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Decorating older or antique walls will breathe new life into a room. However, you could damage older walls while decorating if you don't take proper care. Over time, paint or plaster you apply over antique walls may peel or crack, causing damage that is more extensive to the vintage walls. Before you begin decorating, take the necessary step of fixing any cracks or holes in the plaster or drywall with joint compound. In addition, scrape peeling paint off the antique walls with a paint scraper.
Displaying prized antique furniture should be the focal point of your dining room. While a dinner room buffet was originally designed to be a workhorse in the dining room or kitchen for serving food, buffets are sought by antique buffs and designers for their versatility and design element. An antique dinner room buffet is also a great place to showcase some of your other antiques and vintage finds. Most antique dinner room buffets are large and can be up to 78 inches long; this offers a large area for displaying your very best décor.
The crafty home decorator knows that nothing outlives its usefulness. Most anything can be converted into a decorative piece of art or re-purposed to a function other than that intended by the original manufacturer. Antique grates are one of those items that have eternal life. Whether wooden or metal, grates should never be thrown away. Re-use them in the kitchen, the bedroom, living room and even outside in the garden.
An antique red velvet sofa is an eye-catching, original centerpiece for a bold room. Since a red velvet couch is so bold, design the rest of your room around the sofa instead of putting it in a room with other dramatic pieces. Too much color and texture can overpower a room, so think "minimal" when decorating with a red velvet sofa. Not all reds are the same, so keep an eye on your shade when choosing accents with your sofa.
Decorating your home with a vintage look means knowing what type of colors and materials to incorporate into the decor. Silver antiques are an example of items that make effective decor options for vintage-themed living environments. Consider specific items that are available to you that you can weave into your decor design. If you have, or can find, antique silverware, put them on display rather than hide them inside a drawer.
An antique fireplace mantel offers an nice backdrop for displaying a variety of antique items, ranging from photographs in antique frames to old vases. Theme ideas for decorating an antique mantel are just as varied, ranging from specifically themed periods in history to specific types of antiques. An antique mantel may be a focal point for anyone who enjoys making the past a point of interest in the present.
Whether you own a handful of antique shelves or an entire house full, you can use those accessories to display your most treasured items. Hanging your shelves properly and choosing the right items to display means you'll make the most of your valuable antiques while showing off your treasures.
Lace, chiffon, silk, roses and pearls. Antique weddings are timeless, elegant and bring the past to the present. Integrated elements of the past like laces, china and the rich feel of the past will give your wedding an antique theme that is not cheesy or overwrought.
A fireplace mantel provides a quick design centerpiece for the room in which it is located. A fireplace may have brick, wood, plaster or tile facing. If you'd like to add a homey, antique touch to your fireplace, use the mantel for displaying an antique collection. Collection items similar or identical in appearance give a sense of unity, while the antique look may add a classic touch to the room decor.
Bamboo provides an exotic element to any space, whether you are using it as the material for your flooring or decide to purchase a bed made out of bamboo. When decorating with an antique bamboo bed, there are a couple of different approaches to go about such a project. Each option allows you to explore another culture, as well as express your eclectic personality, while getting the most out of your beautiful and sturdy bed.
Antique keys, especially the large skeleton keys, can become interesting pieces of art if you're adventurous and crafty. Use your collection of antique keys as the inspiration for the decor or theme in a room, even if you aren't crafty. The shape, color and differences in the keys can serve as the focus of the room. Pick up the same shapes, colors or textures in other parts of the room for a complete look.
Anthropologie tapestries are stunning and beautiful, but they tend to be pricy. Save money and make your own Anthropologie-inspired tapestry at home. You can hang tapestries on the wall to embellish a room or use them as decorative rugs or to cover furniture.
Use antique ice skates to add to your winter holiday decor or as part of your antique or Victorian themed decor. The way you display the skates and the other items you use around the skates can work together to create a vintage display that takes you back to another time or adds to your winter decor.
Anthropologie is known for its inspiring approach to decorating, a one-of-a-kind synthesis of bohemian, homemade and vintage styles with a high-class twist. The company provides many options for home décor, but you can save substantially by recreating their looks on your own by shopping around and introducing a bit of creativity. You may even find that besides being less expensive, this method results in a room that looks professionally decorated with a much more personal touch.
