Four Tips for Decorating Your Home with Vintage and Antique Finds

Vintage-inspired design is currently having a moment. We are seeing spaces that are dark and moody and filled with pattern-play, dark wood tones and one-of-a-kind pieces, just take a look at designs by Heidi Caillier and Amber Lewis.

It’s easy to see why so many are embracing this style, these spaces feel cozy, lived-in and inviting while evoking a strong sense of home.

While there are a number of design elements that make up this style, incorporating vintage and antique finds into your home is a guaranteed way to start creating this look in your own space. Whether it’s a beautiful piece of antique furniture or an original painting, these pieces can make our homes feel like collected and time-honoured spaces.

There is nothing I love more than spending an afternoon perusing antique shops and thrift stores hunting for those one-of-a-kind treasures to bring home. Over the years we’ve collected a number of antique, vintage and thrifted finds that we’ve used throughout our home and more recently our cottage. I love that these pieces are unique and help add personality and character to our home.

While this style of design has definitely become more popular over the past few years, I know there are still many who find it overwhelming or difficult to incorporate into their own homes. I’m going to break down the four tips I find most helpful when decorating our home with vintage and antique finds.

Four Tips for Decorating Your Home with Vintage and Antique Finds

1. Find the Balance

While vintage and antique pieces can bring character and history to your home, it’s important to find a balance with modern elements to avoid a dated or cluttered look. Mix vintage items with more modern furniture, decor, or colour palettes to create a beautiful juxtaposition. For instance, we paired four vintage ladderback chairs with a custom-built modern dining table. This combination allows the vintage pieces to stand out while maintaining a fresh and timeless aesthetic in your home.

2. Embrace Patina and Imperfections

One of the appeals of vintage and antique items is their history and signs of wear that come with them. Embrace the patina and imperfections in these pieces as they add character and uniqueness to your home. Scratches, dents, and faded finishes can tell a story and give your home a lived-in feel.

3. Give Items a Second Chance

Some antique items are so rare or valuable that they should be left untouched, yet frequently, we need to look beyond their appearance or purpose to envision their real potential.

For instance, Nick made a few adjustments to the height of the antique side table we used in the cottage living room so that it would better suit the space, and I removed an ornate gilded frame from this vintage painting so that it would look more at home in our living room. We’ve also stripped furniture of paint and stain to let the piece’s true beauty shine through.

It’s okay to adapt a piece to fit your specific needs but also infuse it with a contemporary twist, bridging the gap between the past and the present. These subtle alterations preserve the historical value of your finds while ensuring they feel cohesive with the rest of your home.

4. Pay Attention to History

When incorporating vintage and antique items into your decor, take the time to learn about their background and history. Ask the seller or research the item’s origins, designers, or manufacturers. Knowing the background of an item can add depth and meaning to your decor, as well as serve as a great conversation starter.

You should always consider displaying items that have a personal or sentimental connection to your family, as they can evoke cherished memories and add a unique, heartfelt touch to your home.

The Hunt

Another question we get a lot is in regard to how and where we find these pieces. It really does come down to the thrill of the hunt and we come across our finds in various places and through different methods.

1. Antique Shops: My favourite way to spend an afternoon is browsing local antique shops and flea markets, they are always treasure troves of unique pieces, from furniture to small trinkets.
2. Online Marketplaces: Websites like Etsy, Chairish and Facebook Marketplace offer an extensive selection of antique and vintage items. We used Facebook Marketplace to find a lot of the furniture we used in our cottage remodel.
3. Auctions and Estate Sales: Attend local auctions and estate sales, where you can often find high-quality antique and vintage pieces.
4. Thrift Stores: Don’t overlook your local thrift stores, we’ve come across some of our favourite treasures while shopping second-hand. I like to pop into our thrift stores about once a week because you never know what you’ll find.

We hope these tips encourage you to embrace this cozy and collected design style in your own home and help you track down your next one-of-a-kind treasure.