You have felt that weird sensation, you know when you walk into a room and it simply feels right? This is what I am after in my talk of achieving the ideal classic bedroom where there is intimacy. But here is the thing, there exists a thin margin between the efforts to preserve the charm of the old vintage style and the creation of the looks of my grand-mother attic went bust in here. Believe me, I have crossed that line more than once without much ado 🙂
The trick does not lie in stuffing with all the discoveries of the flea market. It is the matter of using the correct vintage elements that do not yell “I tried too hard!”. I like to show you simply how to get it right, without making your bedroom look like an antique show.
Start with Your Color Foundation
Your colour palate is the make or break of the whole vibe. I learned the hard way after painting my bedroom walls a really bold emerald green that drove me totally crazy at home but would have been amazing in a store – for like $300 framing it etc.
Vintage bedrooms also suit calm natural colors and should not be distracting. Think creamy, dusty rose, sage green or even warm gray. These colors provides you with that warm base without overpowering your vintage works.
This is my formula: • Select a focal color to use on walls (usually neutral) • Select 1 or two other accent colors to be used on textiles and accessories • Allow natural wood tones to add warmth to the entire set-up
The other beauty of being neutral in the first place? There is no need to go overboard with your furniture and decorations as you can add a bit of personality to the room at any time.
Choose Your Hero Vintage Pieces Wisely
All great vintage bedrooms require what I dubbed as the hero pieces: pieces that instantly declares you as a devotee of vintage. Here is where people go wrong though; they believe that they should have all the vintage pieces.
Use 2-3 killer vintage items only. Maybe it is an antiques copper bed frame, weathered woods dresser, or a classic vanity table. These will be your room’s, well, focal points, so pick stuff you absolutely, absolutely adore, not what’s hot at the moment.
I also had the poor judgment to order at one time a vintage trunk, vintage mirror, vintage nightstands, AND a lamp. My bedroom was like an old-model showmanship–grand, but it was nothing in the way of sleeping in.
Quality Over Quantity Every Time
Vintage furniture is taken in more sensible condition than you might imagine when you are buying it. That perfect distressed finish has to be natural and not precisely pieces that are literally falling apart.
What to look for on older vintage furniture: • Well built, but with some slight wear on the surface • Original little hardware that still works • Natural wear, which gives your furniture character • Proportions as to fit in your room
Don t forget, the true vintage items have stories behind, you do not want stuff, that looks old!
Master the Art of Vintage Textiles
This is where the magic do, people. The real magic weapon in attaining a vintage non-committal charm is textiles. The fabrics can totally change the atmosphere of your bedroom, and so in case you change your mind, so what? Easy swap.
Mix different textures and patterns but keep it all uniform. Throw in a vintage quilt with some linen pillows and maybe one blanket throw chunky and I’m all set. The secret to it is different textures yet staying within your color scheme.
| Textile Type | Vintage Options |
|---|---|
| Bedding | Vintage quilts, linen sheets, cotton coverlets |
| Window Treatments | Lace curtains, linen drapes, vintage-inspired blinds |
Pro tip: To achieve this style you do not require real antique textiles. It works better with high-quality reproductions since they are made to fit into contemporary life (movers, let me joke and say hi to machine washable today!).
Lighting That Sets the Mood
Fury of overhead lighting sucks the life out of vintage feel quicker than anything else I can think of. The idea is to produce a warmer and golden toned light to give it a dreamy and welcoming aesthetic.
It has multilayers of lights: • Table lamps with warm LED bulbs • String lights as a general background illumination (but not too many, this is not a dorm room) • Candles to be cozy all the time • Daylight in daytime
I am sworn by retro Edison-like bulbs in plain fixtures. The light they provide is warm and honey-colored and everyone looks better under it. The only key is not to use a single brutal lighting spot, that is the domain of novice mistakes.
The Power of Strategic Accessories
Now this is where it becomes enjoyable but this is also where you can really screw things up. Vintage accessories aren t supposed to be collected. Each piece ought to be able to serve a purpose or narrate.
My fave vintage inspired accessories: • Old books placed on night tables • Old mirrors (which reflect so much light) • Small flowers in old pots • a couple of well selected vintage photos
The secret is to kill ruthlessly. That ceramic cat collection is maybe the cutest thing on earth, but it is unlikely that it is contributing to that warm bedroom atmosphere. Select those accessories that can add to the relaxing sense of calmness you desire in a bedroom.
Avoid These Common Vintage Bedroom Mistakes
Today, I want to talk about what NOT to do, (note: I’ve stumbled upon some frightening vintage bedroom fails that will make you cry)
Avoid these amateur mistakes: • Overcrowding the room with too many competing patterns •Hearting pieces of the furniture which do not fit on the space •Overlooking the storage aspect (the vintage look should not imply clutter) •Overlooking about comfort in the name of authenticity
What was your greatest mistake? Vintage thinking implies that everything must suit a certain period. The bedroom is the place where you should stay. Your bedroom should not resemble the image of playing dress-up in some stranger room.
Mix Old with New (And Nobody Will Notice)
That is one tip that the vintage purists will never reveal to you: vintage on its own is better mixed with something new. It does not give that museum impression and it makes it a place of lived-in and personal art.
Brand-new things that will play very well in retro bedrooms: • New mattresses and pillows (your back will be thankful) • New storage that is concealed in old-style furniture • New lightings whose aesthetics remind of the vintage era • New plants that are placed in containers with the vintage aesthetics
A secret is to select new items that are not competitive with your vintage ones. New technology and old-world charisma that is where it is at.
Creating Cozy Without the Clutter
Cohousing does not imply living under crowded conditions, and retro does not imply living in shoddy conditions. They are the most comfortable bedrooms that contain breathing space. You should not crowd your vintage with other items around, but just allow it to stand out.
Consider the movement of traffic as well. Are you able to navigate about your bed? Does your vintage dresser stand around in a place you can access? Aesthetics are not the only thing that counts.
Fast cozy tricks: • Throw a lot of soft textures with covers and cushions • Keep surfaces relatively free but with something special in mind • Ensure you have effective storage so that it does not kill the mood • Combine the lighting to create warm and welcoming nooks
The Bottom Line on Vintage Bedroom Style
Not about follow a rulebook on how to create a cozy vintage bedroom, it’s about putting together items that brings you feel good. Start with a neutral ground, pick out a couple of great quality vintage things you adore, than pour forth accessories and what not to amp up the cozy.
The finest antique bedrooms are casual, as though they developed organically not, that they were all set at one point. Therefore pace yourself, and select the pieces that you truly love, and, you know what, sometimes simply less is more.
FYI, your bedroom must be a place where you feel as sanctuary, and then vintage showpiece. Once you hit that sweet spot you will have achieved something quite special, which is a room that is stylish, as well as being actually restful. Sweet dreams! 🙂