Five ways to decorate with vintage finds

5 Creative Ways to Decorate with Vintage Finds 

Don't know how to best incorporate vintage pieces into your decor? Look no further! Get inspired with these 5 budget-friendly tips for adding a bit of old-fashioned flair to any space.

All those years ago when I began picking up items that caught my attention, I never thought I would be writing a blog to tell you about all of our treasures.  Some people may call vintage items junk (I know a few of those people, the nerve!), and hey, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but me?  I happen to love them, and always have.  

There was always wonder on my part about each piece's story because we all have a story with many chapters in our book called life.  My friends have teased me over the years speaking of inanimate objects as they are living, breathing things.  My rebuttal was always, we all have a story, living or not.

To me, having a home filled with vintage items just makes it homey.  You too can fill your home with what you love too by checking out our five simple ways to show you the way to the home of your dreams.

If you are wanting to give your home a vintage style on a budget follow our five simple tips to help you make the most of decorating with vintage. Adding a few well-chosen pieces of vintage furniture, textiles, and accents can instantly bring the past back to life.

1.  Mix and Match Older Pieces with Modern Décor

Don’t be afraid to mix old and new. You can incorporate a few modern pieces into your vintage décor to create an interesting, updated look. For example, we have the new lamps and glass cloche on top of an antique dresser which we use as a buffet. See our new clock that is made to look older hanging on the wall.

2. Incorporate Accents in Unexpected Spaces

If you want to bring vintage style into your home, don’t limit yourself to just the obvious places. Why not add a touch of nostalgia to the bathroom, kitchen or even the hallway? Introduce accents like cabinets with charming handles, antique-style light fixtures or whimsical wall art. These type of pieces are small enough that you can change them up without making a major commitment.

3. Hang Vintage Wall Art

Vintage wall art is an easy and accessible way to add a bit of old-fashioned character to any room. Grandma’s baby photo, a vintage postcard or an antique sign will all make great conversation pieces. You can hang multiple pieces together in interesting grids or clusters, or decorate with oversized framed artwork that captures the look of a bygone era.

4. Decorate With Small Collectibles or Knick-Knacks On Shelves and Tables

Utilize vintage items like collectible figurines, teacups, pottery pieces, or glassware to give any room an added touch of personality. Arrange the items for a fun display in your living or dining room, or gather several trinkets together on your nightstand or bookshelf to create a mood-enhancing vignette. Vintage décor also creates a unique opportunity to demonstrate your personal style and tell a story of where these pieces have been and what they’ve seen over the years.

5. Layer in Textiles

Adding vintage textiles to your home décor can be the perfect way to give any room a unique and heartfelt look. Place blankets, quilts, drapery fabric or doilies around the house – hang them on the wall, drape them over furniture or layer two atop each other on your bed. Not only are these items visually interesting and nostalgic, but they also add beautiful pops of color throughout the space.

We used to frequent live auctions on our weekends and scoop up many items for our home.  It was our way of being able to add vintage in bulk to our home decor at a much lesser cost than shopping and running around locating items.  There were times when I fell more in love with the story than the actual piece.  I guess that would tell you I am one sentimental gal.  Oh, yes I am!  

I can listen to folks talk about their lives and experiences for hours on end.  When you listen, there is a lot to be learned from other's wisdom and knowledge.     

As a younger gal, I will tell you I did not like auctions at all.  It made me sad to see a person's collections sold off to the highest bidder.  Then I decided to take a different approach to my way of thinking, and thought well, this piece will get to live on with new memories added to it's story in our home.  I became quite the bidder, just ask my husband, he will tell you.

As some of you know, I love black and white photos, they are my most favorite.  The football team was my husbands' grandfather's team many years ago.  When he showed it to me, I said we need a wall of family black and whites.  Of course, we have yet to get around to a wall of family photos.  He is opposed to more holes in the walls (plaster walls) and I could never settle on which wall to add our family story to.

To remedy this situation, I began sprinkling our family history throughout our home in every room.  Vintage flower frogs are the perfect way to do this.  The small black and white photo is my husband's mother and her sister, as children.  

I love those photos with our family's story, but I even look at photos while perusing antique shops of other families.  As a child I had quite the imagination, and sometimes it surfaces as an adult.  Being surrounded by all of those items in an antique shop, along with someone else's memories... talk about a haven for this gal.    

Sometimes I add many items to a vignette in our home, and other times I take away and make it minimal.  As you can see, I have a thing for metal tape holders, and rosettes.  I purchased the rosettes in a lot of four and began sprinkling them throughout our home.  You may have noticed one or two in our recipes recently.  

I get it honest when it comes to creating vignettes in our home.  My mother has always decorated every space.  I recall a friend coming over for a visit, and he said I just knew you would be a "tchotchke family."  I said what on earth are you saying?  He replied, I just knew your home would be filled with love, and memories, and I would feel surrounded by it when I walked in.  

When he put it like that, I was happy with his comment.  It is not often I make a purchase of something that does not emit some sort of emotion in me.  I am not at all that gal who fills a home to the brim without a second thought of what I am filling it with, but I am sure you already know that.  

My husband gave me these roses for our sixth anniversary along with the cloche and base to put them in.  Of course, he thinks of everything, under glass was the perfect place since in his mind, the roses would collect a lot of dust in their nooks and crannies.  For winter, I added silver velvet ribbon and a sprig of greenery to dress it up a bit.

  

   

Yep, another Scotch metal tape holder.  I told you I was addicted to anything plaid, right?  I have been picking up pieces from online auctions in bulk or "lots" here lately.  Buying from auctions like this can be much more economical which is why I chose this approach.  

See our well loved camera we tend to share pretty often in our dining room.  I have been making changes into spring little by little in our dining room.  I am so ready which is so not like me to be so quick in letting winter go, but I think I am just ready for a change.  I want to get out and walk and take in fresh air... I am telling you, small things, it is what makes the world go round!

A few months ago I had planned to paint this clock white and use gold rub-n-buff on it, but I am so glad I chose to keep it in it's original state.  I feel like it fits in with our well loved, vintage pieces.  

I noticed recently our home does not always reflect my love for industrial pieces, so my plan is to also begin incorporating some pieces that were used in industrial settings.  Spring is coming... stay tuned.   

I hope you enjoyed a few of our vintage finds that we have come across most recently.  I have a plan to go through more family photos and see how else we can find ways to display them for more ideas.  Picture frames can be so boring... let's get creative and think outside the box.  

Enjoy your weekend!