Vintage is a word we hear quite often today, but we don’t always fully understand its semantic meaning. This word owes its origin to the French. This is what they called the wine, which had lain for decades in cozy wine cellars, distinguished by its maturity and perfection of taste. When an unusual and very unpretentious direction appeared in the art of creating interiors, replete with old gizmos and a certain specific atmosphere, the designers considered that this word would become the best characteristic of the style. Although the interior in the vintage style reproduces the atmosphere in houses of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there are no strict restrictions in decoration here . In such a room it is quite possible to find all the best that has been tested for ease of use over the centuries, as well as modern household items. So let's take a closer look at this magnificent style, especially since it is incredibly in demand today.
living room interior in vintage style
What is it like, vintage interior?
The room, decorated in vintage style, looks distinctly lived-in. It has a cozy and special nostalgic mood. There is always a lot of “seasoned” things here, each of which boasts its own history, and the neighbor to your grandmother’s chest of drawers may well be a home theater. Don't be surprised if there is an abundance of antiques in such an environment. They become a full-fledged ingredient of a mixed interior in vintage style. Staying in such a “shabby” and at the same time modernized atmosphere generates peace and tranquility. I just want to pick up a historical book, settle into a comfortable rocking chair, creaking with fasteners from the past, and, wrapped in a soft blanket, immerse myself in the serene reading of a fascinating novel.
Now it’s difficult to say who exactly came up with the idea to complement a modern modern interior with several elements reminiscent of bygone days, but the result was a very interesting decor that gained crazy popularity.
vintage interior style accessories
Types of vintage style trends
Classical
The items used here are mainly from the collections of popular designers, which are made from high-quality and natural fabrics. Such clothes look expensive, rich and well-made. Many will be equipped with various decor: lace, ruffles, flounces, fringe and other trim.
The main distinguishing feature of classic vintage is real clothing from the past, which has been preserved thanks to natural fabrics, high-quality tailoring and careful treatment over a long period of time.
Neo-vintage
Here, clothes are made in the modern world, but with an imitation of vintage style. Among such things you can find quite rare and valuable specimens from different years, which will be distinguished by style, cut, decor and, of course, color.
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Vintage materials
When decorating an interior in vintage style, wood, ceramics, and forging must be used .
All materials used should have a patina, that is, be really antique or look the part. Such decor will never look harmonious and complete without seemingly very insignificant accessories, which can be ordinary dried flowers or seasonal bouquets. What's special about them, you ask? After all, the same elements can be found in country and ethnic style interiors. Yes, indeed, the decoration technique is common, but in our case it has one characteristic difference. The secret is in the very method of arranging bouquets. They need to be made contrasting, and play not on the color scheme, but on the sizes. Along with small flowers, large flowers are placed in one vase. Moreover, the bouquet should absolutely not look prim; on the contrary, it should be assembled with some carelessness so that it turns out slightly disheveled. Ready-made bouquets can be placed in both metal and crystal vases. Decorative items used to decorate vintage interiors should bear barely readable inscriptions. This is a characteristic sign of their ancient origin. You should look for such items at flea markets (where you can sometimes find unique items at a ridiculous price) or in special shops.
furniture in vintage style living room interior
Wall decoration
The best material for wall decoration is wallpaper. They must be paper, with a small or large pattern. Floral, geometric patterns, always contrasting, look good in a vintage interior. You can choose wallpaper in oriental style - Chinese or Japanese: butterflies, twigs, flowers, birds. However, if you plan to saturate the room with many decorative details, it is better to choose plain wallpaper for the walls or simply paint them in one of the pastel colors.
As a finishing option, you can apply a roll-on pattern to painted walls using a rubber roller with a convex pattern: by applying paint to it, you can transfer the pattern to the wall. Stencils can be used for the same purpose.
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Interior in vintage style: nuances of creation
There are two ways to create an interior in a vintage spirit:
- Using individual specific items;
- Due to the basic design of the room.
In the first case, vintage elements and changing furniture will help change your home environment, but in the second case you will need to make a real renovation. But no matter what you choose, creating a vintage interior will be incredibly exciting, because you will have to redo every corner to saturate the room with its characteristic stylistic features. But you should start getting acquainted with vintage subtleties by recreating the general background.
So, the ceiling.
The antique style does not tolerate pronounced modernity, so the ceiling surfaces in an interior decorated in a vintage style often remain simply painted cream or pure white.
It is possible to decorate them with stucco molding. It is best if the paint on the ceiling is slightly cracked and appears in a fine “mesh”.
white ceiling with a three-stage plinth in a vintage interior
There will be no problems with the floor if it is laid with old parquet. The traces of long-term use clearly visible on it will only be beneficial in this case. The same applies to old ceramic tiles lying on this surface. In other cases, the coating will have to be replaced with artificially aged parquet or tiles, because no other, more modern materials can be used here.
