9 Must-Have Vintage Items For Your Home

Vintage items are steeped in history, and can be used to decorate any room in the house. So, are you ready to add a retro touch to your decor?
9 Must-Have Vintage Items For Your Home

Last update: 24 February, 2020

People acquire vintage items in all kinds of different ways. Some people inherit them from a relative. Others choose to buy them at local markets or antique stores, or even salvage them from the trash and try to restore them.

Whatever the style of your decor, vintage furniture and accessories can be adapted to your space. They have a unique sense of character, unlike anything you can find in traditional decorating stores.

Today, we’ll be delving into the past to show you how to give 9 vintage items a new lease of life, and your home a new look.

Bringing the past into the present

Decorating with vintage items – closets

Vintage linen closet.

If you own an antique closet, you have a real gem on your hands. There are so many different ways you can use them in your home. You could use transform it into a handy linen closet (as in the photo above), use it for storing clothes, or even as a kitchen cupboard. Everything will depend on your individual needs.

Depending on the condition the closet is in, you may need to make some minor repairs or take steps to restore it. You could repaint it, decorate it with chalk paint, add drawers or organizers… Whatever you need!

Record players

Record player.

Some vintage items can be a pleasure simply to look at. While in the past, they might have had more practical uses, you can now use them as purely decorative items instead.

Record players are a great example. For the perfect look, simply display them on a classic 50’s style side table and place them in the corner of your living room.

Decorating with vintage items – office furniture

Storage cabinet.

Believe it or not, even some types of office furniture can make great decorative items for your home. With their characteristic shell-shaped handles, they’re beautiful and practical. They have plenty of storage space for all kinds of different objects and could make a great addition to your living room, dining room, bedroom, or even your kitchen.

Mirrors

Vintage items: mirrors.

Mirrors are a must-have item for any home, and vintage mirrors are guaranteed to turn heads. For several seasons now, gold-framed baroque-style mirrors have seduced even the most modern interior decorating fans, gracing the walls of some of the most internet’s most instagrammable houses around the world.

Whether you choose free standing mirrors for your dresser or floor-length mirrors, they’re perfect for creating a charming and stylish look.

Decorating with vintage items – writing desks

Antique writing desk.

If there’s one vintage item we can’t help but fall in love with, it’s old writing desks. Can you imagine what stories are contained within those drawers?

Writing desks will inevitably become the star of any room, so be sure to decorate them with old books or mirrors to complete the look.

Dressers

Vintage items: restored dresser.

Who said that dressers were only meant for bedrooms? This antique cabinet looks fantastic in the kitchen, serving as a mini breakfast bar. To give it a more modern feel, the designer has chosen to paint it a bright, vibrant blue. The space above has also been lined with shelves to provide additional storage space.

You can usually find vintage dressers pretty easily in second-hand furniture stores and markets. They can look great in almost any space, whether you use them to fill an empty wall at the back of the room, or as the star feature in your bedroom. We can guarantee they’ll soon become your favorite vintage items.

Decorating with vintage items – sewing machines

Repurposed sewing machine.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know how to sew. These beautifully detailed sewing machines would look fantastic in your entrance hall. Alternatively, you could take inspiration from the photo above, and simply use the original stand as a support for your bathroom sink.

Vintage tables

Antique wooden dining table.

However old it might be, vintage wooden furniture is highly sought after by collectors and antique fanatics. Age is all part of the charm. Antique tables can make the perfect family dining tables, or even serve as a desk in your study.

Decorating with vintage items – suitcases

Vintage trunk.

You can use almost anything to decorate your home. All you need is a little creativity. For example, antique trunks are perfect for storing old books. Alternatively, you could simply stack them on the floor, use them as a bedside table, or even for growing your favorite houseplants.

We love everything about these vintage items, right down to the last detail. Charming and stylish, they’re guaranteed to breathe new life into your home.