How I Created My Perfect Vintage Home
I’m a firm believer that the home is the ultimate expression of style and creativity. Each piece of furniture, artwork, pillow and plate is an opportunity to infuse personality into your space while surrounding yourself with things that bring joy. As a life-long lover of old things and sustainable options I’m always looking for new-to-me and affordable ways to spruce up my home and create a unique, refreshing environment. For work, play, and life in general I’ve collected vintage and second hand items ranging from brass animal figurines to reclaimed rugs. Here are my top 5 tips for creating your perfect vintage home!
Pick your palette.
Vintage wine rack from a flea market; antique table from a friend – a perfect pairing.
When looking for wooden elements, I only shop for dark colors and stains because that matches the majority of our pieces and offsets our bright color palette well. While some of our more eclectic pieces (like our found wine crate bookshelf) deviate, we always make sure to live with those pieces and think about them critically to make sure the aesthetic makes sense.
It’s ok to mix and match styles of furniture, just make sure you know and understand what you have first! Bring elements of your pieces into decorative elements as well. I snagged a beautiful dark wood wine rack from a flea market for $20 and it blends perfectly with an antique table acquired from a friend.
Most importantly – only buy pieces you love and can’t live without. Most people have a certain style they’re intrinsically drawn to, even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. Trust your gut!
Buy glassware and Knick knacks from chain thrift stores.
PHOTO: styled glassware
Unique and eclectic, thrift store finds give you a fun and cheap way to experiment with decoration styles. Most glassware and decorative elements typically run between $1 and $15 (even cheaper if you play the discount color chart right).
The best part? If you don’t like it in 3 months, you won’t feel bad about getting rid of it. if you end up keeping it forever you get to brag about the fact that you snagged it for $3. Of course, you can find pre-curated selections of vintage glassware and knick knacks at high end resale shops, but throwing down $15-$30 a glass is a steep price to pay if you’re not sure what you’re looking for.
We got our bottle green goblet set (7 pieces) for about $2/glass. We don’t use them very frequently because they’re very heavy, but when it comes to serving up a fancy dessert they’re the perfect excuse for pageantry.
Over years of collecting, we found that bottle green is our go-to. So my mom (I learned from the best) sourced even more green glassware for our home – from bedside catch-all dishes to candy dish key bowls.
Pick an investment piece or two.
Not everything you own needs to break the bank, but adding in a few investment pieces can really make a huge difference. We splurged on a newly built custom credenza from Stor, a custom mid-mod style fabricator based in Brooklyn, and upcycled rug from Revival Rugs (hence our “no shoes” policy) to bring elegance to our living space. The best part about the rug is that it’s been cleaned, styled, and even dyed – so we could compliment our apartment in a very specific way. Where else would we have been able to find a perfectly faded yellow oriental rug?
Do your research.
Vintage mid-century modern gentleman’s dresser from Reclamation Brooklyn.
Chain thrift stores and many second hand stores don’t actively curate their selection, nor do they rehab the pieces in stock. Figure out what kind of buyer you are before jumping into things – are you looking for pieces you can fix up on your own, or do you want something that you can take home and plug into your setting immediately? Prepare to spend time before you make your buying trip visiting local shops on your hit-list so you can get a feel for what kind of products you’ll find, along with what kind of quality and hunting experience to expect. Estate sales, liquidation sales and stoop sales are other great resources to keep on your radar for quality goods you won’t find anywhere else.
I bought my gentleman’s dresser from Brooklyn Reclamation (RIP). It was certainly a departure from my typical style (and way over budget), but its unique structure, built-in mirror and modern handles have made it one of my favorite pieces. I knew that the shop was a bit on the pricey side but as soon as I saw that dresser, I knew it needed to be mine.
Our teal mid-century lamp makes a statement on the credenza.
This mid-century modern teal lamp is certainly a statement piece, and I knew that when I haggled for it (eventually securing it for only $25!) at a Brooklyn bar’s liquidation sale. When businesses are on their way out, they’re eager to get rid of everything – often at any price. Bring cash and practice driving a hard bargain – it’s worth it!
Consider a personal project and make it your own.
Antique brass elements bring warmth and elegance to the mantle scene.
Ask yourself if cleaning, sanding and re-staining furniture is something you want to spend time on. Lamps may need new shades, upholstery might be filthy and require specialty cleaning. Most people who shop second hand aren’t opposed to a project or two - but that doesn’t mean you should go out of your way to fix up pieces in bad shape.
I fell in love with an ornamental brass duck sculpture at an antique shop in Vermont, and though it was absolutely filthy, I knew I couldn’t leave without it. The brass finish has worn off in some places and it’s missing a seaweed filament, but after dusting and washing it, the charm shines through more than ever. It’s the perfect addition to our bedroom mantle.
Curating an environment with special, one-of-a-kind items ensures that dwelling space is vibrant, homey and completely unique. Discovering new things to add along the way means our apartment – decorated with vintage or new – is always changing and evolving… just like us!