But you shouldn’t rush into decorating the walls. Before you start decorating them, you should determine what exactly vintage style will set the tone for in your interior. If these are accessories, then it is better to make the walls in light pastel colors, and use only paint for this. However, if the vintage atmosphere is to appear without the use of patinated furniture, then the walls will have to be “dressed” with specific wallpaper. Options with delicate small floral prints, pastoral scenes or graceful butterflies are ideal. It is possible to use calm and thoughtful wallpaper in Chinese or Japanese style. In some cases, the desired atmosphere can be set with wallpaper with contrasting and large patterns. The choice of print should again depend on what you want to get in the end, and the understanding that in vintage style wallpaper is glued over the entire area of the walls, and not as an accent, and, therefore, you should be comfortable in the created environment.
pastel colors in vintage style bedroom interior design
Vintage style 2021
In view of the mass nature of modern fashion, it is difficult to stand out from the crowd, but it is possible. Vintage style is the very key that in today’s realities will help create a sophisticated style, characteristic of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. The luckiest among us will be able to find a treasured chest or bag filled with real treasures - well-preserved outfits that were the dominant trend in a certain era.
If we talk about the current season, the vintage style of 2018 is multifaceted, since it covers a huge period in terms of fashion - the 20s-80s of the last century. A truly vintage item not only dates back to 1910-1980, but was also created by the hands of a real designer, it is a kind of masterpiece. Vintage style in women's clothing can take other forms:
- There is a trend towards neo-vintage, that is, towards new things that copy and imitate a certain fashionable style of a bygone era.
- The highlight of your wardrobe can be clothes that have a vintage element, for example, chic lace, gorgeous buttons, a luxurious belt.
- One of the bright trends that does not let go of the hearts of true ladies is floral romanticism, the magic of polka dots and the philosophy of boho style.
Filling the interior
Probably, only a vintage-style interior can look cozy and harmonious, despite the fact that its furnishings combine furniture from different eras. Chests of drawers and ottomans from the time of the conquest of the Crimea get along well with wardrobes and new, barely noticeable patinated tables. Small bureaus, elaborate sideboards, chairs and other upholstered furniture, where textiles are combined with wooden inserts - all this gives the atmosphere an incredible flavor. Furniture should bear the imprint of history, so if any of the items you like and need frankly do not want to fit into the decor, you should work on it a little. Try to create light abrasions, change the handles or use the decoupage technique - in general, put a little of your soul into the item and it will certainly become an interior decoration.
A boudoir table from a bygone era will fit perfectly into the interior of a vintage bedroom
Style Features
Vintage must be distinguished from retro and antiques. Furniture of this style belongs exclusively to the 20th century. Older items are classified as antiques. Vintage furniture is furniture that is no more than 60 and no less than 20 years old. The second mandatory requirement is that it had to be fashionable for its time.
Thus, furniture that belongs to the years 1960–2000 is now considered vintage. At the beginning of this period, the interiors were decorated with sofas and armchairs with legs and wooden armrests, polished wardrobes, walls, folding tables and coffee tables on three legs. A distinctive feature of furniture of this style is its compactness. It was made for standard apartments with low ceilings and narrow doors, so it is small and does not clutter up the room. Another characteristic feature of vintage furniture is high legs.
The furniture of this period was not particularly decorated. The fronts and surfaces of the tables were polished and varnished. From the sixties came the fashion for walnut veneer finishing.
Due to the reviving interest in the style of the second half of the 20th century, collections of designer furniture began to be replenished with artificially aged chests of drawers, chairs, sideboards, and beds. They are made from natural materials and painted in natural dark or light colors.
Advantages of vintage furniture:
- Cheap - now they call it junk and simply throw it in the trash or give it away for a nominal fee, but not many years will pass and it will only be found in specialized stores.
- Natural - furniture makers used to use much less chipboard than they do now. A vintage wardrobe made of plywood and boards, covered with walnut veneer under a beautiful old varnish, will become an analogue of a modern solid wardrobe, which costs a lot of money.
- Easy to care for - high legs allow you to wash or vacuum every corner of the room.
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Vintage furniture has only one problem - it needs restoration. We have to change the padding and finishing fabric, and re-paint and varnish the wooden parts. To renew veneer, wax or polish is used.
Subtleties of vintage decor
In a vintage setting, the main word remains not in the general background or even in the furniture, but in the small decor.
To complete a vintage-style interior, you simply need an abundance of knitted napkins and textiles, tablecloths and furniture covers, pillows and figurines.
