Vintage decor: choose your side!
First of all, it is important to decide on the look you are going to adopt. Because vintage decoration is divided into different currents very different from each other.
The shabby chic interior gives pride of place to Gustavian style furniture and imposing pieces. We also gladly multiply old mirrors, or recycled parts: doors and windows.
The factory style is a variation of industrial decoration. In this type of decor, we favor professional furniture – especially if they bear some traces of their past use.
In the Mid-Century-inspired interior, on the other hand, we target designer pieces produced between the 1950s and 1970s.
It is important to determine which period will set the tone for the house in order to avoid hazardous mixtures: the objective is to create a vintage decor, but above all not kitsch! And some vintage looks combine better than others. Thus, we can introduce a factory touch in a shabby or Scandinavian interior, but we will avoid mixing the three!
Heather decoration: target your searches
By determining the style of your interior and the period from which it is inspired, you will be able to hunt for the most appropriate pieces. Favor the most iconic elements of the time, without forgetting to think practical!
The sideboard is an emblematic piece of the Mid Century style. It also offers ample storage space, which can be very useful in the living room. To enhance it, pair it with a beige sofa or a gray sofa with contemporary lines.
If you like to read or just chill, you may prefer to invest in a vintage design armchair, possibly accompanied by its footrest. The goal, remember, is to hunt down iconic pieces from the period that inspires you, but also functional items that fit into your interior and make your life more enjoyable!
Between new and mottled, we keep a sense of proportion!
If it is important to target the pieces that we hunt for, it is because the association between new and vintage also requires a good sense of proportion. We therefore make sure to choose a strong piece – which can be accessorized with wall decorations, ceramics, or textiles.
In this loft, the suspension recalls the style of the vintage table. The latter is enhanced by the choice of minimalist contemporary pieces.
Afraid of overdoing it by diverting an antique piece of furniture as a vanity unit? Let yourself be inspired by this bathroom which mixes Mid Century spirit and very contemporary atmosphere! The secret: a very refined minimalist faucet, which plays down this piece of furniture with a vintage look.
Color and materials, the secret to combining new and mottled
One of the easiest ways to combine new and vintage pieces is to collect vintage chairs and bring them together around a contemporary solid wood table. But once the assortment is composed, it’s the drama: nothing goes!
The trick is then to bet on color by revamping your chairs. Depending on your desires, you can opt for an assortment of pastel shades or, on the contrary, on vibrant shades. Unless you prefer a monochrome decor or a monochrome.
From the bistro chair to the linen closet, color proves to be very effective in associating mottled decor and contemporary pieces. Just give your wooden furniture a makeover in a trendy color so that they match perfectly with the new elements.
In this Haussmannian setting enhanced with very chic classic moldings, we opted for an ultra-contemporary table and rug, combined with vintage chairs. These iconic models from the 1920s have been revamped to match the color of the table and the ultra-contemporary rug.
The alternative to color is to play with materials. In this dining room, the vintage chairs from the 1920s go perfectly with the contemporary marble table. It is here the terrazzo floor that gives coherence to the decor. Because this material is both an icon of the 1920s and one of the leading materials of the moment.
Between new and mottled: dare to contrast!
Combining new and mottled does not in any way mean standardizing the decor, quite the contrary! Creating a contrast between vintage elements and a very contemporary spirit is a very nice way to give character to the decor.
Playing the card of contrast between second-hand items and new elements also makes it possible to give dynamism and lightness to the decor. Antique furniture is indeed frequently massive, like this mottled table. Chairs with an airy design and an ultra-contemporary light fixture create an interesting aesthetic, while visually lightening the decor.