy one of these ornamental mirrors from furniture shops. Once you have a mirror, place it in one of the walls of your living room for the perfect vintage look. This will also serve to make the space look larger and disperse light evenly around the room.
Dishes and Cupboards
You can find antique china dishes at thrift stores and flea markets. These are a great way to add that classic vintage touch to your home. Put on your creative hat and figure out unconventional ways of working them into your decor - hang them on walls or use them as soap dishes or candle holders.
Go for wooden or metallic cupboards that have an antique-looking finish instead of modern clean-cut ones. You can also reuse your old cupboards and paint them from scratch to achieve that beautiful distressed look.
Ladders
Have an old wooden ladder? Give it a fresh coat of paint and place it in your bathroom or kitchen to be used as a towel or soap rack.
Collectible Curios
Old telephones have a unique charm that’s been lost in modern design. They will fit perfectly into your freshly vintage-themed home. Go to an antique store or shop around online for such these telephones and use them as decor elements.
You could also look for old radios, gramophones, typewriters, and all other little curios that embody the vintage spirit. An antique-looking clock can really tie a room together by acting as the centerpiece.
Speaking or curios—mason jars are versatile and cheap decor elements. You can use them as candle holders or use them to hold lights for a touch of class.
Old Books
The vintage look feels a bit lacking without appropriately old books. There’s something about a stack of old books placed on a coffee, kept company by a vintage lamp.
You can also invest in a bookshelf. Make sure to go for one that has plain rack design and is made of wood. A dull, somewhat distressed finish is preferable. Place hardbound books - old classics - to complete the setting. And of course, these classics make for great reading, so it’s a win-win.
Kitchenware
When every room in the house is getting a vintage makeover, the kitchen can’t be left behind. Make use of bronze, brass, or earthen pots and vessels for a quaint, and functional, look.
These home makeover tips will give you that dream vintage-themed home without putting too much of a strain on your finances.
This is a guest post by Chandni Lal