Anything goes:
- Antique dolls;
- Copper teapots;
- Old plates;
- Worn books bound in woven covers;
- Mirrors in massive ornate frames;
- Porcelain trinkets;
- Black and white photos.
vintage photographs as an element of vintage style decor
To feel the breath of time, you will need curtains with tiebacks and canopies over the beds. But with all this splendor, you still shouldn’t overdo it. A space overloaded with decor will not please the eye, but will tire you. Moreover, there will be a feeling of complete chaos.
Floor finishing
Laminate is not suitable for finishing the floor; it is better to use parquet or a regular wooden board. They will be the best option for the living room, bedroom, and other living rooms.
You can lay linoleum on the floor, because it has been known since the end of the 19th century, although it was not so popular until the 1980s. It is best used for the kitchen, hallway, and bathroom. You can also use tiles for these rooms.
The choice of materials for decorating a vintage interior will depend on what you decide to focus on, what creates stylization - if furniture, then limit yourself to a calm color scheme for the walls, painting them in pastel colors or covering them with light wallpaper with an unobtrusive pattern. If you want to create a bright environment for your furniture, then you can choose wallpaper with a bright ornament or a pastoral pattern, adding a small number of details to the interior.
Any finishing materials should be artificially aged to give the impression that they have stood the test of time.
Vintage style in apartment interior design
Room interior in vintage style
Modern apartment design in vintage style
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Lighting Aspects
Lighting for a vintage interior should not be too bright and very warm. It's good if you make it multi-level. You can light the room with table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers imitating candelabra, or in general, candles in candlesticks. Lampshades, if any, should be made of fabric, and frames should be made of noble metal. Moreover, for ease of fitting into a vintage-style interior, it is better to initially patina these parts of the lighting fixtures: give bronze a greenish tint and elegantly darken copper. Faceted crystal pendants are used to decorate the designs of chandeliers and lamps. The light refracted and widely scattered in them will add a unique chic to the vintage atmosphere.
lighting in a vintage interior should be moderate
Vintage and shabby chic: differences
These two unique interior styles are very similar, which is why they are often confused. And for good reason, because the history of the shabby chic trend originates in vintage design.
Here are the main differences between them:
- Vintage interiors use spectacular, even slightly pretentious items, while shabby chic recognizes more modest and textured items, decor in the decoupage style;
- The shabby chic trend is characterized by beauty and sophistication, a romantic atmosphere, and in a vintage interior it is more important to preserve the atmosphere of antiquity, including its external signs - small cracks, chips, abrasions on objects.
As you can see, the vintage direction gives a lot of scope for imagination and creativity, allowing you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a cozy home fairy tale.
This apartment combines exquisite simplicity and chic, luxurious expensive household items and handmade items using the decoupage technique. Having thought through all the necessary details to the smallest detail, you can create an extraordinary vintage interior, a design that your family and friends will be delighted with.
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Video gallery
Photo gallery
Vintage in specific rooms
Living room interior in vintage style
To bring a vintage feel to the living room, sometimes it is enough to purchase a picture in a gilded frame, an old console or a metal chandelier.
A fireplace will cope with this task perfectly, the shelf of which can be decorated with souvenirs characteristic of the style. It is better to lay out the fireplace itself from brick or decorative stone and decorate it with a forged grate. In this case, it will look truly elegant. A rocking chair is appropriate for a living room interior in a vintage style. As for upholstered furniture, in such decor it should not only be comfortable, but convey the luxury of the atmosphere of bygone times. It doesn’t matter whether it is made of light or dark wood, the main thing is that the tone of its upholstery is calm. Ideally, scratches and abrasions should be clearly visible on the furniture.
The general background solution for the living room is best done in pastel colors. In this way, you can subtly emphasize the romance of the setting and the beauty of the things filling it.
living room interior in vintage style
Bedroom interior in vintage style
The bedroom space accepts the most unusual ideas for implementing a vintage interior.
Traditionally, wall decoration should be light, but certainly warm. If wallpaper is used, then it can carry either a sophisticated and completely discreet pattern, or imitate bronze, gilding and reproduce areas of wear on the surface being finished. However, if you want the cosmetic decoration not to distract from the presence of antique furniture and unusual decorative accessories, then you can leave the walls in pure white. Since the main element of a vintage-style bedroom interior is the bed, it should be made from the appropriate angle. Forged beds with high openwork headboards or models with a canopy would be successful for such decor. To sew the latter, it is not necessary to use only heavy fabrics like velvet; it can be made from organza, lace, and tulle. Remember that heavy materials will bring pomp to the interior, and translucent options, on the contrary, will somewhat defuse the atmosphere, saturating it with notes of light romanticism.
bedroom furniture in vintage style
Kitchen interior in vintage style
Vintage style in the kitchen looks completely different.
