Vintage Décor – Classic Ideas for your Home

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Vintage Décor – Classic Ideas for your Home

What is vintage décor?

The answer to that question is truly in the eye of the beholder.  Some people envision a vintage home filled with rickety antique floors, retro furniture, or something shabby chic. According to designer Hazel Yule, the true vintage enthusiast creates a vintage décor fully inspired by the glamour of the post world war era of the 1940-50’s.  Post-world war, people returned to some semblance of normalcy and the interior décor of the home took on a new level of sophistication and comfort.

Oak wood Flooring for the Vintage Decor from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

At the time, the trends were probably considered modern, reflecting a new level of opulence and class.   Today, vintage décor is timeless and charming, and we’ve come up with some big and small ideas to create this look in the home.

In the Kitchen

Today, the kitchen is the epicenter of the home, not just a quiet haven for mom to prepare the family meals. And this is a time when kitchens transition from being created for function, and designed for beauty and style.

Whether you love the modern look of stainless steel, or the Heartwood Classic French door refrigerator, there are vintage design elements you can add to your kitchen to give it just the right look.

Vintage Kitchen ideas from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

 

Consider raised panel, white (pearl, cream) cabinets.  Lighter colors were popular, reflecting a feeling of something new, fresh and clean.
Polished nickel knobs and pulls, or brass, which was also popular for that era add elegance to the cabinetry.

Consider some glass inserts in the cabinet doors.  They are designed to show off fine china and other dishware.   Perhaps even a brick accent wall above the sink or oven.

An oversized island is a must in any kitchen today.  Add decorative posts at the corners, to give the piece a furniture-type feel, and luxurious granite counters.  Park Avenue chandelier top it all off from the ceiling.

Every detail reflects the craftsmanship of a timeless kitchen design.

Photo Credits:
Brick Kitchen Wall: Echelon Custom Homes
Knobs & Lighting: House of Antique Hardware
Heartland Classic French Door Refrigerator
Crownpoint Glassfront Cabinets

In the Living Room

As you move into the living room of the vintage home you’ll notice how architectural trends start to change.  Build in cabinetry, display units, and sideboards become more popular during this era, again, as a means to show off the proverbial “stuff”.  The vintage home may feature an abundance of white, but here you can add some colors with accent walls decorated in floral or bold pattern designs.

Vintage Living Room Ideas from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

 

 

Furniture takes on a new minimalistic form – much like the popular sofa and sectionals of today!  Clean lines, perfect tailoring, button backed upholstery shine in the Rowe Midcentury Dorset sectional, and the Primrose & Plum armchair.  Accent table from Horchow and how about some bold print tatto beige and black wallpaper from DesignYourWall.

 

Wood Flooring

Naturally, we cannot forget about the wood flooring.  As it is the foundation for every great interior design. And when it comes to the vintage home there are three great options.

Vintage Flooring Ideas from Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

The first is a rich, dark wood floor, like Walnut.  This goes well with the classic white décor of the furniture, walls and architectural details of the vintage style.

Second, you have the complete opposite of that with light, naturally finished oak wood flooring.  At the time, wax was probably used to maintain a light look, perhaps even milk paint. Today, you can create that look much easier, and make the floors much easier to maintain than wax ever will.

Lastly, you have the refined look of a chevron hardwood floor.  This is the ultimate flooring style for the vintage home showing off the highest level of craftsmanship and wealth since these kinds of floors took longer to install, and required a high level of skill.

Just for Fun

When it comes to the vintage home, there are some fun design elements you can add to the decor.

Such as a vintage rotary telephone.

And the crystal decanter set.
And of course, the grand piano. Even if you can’t play every home looks a little more stylish with one.
Vintage Pianos with Dark Wood Floors from CArlisle Wide Plank Floors

What else do you love about a vintage decor? What products have you used?

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