Emma Joyce
source: http://www.lonny.com
Both modern and vintage interior designs have their perks. They both have a certain charm that fills the home with joy and comfort. However, sometimes modern design can come off as cold and empty, while too many vintage details can make the home look tacky or too cluttered. Luckily, a perfect combination of these two designs can strike a balance and provide a timeless classic décor of your interior.
Start small
When you start mixing these two designs, don’t be pushy, rather start small. Otherwise, you will overwhelm your home with too many things and make it look tacky. For example, focus on the dinner table. If the overall design of the dining room is more or less modern, you can incorporate a big old dining table to provide contrast. Also, you can put up a vintage fruit bowl with an interesting design and keep fresh fruits and veggies there. Additionally, you can display a vintage vase with fresh flowers or some interesting copper plates, bowls or pitchers. As far as the rest of the home is concerned, you can incorporate a few items you found in your parents’ or grandparents’ old boxes and build the vintage design from there.
Lively living room
source: http://homecaprice.com
Modern living rooms can seem cold and that’s when vintage designs come in handy. Vintage furniture in the most classic shapes can perfectly complement the modern design. Set up a few bentwood chairs or little wear and tear on furniture pieces to provide depth. Also, you can refurbish some of the furniture and keep the design but replace the fabrics if it’s not your style or worn out. Additionally, you can keep the sleek lines of the modern design, but refresh the room with a classic vintage shelf filled with old books you love. What’s more, you can refresh the bare floors with a simple vintage rug of great quality. The materials are probably strong and the classic patterns and bright colors will breathe life in your living room.
Spruce up the kitchen
The kitchen should always be functional and durable. If it’s modern it looks clean, but some of the modern cookware pieces might not be as durable as vintage ones. That’s why you should consider sprucing up your kitchen with some cast iron or copper pans, pots and other cookware. While not in use, these pieces can greatly contribute to the combination of these two designs, since they are durable and ensure safe cooking for years. Other wood pieces get better with age so make sure to incorporate a few wood cutting boards which will contribute to décor and serve their purpose for a very long time.
Color contrasts
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You don’t have to be afraid of colors when combining these designs. The simplicity of modern design and its color pallets go hand in hand with bright colors and bold patterns of vintage style. So, if the overall design is contemporary, make sure to add a few color pops. This can be easily done through throw pillows, area rugs, lamps, vases and other smaller details. On the other hand, if vintage design prevails in your home, you can tone it down with some simple art, furniture with simple lines and colors such as white, light gray, beige and crème. However, you have to be careful when combining colors. You don’t want your home to be overwhelmed with various different colors and patterns, because it will look too tacky. Keep things simple and don’t use more than one or two different patterns or several different colors, because you might create a total visual mess.
DIY vintage projects
If you’re crafty and love DIY projects, then you should engage into some of them. If you cannot find the vintage pieces you desire in stores, or the budget is tight, you can easily use what you already have. For example, if you like the simple lines of your dresser but want it to be less dull and colorless then repaint it. Use some bright colors that will add a color pop in the room. Also, you can engage in decoupage and give the modern dresser some vintage floral patterns. The same can be done with any other furniture piece, such as sofas or armchairs. If their design is rather sleek and contemporary, you can easily refurbish them and give them a fresh new, but still a rather old look. Some other projects might involve repainting of your old vases, lamps, chairs and coffee tables and make them more modern or vintage with a fresh coat of paint or some patterns.
Don’t be afraid to mix these two designs. They can perfectly complement each other creating balance and harmony in your home. You can easily find anything you need in various antique or second-hand stores and transform your home for little money.
