When it comes to interior design, particularly the design of a space that you spend a lot of your downtime in, like the living room, it can seem like the advice you’re getting is highly contradictory and coming from all directions at once. It can be hard to know how to get started and what trends you’re still going to love five years from now. The following will explore just one route you can take to transforming your living room—by focusing on vintage-inspired interior design.
Go Green
One of the major elements of vintage style that is often overlooked is the feelings we associate with it. There’s a reason people have been drawn to vintage styles—they recreate feelings from early on in our lives or feelings of eras passed where the world was simpler, safer, and easier to maneuver in. Almost always, part of the reason you want a vintage living room is that you want a cozy place where everyone feels welcome, and the pressures of modernity can be put away for an hour or a whole evening. Plants are one of the fastest routes to creating this feeling in a space. This is because plants clear the air of toxins, boosting our moods and lowering feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression in the process. Find some vintage plant pots and fill all the bright places you can with some fresh, green, lively energy.
Choose One Or Two Focal Points
In a vintage space, you’re going to want one or two pieces from the era you’re looking to recreate. This might be a retro sofa, an elegant french-floral rug, or a mid-century modern television stand. As it can be seen at https://www.allthedecor.com/chinese-antiques/, you can find unusual antique pieces online that can work as these focal points. Don’t be afraid to shop in new places, as this is where you’ll find the truly unique pieces that will act as the staple in the look of your living room.
Maximize Natural And Warm Lighting
Another thing that adds to the vintage feeling of space is natural glowing light. This might involve swapping out your lightbulbs for a warmer tone (yes, lightbulb shade trends have changed over time). Often, if you have gone through the whole room and added vintage flair to every corner, but it still feels modern, the shade of your lighting is to blame. While you’re at it, why not seek out energy-efficient bulbs and enjoy that lovely cut to your utility bill each month.
In addition to swapping the lightbulbs out, work with the natural window light you have in the space to add to the warm, glowy lighting. This might involve placing a mirror opposite the window to refract and multiply the light you have. A bonus of this tip is that natural lighting greatly improves your mood by providing vitamin d (which most people are deficient in). Quite often, natural lighting is what turns one room into a space where everyone wants to hang out, including the pets. Natural lighting can be the thing that makes your friends feel so welcome and cozy that they never want to leave.
Study Colour Trends
Each era has different colors that become popular. Take some time to browse older photographs or images online to get an idea of which vintage colors speak to you. You might have to bring in some samples to your local paint counter and have them mix up a particular color for you, as out-of-trend colors are often hard to track down when it comes to painting.
Think About Textures
Just like the in colors and lightbulb shades change over time, textures also go in and out of style. When browsing inspiration images, pay attention to the textures you see. Something like a thick, shaggy flow or a fuzzy carpet can really increase the vintage feeling of your space. It can also make your living room decadently comfortable.
Consider Wallpaper
While wallpaper hasn’t been the focal point of interior design for a little while, that doesn’t mean the industry isn’t thriving. Consider seeking out some retro wallpaper patterns. If having every wall covered with paper feels too overwhelming for you, consider wallpapering just one focal wall.
The above tips should help you cultivate a vintage feeling in your living room. Be prepared; vintage interior design often takes longer to organize and set up because you might find yourself wandering through thrift stores and odd marketplaces. You might spend way more time than normal scrolling through online boutiques and hunting down specific objects. This is completely okay and part of the process.