How to create a vintage and modern living room decor?
Do you want to express the mutual influence of vintage and modern styles in your living room decor? Do you have retro decorative elements, but don't know how to arrange them?
Let yourself be guided by the advice of our interior design experts, who, inspired by your desires, have created this guide on how to decorate a vintage and modern living room.
Vintage style has always had its place in a modern style, and although combining the two styles requires a lot of skill, the result is always satisfying.
To create a living room that perfectly blends vintage and modern styles, start by arranging retro furniture, which you can find at flea markets or antique shops. Add a vintage rug to your floor. Decorate your walls with retro framed pictures or wall lamps. A leather sofa is also the ideal piece of furniture for this style mix.
Discover with us:
- How to create a vintage and modern living room that is elegant and unique?
- How to accessorize your vintage and modern living room?
When you have finished reading this valuable decorating guide, you will be full of inspiration, and you will be able to create a chic, modern and vintage living room decor.
Let's start, without further delay, to create a living room with a modern and retro feel.
1) Old but Gold!
The vintage style has transcended the ages and has become an icon of interior design since the 1920s.
Every element of vintage decor tells a story and immerses you in the heart of a bygone era.
The vintage style is capable of creating several atmospheres in your living room, from the most classic and simple to the most whimsical!
Vintage is timeless ; we love it for its wrinkles, classic hues, and retro look.
Iconic vintage style items include old landline phones, typewriters, record players , gramophones, multi-purpose tables, ceramic tableware, etc. These objects have so much charm when displayed in a living room, the central room of a house.
If you are a fan of the vintage style and want to bring its atmosphere to your living room, follow the advice of our interior design experts.
First, let yourself be transported by the refined colors of your decorative objects. For a successful vintage theme, opt for pastel colors on the furniture and linens , and allow yourself lemon yellow, anise and turquoise.
On your living room walls, let a classic wallpaper with a frieze print do the talking. You can be bolder by accentuating the vintage effect on your large walls, adorning them with old posters or authentic paintings that vividly depict a bygone era.
For a warm atmosphere that matches your vintage room, keep the wooden parquet flooring . It's a typical flooring choice for the vintage style.
2) The New Age: Adopt the vintage style while remaining modern
Although vintage style evokes obsolescence, combining it with modern style promises a subtle journey between eras.
For a living room that fits into a vintage and modern design, try to showcase your inherited furniture or pieces found in a flea market.
Pair your modern room with a rounded leather armchair placed against a white wall. On this wall, hang a very modern painting in scarlet colors that contrast with the nostalgic feel of the old furniture.
Add dimension to your living room by bringing in suspended light using antique floor lamps or imposing chandeliers.
Let yourself be inspired by vintage fabrics . So be creative by adding cushions of different shapes, colors and materials.
Raw materials such as wool, wicker, fur and leather are comforting and warm; feel free to use them in balanced proportions with your modern, elegant and minimalist decor.
What could be better than original and stylish furniture in a vintage, modern or retro contemporary living room for immersion in an atmosphere that is both traditional and current?
2) What furniture is suitable for a vintage and modern living room decor?
The key pieces of furniture in a vintage and modern living room are 70s sofas , sideboards, and silver cabinets that have stood the test of time.
Besides the unique and unusual furniture that we seek to install in the living room, it is possible to revamp an old retro piece of furniture to give it a second life, without making it lose its soul of yesteryear.
To meet this challenge, try painting your old piece of furniture in a modern shade for a perfect vintage-contemporary combo.
To immerse yourself in this classic-modern spirit, we offer some ideas to inspire you.
Repurpose your vintage furniture to create an unusual and original decorative piece. You can transform an old chest of drawers into a chic tallboy that will look great in a corner of your living room.
You can also revamp an old metal storage cupboard and give it a second life; it will be transformed into a modern bookcase that will only enhance your vintage and modern living room.
Transform your old ceramic or porcelain dishes into planters that will decorate your living room and bring freshness to it.
3) What accessories are needed for a vintage and modern living room decor?
A vintage and modern living room is a mix of styles and eras. When you're torn between these two iconic styles, don't overthink it and blend them together.
If you're unsure how to proceed, start by changing the accessories. Introduce retro accessories into your modern living room to enjoy the charming journey back in time that combining the two styles offers.
Let your imagination run wild and place small objects here and there to evoke the vintage style. You could put vinyl records on a shelf in your living room, or old letters and postcards.
Other antique objects will bring out the retro feel of your vintage and modern living room; a globe placed on a mantelpiece or on a table next to maps. Feel free to put a chessboard on your designer coffee table .
Dare to revive the trend of hanging animal heads on the wall to awaken the curiosity and wonder of your guests.