If you have a collection of beloved vintage items you don't know what to do with, dust them off and put them to good use as home decor. Update any room in your home by stylishly incorporating antiques into the design. Get creative by repurposing vintage items to design fresh, customized home decor. When decorating with antiques, be sure to combine them with modern pieces to avoid turning your home into a museum.
How you decorate a bedroom dresser top can add to the interior design of the room or detract from it. It is too easy for this space to become a catchall for keys, change and other small clutter. Find a storage solution for these items, such as a vintage wood or custom mirrored box, and use it as the inspiration for the rest of your accessories. Whether your style is traditional, elegant, contemporary green design or romantic, choose decor to reflect your taste.
Candlesticks, or taper candle holders, were the norm in household lighting in the days before electricity. As such, a wide variety of classic, antique candlestick styles traditionally were used for a variety of decorative, practical and even ceremonial purposes. Some of the most common classic candlestick styles are those you probably know by sight if not by name.
Primitive decorating items have an old and slightly shabby look. Primitive pieces are often handmade by artisans working without a lot of money or sophisticated supplies. Even two pieces by the same artist in the same medium have a slightly different look. The pieces blend well with farmhouse antiques, as those older pieces show clear signs of being used. Decorating with such items creates a room that has a homey and comfortable feel, without looking aged or dated.
The easiest way to inject charm into a home is by decorating with an antique or vintage style. Repurpose vintage pieces into creative home décor for a one-of-kind look. Instead of storing your antiques and heirloom items in a closet or basement, use them to create vintage-inspired home decor. Use the style to update just a single room, such as a master bedroom or kitchen, or your entire home for a cohesive look.
The faceplate of a lock is a smooth piece of metal that covers the workings of the lock itself. Faceplates are most common in mortised door locks, but can be found in some other types, as well. A lock faceplace can be plain or decorative, and serves several purposes.
Antique white is a creamy or off-white color. Therefore, it coordinates well with many types of decorating styles. Antique white can make your furniture look vintage, inspire a relaxed, shabby chic style and brighten the look of a room. It is effective in decorating in the French Country, Victorian or casual styles. Whether the room you wish to decorate is a bedroom, den or kitchen area, antique white furnishings create a homey, comfortable ambiance in your home.
When decorating a room in vintage or country decor style, you can give old furniture new uses. Create artwork for your home using an inexpensive poster to decorate an antique ironing board. The artwork on the board's surface can be displayed while propped against a wall, or you can stand the ironing board on its legs and use the decorated surface as a buffet or sofa table.
An antique grocery scale has a number of decorative uses in your home. While the kitchen might be the first room you consider for hanging the scale, there are other areas of the home that are perfect for this conversation starter. The piece is not only decorative, but also useful for holding items in areas where shelving is limited.
Antique frames can be purchased at flea markets, estate sales and antique and thrift stores. Commonly constructed of wood, or, according to "Traditional Home" magazine, composition (plaster applied to wood), antique frames make for eclectic decorating accents. Leave frames "in the rough" or paint them to invigorate the frame's appearance. Frames can be hung on walls, propped against objects with or without glass or used to frame photos, art and mirrors. Display frames alone with or without glass. Antique frames are often works of art in themselves.
If you have an abundance of round antique tins that you are loath to toss out, you should use them for decorating. Vintage tins make excellent holders for plants, knick-knacks and even kitchen utensils. Spread these collector's items throughout your home decor, or if you have a smaller collection, place it in one central location. Show off a set of tins you have inherited from a relative or your latest flea market finds by incorporating them into your home decorating.
Shopping carts are such a routine part of our shopping experience, we seldom think about their history. Sylvan Goldman, who owned a chain of Piggly Wiggly grocery stores, reportedly created the original shopping cart in the 1930s, according to Design Boom. In 1947 came the innovation of the folding, nesting shopping cart that made shopping cart storage simpler for stores. Today, there is no need to relegate antique shopping carts to scrap heaps or junkyards. Decorate them for collectible or even functioning purposes.
The legs on a piece of furniture are similar to a name tag -- they provide information about the type of furniture you have and a guideline for dating the pieces. This is important if you're looking for a particular style of furniture for decorating, or if you want to assess the value of an antique piece. Once you've identified the leg style, you can look more closely at the feet to get even more accurate with your labeling and dating.
