Vintage pieces and designs can offer a tasteful way to add character and flair to your beach home, setting it apart from others. Just a few vintage accents bring personality to your house, standing out against a more minimalist or modern backdrop without overwhelming your home. Opt for elegant, timeless, or unique pieces that won’t date your home or look out of place. Past eras may offer unique design inspiration, and you can incorporate these elements into your beach home without being too kitsch or dating your home.
Vintage Appliances
Retro or vintage-inspired appliances anchor your home’s vintage feel, and the kitchen is a perfect place to incorporate this style. Consider investing in vintage-inspired kitchen appliances, such as a retro-style range hood, stovetop, or refrigerator. In addition to providing practical functionality, the vintage design of these staple appliances can elevate the ambiance of the entire room. Vintage appliances offer a unique opportunity to bring in a beachy retro-inspired pop of color, perhaps a light blue or teal, without overwhelming your space.
If you aren’t ready to go “all in” with the vintage look, try a smaller vintage statement piece, such as a record player. These pieces draw the eye and contribute to an overall vintage-inspired feel while fitting in with contemporary design elements. Just one or two tastefully chosen vintage pieces can create a retro atmosphere without dating your home.
Details Matter
You don’t have to change your entire home to curate a beachy, vintage feel. An important part of decorating with vintage pieces is mixing contemporary, modern, and retro designs. Start with a few small vintage-inspired pieces of decor interspersed among modern and contemporary elements. Consider using vintage picture frames for your favorite art pieces or photos. Hang a retro-inspired statement mirror on the wall. Accent pieces such as throw pillows in a playful vintage pattern or coastal color add character to your home. They stand out against calm, light neutrals without overpowering your home. Curate your selection carefully and let these unique pieces stand out against a more minimalist background.
Let Art Speak
An older art piece makes an excellent focal point for a room. Choosing one or two vintage art pieces to add to a room can bring in the luxury style you’ve been looking for. Incorporate the coastal theme by adding a painting of your favorite beach or an antique map.
You can let the colors of a favorite vintage art piece guide your home’s design. Choose curtains in the same shade of blue as the ocean waves. Decorate with some throw pillows in the same green as the beach grass in a coastal painting.
Choose Vintage Lighting
Light fixtures do more than brighten your home. Keep your beach home light and airy with antique lighting choices. Vintage chandeliers make unique statement pieces, illuminating your room with both light and style without compromising on function. Choose unique lighting options for your walls as well, such as coastal-inspired wall sconces with unique glass designs. Mix vintage lighting and modern design with a retro floor lamp next to a contemporary reading chair.
The type of lightbulb used can also contribute to the period feel of a home. Consider choosing lightbulbs with a warm and cozy glow. Lightbulbs with a more yellow tone make great accent pieces while adding to the vintage atmosphere of your home.
Explore Vintage Fabrics
Fabrics are a great way to add character, texture, and color to a room. Vintage patterns, in particular, tend to be very unique and add a personal touch to your home. Choose patterns with complimentary retro coastal colors, such as light blues, greens, and teals. Retro color palettes with more modern design choices can still add to the vintage atmosphere.
Vintage textiles are another great way to add an elegant touch to your home. These textiles tend to have more muted or faded color schemes, which allows more freedom for mixing and matching without being gaudy.
Consider the Architecture
Look to your home’s architecture for inspiration. If you have an older home, use vintage pieces that complement the era your home was built or remodeled. If your home is modern, you can still look to it for inspiration. Seeking out vintage pieces that match the wood of your home or the undertones of your trim helps create a cohesive style while mixing and matching pieces from different eras.
Bring the Design Elements Outdoors
A key element of the coastal lifestyle is outdoor design and landscaping. Vintage accents outside bring character to your home when you’re enjoying the beautiful beachy landscape. Consider using vintage light fixtures to illuminate your outdoor space in the evening. Retro patio furniture is a great option, with a vintage iron umbrella as the finishing touch to your patio. Vintage accent pieces can be smaller, such as an outdoor retro bar cart or shelf.
Embrace the coastal lifestyle and create a vintage spa-like bathing space outdoors, complete with an antique-style tub and faucet. A private outdoor spa corner is the perfect touch for your vintage-inspired beach home’s exterior.
Contact CRT Studio
Vintage touches add character and help create a unique atmosphere for your home. Just a few vintage pieces here and there stand out amongst popular neutrals and more minimalist contemporary design elements. Take inspiration from your home’s architecture or choose design elements from different eras.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to create a beachy vintage atmosphere, contact Rob Turner of CRT Studio at (407) 440-4446 or rob@crtstudio.com.