Mixing New with Vintage - A Guide to giving your home soul
One of the fastest routes to a boring room is sticking to a single style or period. The most livable and inspiring rooms combine old and new pieces in a variety of styles to give them an effortless sense of having been assembled over time.
An easy way to mix old and new is to consider a room’s architecture. If you live in a 1930s house, you can incorporate some period pieces, and then add contemporary lighting, rugs, or accessories to bring the rooms into the 21st century. If you live in a brand new high-rise apartment, choose a Persian rug, an antique mirror, or a vintage chandelier to create a sense of history and warmth.
If, like many people, you live in a cookie-cutter space, mixing vintage and contemporary pieces will give your home personality and dimension. Stick to a neutral color scheme and your flea market finds will blend right in, creating texture and subtle contrasts.
Mixing new with vintage pieces and thrift finds give a lot of life and personality to a home. But finding ways to mix older finds with new purchases can be a hassle. Use these tips to blend the old with the new and create a fresh look in your home.
1. Find a happy balance of new and old
Everyone has different taste and every space is different, making finding a balance between vintage and new a necessary decision. New items will be easier to find on short notice while finding vintage pieces often takes much more time, especially if there’s something specific you’re looking for.
2. Display items in a collection
One of the biggest issues with vintage or thrifted decor is that it often looks discombobulated. Incorporating pieces that are part of a larger collection, like a group of plates or mirrors, will tie a room together.
3. Repurpose and revamp
When buying something for your home, whether it’s new or old, think about how it will work in your home. Many vintage items can be used in innovative ways that work in your space. Whether it’s turning a thermos into a vase or an old battery rack into a coffee station, make vintage pieces look new by using them in fresh ways.
4. Mix it up