Decorating with antique boxes is a design technique that can set the mood in a room. The variety of antique boxes available is vast. Style options include country kitsch, elegant formal boxes, traditional boxes from different countries, or folk art painted boxes, to name a few. Use antique boxes for storage or simply to add details to the room's decor.
Antique sleds are beautiful; some have unique shapes or colors and others even have hand-painted imagery on them. Unfortunately, most of us just don't know what to do with these beautiful toys, except store them in the garage or attic. But with a little creativity and strategic placing, an old sled can make a great decorative or conversational piece for your home.
Antique clocks provide a room with interesting shapes and idiosyncrasies. Savvy decorators find these treasures at antique shows, auctions or flea markets and many of the clocks still work. All successful interior decorating relies on following the rules of interior design, which ensure that a display is interesting, symmetrical and balanced. However, in this case, the antique clocks replace traditional artwork as the primary focus of the display.
Antique punch bowls were used during holidays for traditional beverages, and at parties and various formal occasions. They were often large in size, bigger than dinner bowls, and since they were used to hold punch and other colorful beverages of choice, they were elaborately decorated if made from glass, and beautifully crafted. There are various types of antique punch bowls that fall into different collectible genres; from porcelain to cut glass. People sometimes use their antique punch bowls as a beautiful centerpiece for fruits, and as a decorative base for fresh cut flowers.
Do-it-yourself decorators have a talent for finding new purposes for old household objects. Old milk cans are a prime example. Their prominent size and unique shape can make them the focal point of an interior, lending a space rustic style. Integrate vintage milk cans throughout your home as decorative or functional pieces. Vintage milk cans work well in a variety of home decor styles, among them country, shabby chic, modern vintage, log cabin, ranch, western, colonial, farmhouse, folk art and primitive.
Many antique mirrors have decorative frames that surround the glass and can be used for wall art. Using mirrors for decorating on walls brings more light into a room when the mirror reflects the daylight. Mirrors will also create the illusion of a larger room in small spaces. Visit neighborhood garage sales and secondhand stores to find good buys on mirrors. Look for unusual frames or shapes to enhance any wall in your home.
Displaying antique potholders is characteristic of many decorating schemes, among them country, shabby chic, bohemian modern, retro '50s, primitive, Americana, French country, cottage and cabin. Incorporate vintage potholders and other linens into your rooms to give them a homespun, rustic look. You can use various types of racks, shelves, hooks and projects to make antique potholders an integral part of your interior decor.
Deciding on a style for your home can be tough. Often there are elements of many periods that may appeal to you. You may be drawn to the elegance in craftsman techniques while at the same time admire the sense of coziness that a Victorian style evokes. You may also have a mixture of pieces from different eras. If you have a Georgian sideboard and an Eames chair, you may wonder if they go together at all. With a few simple principles you can mix both modern and antique decor to help create a style that reflects exactly who you…
Antique clocks offer a variety of shapes, materials and styles for decorating your home. Whether it's the Victorian style you adore or the Art Deco lines and details you are most attracted to, antique clocks of any era have their own charm and nostalgia that attracts a viewer's eye and imagination. Appropriate for any room in the house, an antique clock can add timeless beauty in your home.
To give a room a distinctive look, consider decorating with antique wine openers. Wine is a distinctive feature of the French countryside, as well as Napa Valley California and the Tuscan countryside. Mixing antique wine openers into your décor can help to recreate the feel of wine country in the room. As an added bonus, antique wine openers are an easy-to-find and distinctive accent piece.
Decorating with antiques will lend a sophisticated touch to your home. Whether you add antiques to every room, or to just a small area such as a your bedroom or bathroom, the vintage items will enhance the space. Mix antiques with modern items to create a fresh look. If you can't find the original items, buy replicas of antique items, such as furniture and kitchen appliances.
Decorating with antique prints allows you to bring the past and the present together and can add interest to any room. Using either original antique prints or good reproductions, you can entice a visitor to look deeper into the room. Coordinating the print with your room decor is easier than you might think.
The combination of clean edged modern style with classic antique pieces of furniture creates a surprisingly homey yet contemporary decor. Combining two different styles of design can be hard to pull off, but these basic design principles will have your space looking reinvented and fashionable!
If you are an avid collector of antiques and collectible decorative items, you are in great luck. Your home is a place where you can showcase your collectible for you to enjoy as well share with your visitors.
