3 Easy Tips for Blending Modern and Vintage Decor

I have always had a special place in my heart for antiques. I love the history and the stories my antique pieces hold. And I personally think they make a house feel more cozy and warm. I know not everyone will agree with me - and let me stop and say - your home does not have to look like mine! What matters is that your home makes YOU happy! BUT, if you are a vintage and antique lover too, here are some tips for seamlessly blending old and new for an effortlessly styled home!

Balance

Personally, I feel that a house filled with all brand new stuff feels cold. Antiques and vintage items help to warm and space and make it feel more lived in. Now, if you like an all modern home with clean lines and minimalist style, that's great! As long as it makes you happy. But if you're looking to blend make it balanced.

If you're working with a substantial antique piece of furniture, style it with some more modern décor. Layering antiques on top of antique furniture just starts to look like a museum rather than a curated look. I topped my antique sewing cabinet with modern but warm woven baskets filled with plants. In a gallery wall, I make sure to combine modern abstract art or photographs with vintage paintings or prints. OR, I'll frame a vintage art print in a sleek modern gold frame for contrast.

I paired my antique work table in my office with this soft modern rug so the room doesn't feel stuffy. Play around until you get a balance that feels right.

Color

Did you inherit a fancy antique piece that just feels too stuffy or froufrou for your home? Paint it! Tim's great aunt passed down a beautiful armoire but it's warm wood tones just didn't go with our décor. We decided to paint it a beautiful blue gray and it works perfectly as storage in Jackson's playroom! It still has those beautiful lines of a fancy armoire, but it now also has a playful vibe and can serve both form and function in our home!

The sewing cabinet I mentioned previously didn't feel like my style until I painted it a flat black. Instantly it looked expensive and luxe with its antique brass pulls!

On the flip side, stripping the dark stain off of an antique piece might allow it to fit into your home more. Exposing the raw wood and then sealing it lends old world charm while not feeling like it came straight out of great grandma's house! If you're looking for simple tips on how to strip furniture, make sure you check out this post!

Let them Serve a Purpose

There's no better way to seamlessly blend antiques into a modern home than by actually using them! Although antiques can be delicate and valuable, most often they are made way better than anything on the market today! If it's safe enough to use it by today's standards, then use it! Serve drinks on that silver tray. Fill an antique vase with fresh flowers. Hang antique tools with a gallery wall.

If you display antiques on a shelf like a museum, then that's what your home will feel like. But if they actually serve a purpose it makes your home feel curated, lived in, and cozy.

Do you have any tricks to blend vintage and modern in your home? Leave a comment telling me how!

xoxo, L