Vintage accents make rooms more inviting

Adding a few vintage accents to your interior design makes any room more inviting, said Cathy Whitlock, editor for LuxPop, an online magazine for RubyLux, a subsidiary of Ruby Lane home decor.

“The biggest thing on the Ruby Lane website is the kitchen,” she said. “Canisters, linens that are bordered or in gingham, Formica and vinyl dinette sets with the aluminum legs, anything aqua red or pink are very popular with our clients.”

Even modernists are leaning toward infusing a bit of the past into the trendy streamlined style that has been so prevalent.

“A lot depends on your style, but it’s pretty easy to bring vintage into your look,” Whitlock said. “Shabby chic was popular for two decades, and now we’re calling it cottage chic. That is any kind of chipped furniture and architectural furniture pieces. It’s a look that really doesn’t seem to go away.”

If the ’60s look makes you swoon, swept-back chairs and intricate lamps instantly give a room that swinging vibe without overwhelming the space.

“The ’60s are really popular right now at our higher-end site, RubyLux,” she said. “A lot of that midcentury modern style is popular right now.”

Vintage style is gaining ground due to its simple, cozy feel.

“Especially when people get older, they are looking into the past for inspiration,” Whitlock said. “Vintage provides a lot of comfort and warmth.”

Baby boomers are also looking to incorporate pieces they inherited from their parents and family members.

“It’s comforting and chic and popular again, and it really blends in well with any design,” she said. “It’s like clothing. What is big and trending now may not be big in five years. But if you hold onto it, it will come back in six or seven years.”

More consumers are purchasing small, individual items to use in rooms for which the items weren’t originally intended. A few vintage accessories typically used for the kitchen can be used to introduce soothing style to a boring bathroom. Apothecary jars can hold liquid soap, and glass pickling jars with ornate brand designs can beautifully display plain cotton balls.

“I see a lot of things sold on the side, like silver goblets, crystal, things normally used for dining,” Whitlock said. “They are using these in bathrooms and bedrooms, using silver trophies as vases, old tins used as desktop (containers) and kitchen canisters for the office organization.”

A surprise trend is the rather bland brown hue as a color choice for furniture and larger decor pieces.

“Brown was not popular for a long time, too boring,” Whitlock said. “It’s classic, though, and it’s a good canvas. I always tell people to buy what you love and what works for you, and you will be happy with it, no matter what.”

Many people are also realizing that buying vintage is equal to a solid investment.

“With vintage, there is quality in it and a good resell value,” she said. “It may cost more, but it will keep its value longer.”

People are drawn to using vintage pieces in present decor for many reasons, said Kym Fraser, owner and designer of A Beautiful Mess Home in Agoura Hills, California.

“I think that people have always been drawn to things of the past, because the past still holds a special place in the present,” she said. “The vintage (or) romantic aesthetic is no different, because it draws us in through its reminiscent qualities, but also allows us to blend modern textures with soft, romantic ones. Romantic (or) vintage style never grows tired as long as it isn’t overdone.”

Consider your tastes over trends when looking to add a vintage piece to your home.

“My belief is that, when you love something or it speaks to you, it’s a must have,” Fraser said. “Vintage pieces have a way of creating interest in the home, no matter what your style may be. They express your style effortlessly.”

The way it is juxtaposed in your home can improve its visual appeal.

“People have become so creative with how they choose to display vintage decor pieces, which helps transform the mundane into a more innovative, refreshing twist,” Fraser said. “Old urns used as bases for beautiful wood or glass top dining tables are always complementary accents. Even my youngest daughter utilized vintage French galvanized buckets to plant her herb garden in, which I absolutely adored as both a mom and designer.”

Artists are creating new pieces from old items that inspire the buyer, she said. Fraser buys items from artists around the country to sell in her shop and online.

“People are extremely drawn to unique pieces from France, such as book presses, confit pots, copper and brass accessories, as well as industrial lighting and furniture,” she said. “The European vellum books, in addition, are sought out by antique book collectors, along with customers who want to accessorize their homes with historical beauty.”

Vintage accessories provide a personal feel to any decor, said Jenny Kompolt, an artist and Designer for The Junk Girls, which is on Etsy and has a retail store in Cambria, California. She and her business partner, Melissa James, create the unexpected in the expected.

“Our customers include restaurants, interior designers, artists and homeowners,” she said.

Kompolt is known for her large art pieces, lighting, tables and found objects, while James complements that with her metal stamping and tabletop items.

“We work with what we find, sometimes creating a one-of-a-kind piece when we have a multiple of something,” Kompolt said. “We like to inspire others to think outside the box and find beauty in imperfection.”

The Junk Girls’ ladle boards combine old chipped painted wood from demolished midcentury homes with the useful kitchen item, making the mundane richly aesthetic.

“They hang on the wall in singles, in threes or more and are perfect for rings by the kitchen sink, keys, tea candles and air plants,” she said.

Quirky items tend to be much-sought after by homeowners. Combining bits and pieces that complement one another, such as air plants in musical instruments or an old Volkswagen bus door hung as a wall installation, bring fun and funk into a home’s decor.

“I created a piece of wall art using vintage rulers, and an air plant housed in an old tugboat vent,” Kompolt said. “I am known for my letterpress type tables and wall art. I use old forgotten letterpress type, keeping the colors, wear and patina of the ink, and create one-of-a-kind pieces for my clients.”

Installing a new piece that is seemingly in contrast with your usual home decor shouldn’t be a complicated process.

“We recommend starting with pieces you love, from an interesting found object to a lamp or artwork made out of repurposed antique and vintage materials,” Kompolt said. “Blending can be done tastefully and (with) great results when you are working with something you love and want to look at every day.”

Incorporate vintage collections and found objects into your home’s decor, rather than just stashing them away in a drawer.

“You collected those items because you liked them,” she said. “(Vintage) feels calming in this fast-paced world and all the technology. Vintage items have a story to tell, and that patina can’t be mass produced.”