Do you love going antiquing or do you love antique home décor? Incorporating vintage elements into your apartment can transport you to a bygone era, infusing your living space with timeless charm and character. Whether you’re a passionate collector or you’re just drawn to the elegance of the past, you can easily incorporate antique items throughout your apartment if you know what to look for. Keep on reading to learn more about how to create the prefect antique aesthetic.
Learn What You Like
Before embarking on your antique adventure, spend some time researching different historical periods and design styles. This will help you define your preferences and guide your choices. Explore the elegance of Victorian-era interiors, the simplicity of mid-century modern design, or the rustic beauty of farmhouse aesthetics. Draw inspiration from vintage magazines, books, and online resources to develop a clear vision of the antique aesthetic you wish to achieve.
Go Antiquing
Head to your favorite local antique stores and pick up anything you are attracted to. You won’t buy it all — you’ll just add it to your cart to help you get a sense of what your style might be. Once you have collected a ton of stuff in your cart, go through it and determine if the items you chose go together and have the same color scheme. If you notice that the items are all over the place, then maybe it’s time to find your antique color palette.
Find Your Antique Color Palette
To find your antique color palette, think about the colors you gravitate more toward. If you gravitate toward colors that don’t match, pick one color that stands out to you. Once you pick a color, find colors that go with it. For example, if you pick blue, you can add antiques to your home that are different shades of blues, purples, and pinks. But you should avoid colors like neon green to prevent clashing (unless that’s what you like).
Mix the Old and New
While the antique aesthetic is your primary focus, it's important to strike a balance by integrating some modern elements. Mixing old and new pieces adds visual interest and prevents your apartment from feeling like a museum. Pair a vintage sofa with contemporary throw pillows, or display antique dinnerware on a sleek, minimalist shelf. This juxtaposition creates a harmonious blend that enhances the overall aesthetic and makes your antique pieces stand out.
Add Touches of Reclaimed Wood
Another great way to achieve the perfect antique aesthetic throughout your apartment is by incorporating touches of reclaimed wood. To do this, buy an antique wood headboard for your bed and throw a strand of lights on top of it to give your bed a cozy feel. Salvage old window frames from old homes or find them at antique stores and use them as wall décor by either hanging a floral wreath in the middle of the frame or replace the glass with mirrors so the window can become a functional décor piece. You could even replace the glass with a corkboard where you can hang photos of your friends and family.
Collect Antique Pieces of Art
As you shop for antique décor pieces, be on the lookout for all kinds of art to fill your home with. This art doesn’t have to fit your color palette, but it can! To create the prefect antique aesthetic, choose a wall in your apartment and make that your statement wall where you can hang all your art. If you like the look of the antique gold frames you see throughout antique stores, you could have a wall of empty gold frames as your statement wall. Either way, having a statement wall is essential to create the perfect antique aesthetic in your home.
Add Antique Cabinet Hardware
If you’re looking for a renter-friendly way to add antique décor to your home, consider changing your modern hardware on your cabinets to antique hardware. Most antique stores usually have big bins of old hardware they have collected from old homes. If you find a bin, dig through and pick some up. They could even be mismatched, just make sure each piece of hardware fits your color palette. When you remove the modern hardware on your apartment cabinets, put them in a safe place so when you move you can put them back on and take your antique hardware to your next home.
Include Antique Floral Decor Pillows
Buying antique décor pillows sounds scary, but you’re not actually buying old pillows from the 1950s. Instead, you can buy antique patterns that are covers for décor pillows. This way you can have antique-looking pillows that are brand new but still help you achieve the aesthetic of your dreams.
Showcase Your Decor
Pay attention to lighting and accessories to complete your antique aesthetic. Utilize vintage-inspired lighting fixtures, such as chandeliers, sconces, or table lamps with ornate bases and fabric lampshades. Incorporate antique mirrors, vintage clocks, and aged books to add character to your space.
Group similar items together in display cabinets or on shelves to create visually appealing vignettes of vintage glassware or antique porcelain figurines to help make them stand out.
Add Family Polaroid Pictures
Finally, the perfect way to add more pictures of your family and friends to your home while achieving that perfect antique aesthetic is by buying a polaroid camera and capturing memories that way instead of on your smartphone. When you capture an image on a polaroid camera, it is instantly printed out for you to hang anywhere. This is a great affordable way to decorate your home with memories without compromising your antique aesthetic.
Hopefully with these décor tips, you’ll be able to create a living space that exudes timeless charm and captivates everyone who visits your apartment. Embrace the elegance of the past to create the antique aesthetic of your dreams!
