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7 vintage decor ideas you’ll wish you’d seen sooner

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So you’re looking for some amazing vintage decor inspiration for your next project. When you’re smitten with the vintage look, you’ll have plenty of options to work with. But it can be overwhelming to decide which pieces you really want to focus on. If you fall into this category — No worries! We’ve got the top 7 great decor ideas you’ll surely wish you’d seen sooner!

To get started, give some thought to your walls. You may have plenty of artwork and family portraits up, but what about other pieces? In some rooms, the charm of a great vintage mirror is guaranteed to turn heads.

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Vintage, rustic mirrors

For an understated piece with gorgeous vintage appeal, take a peek at this Round Window Mirror in distressed soft blue. As its hinges and center latch give the illusion of peering out the window, this unique piece has measurements of 27-3/4-inch D by 3/4-inch D. With its slightly nautical feel, this mirror could easily find itself in a bathroom or bedroom surrounded by seashells or other rustic beach decor. Get yours at Piper Classics for $172.00, where it ships throughout the continental United States in approximately 3-5 days.

Vintage, handmade rugs

When you want to cover the floor with something unique, consider a vintage rug over a new one. For one thing, according to Chairish, vintage rugs are far more likely to be handmade versus today’s machine-made varieties are. This means the fabrics are usually more interesting to look at, give more character to the space, and eliminate the need for a “breaking in” period.

Interested in taking a vintage rug home today? Vibrant colors all around make this eye-popper stand out in any room. Whether your space is under the dining table, in the center of the living room, or elsewhere, this rug made by the hand spun wool Anatolian tribes of 1960 won’t disappoint. High quality and thick. Get it at Chairish for $2,250.00. Comes with a Chairish Buyer Guarantee and their customer support team works 7 days a week.

Shabby-chic barn door headboards

These make for an excellent conversation starter during any first tour of a home. For the thrifty, crafting your own rustic barn door headboard might work out well, but barn doors can be heavy and awkward to transport, making online or in-person shopping ideal.

Wayfair has a lovely option in their Three Posts Minster Queen Panel Headboard, with measurements of 48-inches H by 65.7-inches W by 2.75-inches D.  The overall weight is 60 pounds and light assembly is required upon delivery. This door is made in the USA and costs $186.00.

Traditional country chandelier

Before you refuse this idea as too ornate for your tastes, make sure to look through the many varieties available and consider the history of the chandelier. Created to replace the once-popular candelabras, chandeliers lit households widely until the 1700’s. From there forward, we’ve enjoyed gas and electricity instead of the early candles the fixtures once held.

Reminisce on the bygone era of the enchanting chandelier when you hang this French Farmhouse Follie Chandelier over your dining table, in your living room or bedroom, or welcoming guests in your entryway. This iron chandelier features 8 light fixtures and a 62-inch chain. Dimensions are 40-inches by 40-inches by 29.5-inches H. Get yours at The Antique Farmhouse for $540.00.

Showy old-fashioned homemade quilts

A post-Civil War tradition in America, the patchwork quilt made of recycled pieces of fabric has been celebrated and sold at countless venues — first for needed warmth over very cold winters, and later as a colorful and charming element of home decor.

Throw them on the bed or hang them up for display in any size, shape, and color variation you can imagine. Get this Vintage Hand-Pieced Quilt in green and pink traditional patchwork from Etsy’s GiftsFromMomsAttic shop. Made of 100% cotton with polyester backing, available in twin size (86-inches long by 68-inches wide) for $220.00. Get it here.

Vintage milk cans

Create your own nostalgic scene, a table for playing checkers, or a flower container with a set (or just one!) of vintage milk jugs. Get some at Laurel Leaf Farms  . At 6-inches diameter and 11-inches tall, each of Laurel Leaf Farms’ milk cans have lids with handles. Believed to be vintage from around the 1950’s, these are beautiful to hold flowers or simply add as decor for your kitchen, porch, etc. Get it here for $45.00 each.

Want something bigger? Get a metal Farmhouse Milk Can Table from Antique Farmhouse for $112.00, with dimensions of: 20-inches by 20-inches by 23-inches H.

Show off some antique dishes i.e. transferware

If you’ve got any antique dishes to serve holiday meals on, or anything even more special that’s only on display, consider broadening your collection to include  transferware. Choose from colors to find your favorite kind (ours is pink) and then you can begin to gather from pieces you find at various shops, rummage sales, and wherever else. It’s fun and can be addicting so be forewarned!

Note: Check your pieces over carefully and look for anything inscribed on or marked on the bottom. You may find a maker’s mark or pattern name. This may not increase the piece’s value (although it also can), but it always makes if more interesting and exciting to search for transferware when you find these.  Get your first mismatched set of tea cup trio plates, a delicate and beautiful English rose vintage China, for just $32.00.

Now that you’ve got a few pieces to start from, your vintage shopping trip should have a little more direction. Do you think you’ll find something nearby in an antique shop or rummage sale, or do you prefer online shopping like we do? Be sure to take a look at more of our articles on the subject anytime you need a little shopping inspiration — or keep an eye out for expert guides like this one from One Kings Lane. With a little determination and a few free weekends, you should be on your way to finding all the vintage decor pieces you could ever need!

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