Adding Vintage Items to Your Apartment
If you have an A-line skirt or pair of leggings in your wardrobe, you’re totally guilty of leaning into the vintage trend. That’s not a bad thing. Going vintage not only ensures that your OOTD Instas are always on-point, but also helps you move toward sustainable living, since you’re probably shopping mostly secondhand. If you’ve already embraced retro pieces in your wardrobe, maybe it’s time to take the trend to your living room. And kitchen. And guest room. Here are a few ways you can incorporate more vintage items into your apartment, or even just transform existing pieces into retro accents.
- DIY hard. If you’re a closeted Pinterest junkie, it’s time to just embrace your DIY side. Everything new can be made old again when you know how to browse crafting ideas online. For instance, you can transform contemporary, clear mason jars into cute retro jars with just some food coloring, Mod Podge, and your oven. Here’s the proof.
- Distress furniture. Another Pinterest-sourced project idea: distressing furniture. Instead of sprucing up a wooden dresser or coffee table, dress it down by distressing it. The process is pretty simple if you have an afternoon to spare. Here’s a quick breakdown of how to distress a wooden hutch. You can apply the process to any wooden piece you find at a flea market or secondhand shop.
- Put a dresser in the living room. Part of creating a vintage vibe is doing the unexpected in your design. That means incorporating pieces of furniture that at first glance might seem kind of out of place, such as a dresser in the living room. But when you think about it, where better to stow throw pillows and remotes than a dresser right next to the couch? Plus, you can paint it in your favorite pastel and distress it, then add a vignette on top with even more vintage touches.
- Add an oriental rug. A perfectly worn oriental rug brings the old school vibes without a lot of work. Your first stop in shopping for an oriental rug should probably be an antique shop or secondhand store in your neighborhood, but if you strike out there, take to the internets for your search. From eBay to Craigslist, you have a slew of options to assist you in your bargain hunt. Sometimes just putting out your feelers on Facebook with a blanket plea for help from friends reaps the best results.
- Repurpose pitchers and vases. Another simple (and cheaper) way to add some vintage charm to your apartment? Scour thrift stores for cute, weathered-looking pitchers and vases. Bring home a colorful hodgepodge and put them to work in various rooms. One pitcher can hold a bouquet of fresh blooms in the living room, while a retro vase keeps your serving spoons and spatulas in line in the kitchen.
- Lace + floral prints are your friends. Every good vintage wardrobe includes big, bold floral prints and pretty, delicate lace. So should your apartment’s decor. Try sewing your own cases for living room throw pillows using a splashy, flower-y fabric, or fashion a new set of curtains with upcycled lace from the thrift store.
How To Add a Vintage Look To Your Apartment [ULoop]
How To Decorate With Vintage Accents [HomedIt]
The Modern Mix: 10 Ways to Work Vintage Pieces Into Modern Interiors [Apartment Therapy]