Adding Vintage Pieces to Your Home
Why Vintage is Necessary:
When you walk into a “big box” store, sure it has the newest and trendiest items, but what is has in newness, it lacks in human touch. It foregoes the worn-in look and feel of use and a life well lived. Manufacturers have tried to recreate this “worn” effect in clothing and furniture by intentionally distressing items. What vintage pieces add is the element of human history, that natural warmth of life through age and use. This is not something that can be manufactured or reproduced. The authenticity of age is an element only vintage and antiques can add, and something every home needs. As an added bonus, it’s more environmentally friendly than buying new, often better quality and materials, and sometimes less expensive. Plus your friends won’t be able to copy you!
In this article I am going to highlight what I think are the easiest and best vintage items to add to your home. The more often you shop for vintage, the better your eye becomes, and before you know it, you will have added the most important element to your home.
Andirons:
I love sculptural items in my home, and adding vintage andirons is a great way to incorporate a worn material while adding a statuesque element. Fireplaces were the heart of any older home, and there are andirons (or firedogs if you are searching online) that represent every likeness you can imagine, from musicians, to Napoleon, vintage ladies, corbels, animals, crests, to name a few. Note: don’t limit yourself to using vintage items as they were intended, but think of other creative ways you could display them. I have mine on a modern parsons table and I love viewing them in profile. They also work well as door stoppers or would be beautiful on a shelf.
Art:
I love collecting vintage art. It is so easy to find pieces that I now limit myself to ones that are already framed, as framing can add a huge cost to often inexpensive art. In Zurich, it is easy to find framed art featuring the small towns in the surrounding area, and I like to make a gallery wall of the towns we have visited, adding a personal element to the display. I think a gallery wall in a powder room is a great alternative to wallpaper! It’s fun to look at these pieces in a small setting and have time to study them!
Vintage Candleholders and Candelabras:
This is another item you can find easily at vintage shops and markets. I am a bit obsessed with vintage candleholders. You can use them A N Y W H E R E and they add instant interest to any shelf, bathroom, table, nightstand, kitchen, you name it. Just make sure they aren’t bent. I’ve made this mistake before. So here’s what I do: Try and place one on a flat surface and view it from multiple angles to insure it isn’t bent. You can’t go wrong with a vintage candle holder.
Coasters:
Also very easy to find vintage and easily incorporated into your lifestyle. I own many sets of vintage coasters from every material imaginable: silver, wood, porcelain, ceramic, etc. Sitting on a side table or coffee table, these add instant panache to your space and are also incredibly useful.
Wooden Objects and Baskets:
Foyer in France with a basket for keys and one for shoes and dog accessories as well.
Our apartment in Zurich is very modern and utilitarian. It lacks natural materials that add warmth to a home. I have tried to remedy that by bringing in the warmth of woods in the form of baskets, boxes and objects. Baskets are also readily available at most antique/ vintage stores; the key is to find the vintage ones. These usually have a more worn look, have wooden side supports, and lack the lustre of newer materials. (Be sure and check the bottom of the basket for signs of modern manufacturing.) Baskets are great for storage in any size. I use one on a hall table for keys and one on the floor for shoes. I also have some on shelves around our apartment because they are beautiful to look at and add warmth in their natural materials.
Vintage Mirrors:
I Love Vintage Mirrors. Mirrors are a great feature for any room as they add visual interest without adding the clutter of art, they reflect light sources, they visually expand a room, and they come in every size, style and colour. I’ve never grow tired of a beautiful vintage mirror and I can always find a place to use one.
We have this antique mirror in our windowless closet area in Zurich, and it works beautifully to enlarge the space, reflect the light and obviously allows us to make sure we haven’t dressed ridiculously!
Vases:
Another item I find in great supply and never tire of purchasing. Vases look beautiful on their own as well as with flowers. They come in every imaginable material, shape and size. They look equally great sitting on a stack of books, on a shelf or full of flowers. Some of the nicer ones are vintage, in my opinion….
Dishes:
Vintage dishes. I find so many gorgeous plates, bowls, teacups, glasses, at the brokies in Zurich. These are Ginori, probably from a former restaurant. I’ve found Limoges, Christofle, Rochere,and many other beautiful brands. I love how you can start a collection one day, and keep adding to it continuously, always finding a common colour or link between what you already own. It is so fun combining them all on the dining table.
Furniture:
These are some of many loved vintage and antique pieces I have added to my home over the years. I think it is helpful to see how you can incorporate vintage pieces into your home alongside newer pieces. I love having them in the mix and they are truly pieces that make a house a home.
If you don’t have many antique or vintage shops in your town, definitely seek them out when you are traveling. There are also some websites selling vintage that I would recommend. Happy Hunting!
