Creating an eclectic interior: how to decorate with vintage furniture and found objects

So you've spotted this gem of a chair, but how are you going to use it in your interior? It may be unlike anything else you have in your house, so what does it go with, where do you put it? And what about that vintage sideboard… how do you mix different types of wood in your interior? Chatting to various people I found that many love going to antiques shops and markets, but don’t always know whether something will actually look good in their own homes. I personally just buy it if I really like it (price-depending of course!), as somehow I find that if you buy items you love, no matter how random – they will blend in. After all, it is you who has chosen them because they are your taste, which is that one great thing all those items have in common. 

From now on I will regularly post about how to decorate with vintage items and unique pieces of furniture, to show you how to create a stylish home that reflects your personality. I will collect pictures that will hopefully inspire and give you creative ideas. Here we go! Top image: e-architect.co.uk
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Vintage cupboards and displays
The images below are from the great blog sfgirlbybay by decorator Victoria Smith. See how she mixes different types of wood and styles of chairs and still create a very 'balanced' look. Grouping artworks (instead of hanging them apart) can create a great display on the wall.




Covering a wall with lots of framed photos is another way to get a real 'wow-factor' (as well as displaying lots and lots of great pictures!). I've done it in my house too and visitors always love it - it's a great talking point.

 


Place an antique cupboard on its own and display your favourite collection on it (cameras or... vases, teapots, books, glassware, anything...?).


 
Mixing and matching dining chairs

The picture below is from the blog Things We Heart. Some people prefer the 'catalog approach', buying a brand new dining table and six matching chairs. Why not pick a beautiful antique wooden table and place six different chairs around it? They can be all different in different colours, all the same but in different colours or all different, painted in the same colour. Be creative! It sure creates an original, more characterful look.




Another example of mixing different styles, from the blog The Brick House: a big vintage dining table combined with the popular mid-century Eames chairs. I also love the collection of vintage vases in the background. Very stylish!




Here orange metal chairs are mixed with painted wooden ones, all put around a nice vintage table. They belong to Judy Kauffmann, whose colourful home was featured on Design*Sponge.




I'd like to finish this first 'themed' post with some top advice from fellow blogger DebutanteClothing; 

Here are 5 Tips to Decorate with Vintage:

1. Buy what you love.
   
Your home should be pleasing to your eye. You have to live there. If you don't love your decor, you will not feel comfortable in your own home. If you love that moose head, use it!
2. Don't be afraid to mix wood tones.
   
The 1957 Better Homes and Gardens decorating book reminds us that wood is a color. This doesn't just apply to vintage, but vintage furniture that was meant to last was made of wood. Check for tones in the wood grain that may be complimentary to one another.
3. Be patient. Shop often.
   
My furniture did not come home with me in one weekend. That's one of the luxuries of buying new - you can get a catalog looking living room in one shopping trip.  But in order to achieve decor with character, you may have to be patient for the right piece to come along. Check your local thrift store, flea market, and even Ebay, often.
4. Mix it up.
   
True design comes from mixing unexpected elements, colors, and textures. With vintage furniture, you run the risk of looking like you live in a time warp - same goes for vintage clothing.  Don't be afraid to mix decades, vintage and modern, and shapes.  I tied the straight and rounded lines of my dining room together with a really inexpensive ceiling lamp at IKEA - it has a straight wooden base with rounded white plastic light shades - a perfect blend of both lines in the room.
5. Don't be afraid to re-purpose.
   
The goal of decorating with vintage is two fold - owning quality constructed pieces and creating a one of a kind look.  If you happen to find a fabulous dresser, but have no room or need for one, try re-purposing it as a storage credenza in the living room.  Or use a telephone stand as a holder for remote controls.  We re-purposed a wardrobe cabinet as a TV cabinet.  My husband just sawed out the inner drawers and we use the lower drawers for media storage. It would be a shame to leave a beautiful piece of furniture or accessory behind simply because you have no use for it  in it's current purpose - get creative.

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