Vintage home decorations: How to upgrade your space with past trends

by Debbie Goldberg 01/01/2023

Regardless of your personal design style, there are plenty of ways to incorporate vintage home decorations. Trends repeat themselves over time in interior design, making certain elements – such as vintage accents – timeless.

Interested in adding some vintage flair to your indoor space? Here are some tips for decorating with vintage decor:

Keep it light with rattan

Rattan furniture and accessories are becoming more popular in interior design for the versatile, laid-back aesthetic they create. Vintage rattan chairs, accent tables, light fixtures and shelves are excellent ways to add a natural element to a space.

Because rattan is so durable, it makes for the perfect kind of vintage furniture to add to your space, regardless of its age and use.

Add luxury with velvet

Velvet is a surprisingly versatile material, and vintage velvet furnishings add instant luxury to any room. A velvet chair, stool or bench bought at an estate sale makes a great addition to a space no matter the design style.

If you can’t find any vintage furniture, you can try adding velvet into your design with more contemporary pieces and accessories.

Go for contrasting curves

A vast amount of modern decor uses clean lines and geometric shapes, so adding some vintage curves into a design can provide great contrast that pulls the room together. Much of the popular furniture from the 1960s and 1970s featured soft edges and more rounded shapes that work well alongside contemporary pieces with hard angles. Consider using accessories or wall art featuring curved shapes as a starting point.

These are just a few ways to bring vintage home decor into your space. Whether with furniture or smaller decorative accents, vintage items can work with a variety of design styles. Keep these tips in mind the next time you find yourself browsing an online antique store.

About the Author

Debbie Goldberg

I'm a full time Realtor with over 30 years of experience yet young enough to embrace today's ever-changing scope of marketing and technology. Having grown up in Connecticut and moved many times (too many to count!) I can empathize with today's buyers and sellers. Strictly maintaining ethical standards and being a fierce advocate on behalf of my clients are things I take very seriously. As a buyer, you can expect me to listen to and evaluate your real estate wants and needs. I can assist in explaining relevant forms, agreements, and closing procedures. I will guide you through the process of finding the right home, negotiating your offer, adhering to all contract dates and terms as well as final walk through and closing procedures. As a seller, I will listen to and evaluate your goals, needs, and timing in order to properly price your home to get the maximum exposure needed to attract the right buyers. In addition to negotiating on your behalf, I will make sure we communicate throughout the entire process as we navigate the contract terms, finance and inspection contingencies, as well as all closing procedures. I was born in Japan, grew up in Hamden and lived in New York, Ohio and Southern California before settling down in New Haven county to raise two kids, two dogs and a cat. I'm passionate about good food and love to bake. Some of my free time has been spent volunteering at Temple Beth Sholom, a synagogue where my family has been members for over 40 years. I also spend time at Tower One/Tower East, an assisted living center in New Haven where my mother-in-law now resides. 30 years of helping buyers and sellers achieve their goals has given me the peace of mind to know that what I do everyday matters. If you are thinking of buying or selling please keep me in mind.