Everything in this room should be rich and rich, so the walls, accessories, appliances, and the furniture itself can be colored here. Do not be surprised by the decoration of the walls with bright wallpaper with polka dots, stripes, flowers or checkered patterns, flashy curtains and tablecloths of cheerful colors. Appliances in appropriate design will help to highlight the colorful interior of a kitchen in vintage style. Naturally, it costs more than products in standard modern cases, but its streamlined shapes, rounded windows, unusual long handles and colorful finishes completely compensate for the price disadvantage.
furniture and accessories in the design of a vintage kitchen
Bedroom
When creating your bedroom interior, you can safely give free rein to your imagination. Vintage style in the interior will allow you to realize everything you have ever dreamed of. An antique wrought-iron bed with a massive headboard, a light lace canopy decorated with tassels, and a bulky metal chandelier would fit perfectly here.
With decorative elements in the shabby chic style, the room will look very harmonious and impressive. Shabby chic welcomes the abundant use of textiles in the interior.
Grandma's chest of drawers, dressing table or any other furniture that should have been thrown away long ago would fit perfectly into such a bedroom. If it does not differ in its presentation, then it can be painted or beautifully decorated with your own hands, for example, using the decoupage technique. Pillows of any color, decorated with ruffles or frills, will be a wonderful addition to a sofa or bed.
A huge wooden mirror in a carved frame, which can be found in special markets or online stores, will help create a feeling of antiquity.
A vintage style design needs numerous decorative embellishments. These can be porcelain dolls, paintings, crystal bottles, antique forged candlesticks and even a geographical map. You can also significantly transform walls and shelves with numerous photographs in stylized frames. Pay special attention to textiles: decorate your room with embroidered tablecloths, knitted napkins, make the bed with a beautiful cape or an old patchwork blanket.
On the windows of a vintage bedroom, curtains with oriental patterns, small patterns or flowers, Roman blinds, blinds or openwork curtains in the shabby chic style will look best.
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Photo gallery - vintage style in the interior:
Styles and colors
Vintage furniture should not dominate the interior. It only complements the decor of the room. There may be 1-3 items that do not stand out from the overall design.
This furniture fits perfectly into the Scandinavian style. It is characterized by lightness, airiness, and fullness of light. Chairs and armchairs with high legs 100% meet these requirements. Furniture from the last century makes Nordic design more comfortable. The main thing is that there is not a lot of it. A pair of textile armchairs or a modest-sized sofa with brown leather upholstery is quite enough. They will dilute the monotonous snow-white walls and bring home comfort.
Absolutely organically contains objects from the past loft style. Its raw brick and concrete walls and metal staircases go perfectly with old, shabby tables, chairs, and sofas that look like they were brought from a landfill. Loft-style interiors are chosen by creative people. They will certainly love the exclusive furnishings.
Vintage and hi-tech cannot be called an ideal combination. Antique furniture does not harmonize well with ultra-modern materials. Perhaps you can fit an old tube TV or a modest-looking bookcase with laconic shapes into the interior. In any case, there should be very few vintage items in a room decorated as high-tech.
Boho goes well with vintage furniture. This unique style, which creates the illusion of disorder, is perfect for creative individuals. Vintage for such an interior should be decorated with expensive textiles, since boho tends to be bohemian.
Features of modern furniture, its decor and color schemes
The fusion style, the main feature of which is the combination of incongruous things, can easily accommodate any number of vintage items. In such an interior, an antique wardrobe is very simply combined with modern household appliances, a high-tech armchair and Doric columns.
The palette of vintage furniture is based on natural colors. All natural shades of wood are in use. Upholstery textiles can be green, blue, brown, red. White and black colors are almost never used. The patterns on the fabric are very discreet, small, and do not catch the eye. For the most part, the upholstery is plain, without print.
Scandinavian style Loft
High tech
boho
Fusion
Hallway
A vintage-style hallway will force you to give up comfortable and spacious wardrobes. A wooden or forged hanger would be more appropriate here. These can be decorative details with carved decor or ornate forged decorations. Instead of a regular pantry or compartment, you can put a cabinet with glass inserts in the facades. But you should not choose doors with mirrors. They can be placed separately - in beautiful, characteristic frames.
In the hallway, like in any other room, there should be decor. Usually it is placed on open shelves where small things are stored - keys, combs, etc. Here you can put a beautiful figurine, lay out a crocheted napkin. Flowers in a pot would also be appropriate.
An important component of the hallway interior is lighting, because there are usually no windows here. In vintage style, a variety of sconces of the appropriate design will be harmonious.