One final element will only enhance the charm of your vintage and modern living room: a retro mirror . This is undoubtedly the most suitable element for this combination, and for good reason: mirrors magnify space, add depth, and are very trendy. Choose a baroque model with an original shape and a brass frame; this type of accessory bridges the gap between contemporary and vintage styles.
4) What home linens are best suited for a vintage and modern living room?
For a retro and contemporary living room in perfect harmony, opt for home linens that brighten your room.
Try a mismatched look with sofa cushions in different colors and patterns; this slightly unstructured style is perfect for combining vintage and modern elements. You can also adopt this style in your dining room by using mismatched chairs in different shapes and colors—they add charm to the room.
Light, sheer curtains are perfect for adding a touch of delicacy to your decor. For French doors, opt for brightly colored curtains . Just try to coordinate them with the walls and furniture.
For added brightness, place a pastel-colored rug; pastel tones reveal the beauty of the furniture and create a harmonious contrast.
5) What style of decor for your vintage and modern living room?
Because vintage style rhymes with modernity, it is incorporated into all trends.
A) A rustic ambiance in your modern living room
Often confused with vintage, the rustic style is quite different; it is characterized by a country charm enhanced by massive and heavy furniture.
To prevent your living room from looking old-fashioned with its rustic decor, reinvent it to elevate it to the level of a modern decor.
Highlight the raw look of a brick wall or a ceiling with exposed beams, adding color with light fixtures and mirrors. Don't be afraid to also add brightly colored cushions or contemporary artwork.
And if you want more contrast between the rustic retro and the modern, push the envelope even further! Change the characteristic brown floor of the rustic style for a more trendy floor in lighter tones.
B) A modern Haussmannian living room
The Haussmann style is easily recognizable thanks to its large walls and high ceilings adorned with plaster moldings, its solid wood parquet flooring , its marble fireplaces, etc. All these iconic characteristics make this style increasingly attractive to owners and decorators.
Designers love to introduce touches of modern decor into a Haussmannian living room, because it is a style that accepts all kinds of boldness and lends itself easily to modernization.
If you live in a Haussmannian apartment, the vintage feel is very present; all that remains is to add color by putting a bright tint on the fireplace to create an incomparable atmosphere around the large hearth of your beautiful fireplace.
Create bridges between eras without crushing the soul of the place by installing airy storage furniture in your living room.
C) A Scandinavian living room revisited
Scandinavian style has become increasingly popular over the years. It's a style with its own set of standards in interior design, and it shares many similarities with minimalist style . A classic Scandinavian living room is decorated in light, pastel shades. Scandinavian design is clean and practical, and wood is a prominent material in the Scandinavian style.
Although it remains trendy, by imposing its standards, the Scandinavian style is transforming into a classic.
To accentuate its ultramodern feel, your Scandinavian living room can incorporate more sophisticated touches. Consider hanging a large canvas painting by a renowned artist on a plain wall in your living room; this will instantly give your decor a fresh and contemporary look.
Give your sofa a makeover with an ultra-trendy print , and if you don't want to change your lovely sofa, place trendy decorative accessories on its seat, such as cushions in warm tones.
Play your last card and adorn your furniture with golden objects.
D) An industrial revolution in your living room!
If you can't decide between your passion for industrial style and vintage, mix the two!
The industrial style in the home is very current and trendy. However, you can incorporate vintage details by acquiring antique decorative objects dating back to the Industrial Revolution . This way, you'll enjoy the retro charm of your decorative piece while creating an immersive industrial atmosphere.
An industrial living room is nothing without metallic details and masculine colors! Don't hesitate to use them when they are well marked by wear and age.
E) Chic & vintage
Vintage is nothing new, and making it chic is the new trend.
Achieving a chic vintage style doesn't require major renovations. Simply incorporate a few key pieces into your living room, and the magic happens! To successfully create a chic vintage living room, simply opt for vibrant colors alongside light shades to define an elegant style.
Combine duck blue with mustard yellow for a warm and bold style.
Keep your furniture chic, simple and clean so that your living room benefits from an aura of harmony and softness.
Now you know how to combine vintage style with modern style to create a chic, trendy living room with a retro touch that adds charm to the room.
From now on, you will take a different look at styles that transcend eras and, once installed in a modern setting, give soul to your interior.
In short, to have a vintage decor, but more modern, add touches of yesteryear with contemporary, bohemian, industrial or Scandinavian inspirations.
You can also complement the wall decor of your vintage and modern living room with canvas prints. We offer several collections of paintings in our online shop, so feel free to take a look!
To thank you for making it this far, enjoy a 15% discount on your order today with the promo code: BLOG15 .
See you soon.
The Lofty Trend Team.
