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Some homes age gracefully, gaining charm with each passing year. Others resemble every other house on the street. There are ways to get the former if you own the latter option but want to have the first one.
To achieve a classic home, you do not need to buy and repair an old Victorian gem. As a matter of fact, if you’re ready to put your hands to work, you don’t even have to spend a ton of money. Instead, you can add diner-chic flair to your kitchen, adorn your garage with rustic custom-made signage like retro road signs and traffic signs, or turn your workspace or hobby areas into a nostalgic vacation that reflects your taste from top to bottom.
How to Incorporate Vintage Style into Your Home
Skip the personal and home equity loans for house renovation projects. Instead, here are some inexpensive ways to add vintage appeal to even the most mundane, cookie-cutter home. Some may resemble rural farmhouses, while others evoke magnificence from previous years, but they all discard modern styles to get that vintage look.
Door handles should be replaced.
The flimsy doorknobs of today appear to be almost as cheap as they are. However, replacing them with vintage glass or golden doorknobs is a simple do-it-yourself job. It’s an entry-level home improvement for beginners.
If you wish to have very ancient, genuine doorknobs, expect it to be difficult to find complete matching sets in antique stores. Or, for a fraction of the price of lunch, you can buy classic-looking but new ones online. After all, cyberspace is like a bottomless pit of everything.
Do inside trim for plain doors.
A doorknob made of glass can appear out of place on a thin, poor-quality door. Sure, you may upgrade the door, but this can become expensive immediately, and you may have difficulties getting older doors that match your current door frame.
However, if you’ve got a flat door, you may easily brighten it with several trims shaped into rectangles on the door itself.
You can make a statement by painting the trim a different shade than the door. You may keep it simple by applying a single glossy layer to everything.
The cabinet hardware needs to be replaced.
In the same way you can spice up monotonous doors, you may add vintage knobs to cabinets and drawers. Again, a bumpy cast iron aesthetic works nicely, as does bronze.
I once bought a property that had a half-bath with a sink in the shape of a seashell. I contemplated replacing it because it was old and out of place. Instead, I took a different approach and decided to go with a seashore theme in that bathroom.
The walls were painted sky blue to complement the sand-colored tiling. In addition, I hung beach-themed artwork on the walls. However, the metal knobs on the cabinet doors were the crowning touch.
Some people who went to the restroom didn’t notice, but those who did said it was adorable.
Install vintage kitchen and bathroom fixtures.
Clawfoot tubs have been popular among retro-chic households for many years, and it’s no wonder why. They provide a bit of retro style to any bathroom.
Similarly, a sink with polished nickel can be installed in your kitchen. Anyone who enjoys cooking (or simply does a lot of it) will appreciate the depth and width of a genuine farmhouse sink, which allows them to wash the dishes without them building up into an unmanageable mountain.
However, in a kitchen with usable worktops and cupboards already in place, modifying the layout of the sink is a major undertaking. It’s best done when you’re already removing the surrounding cabinets or when you can change the sink without replacing the cabinet’s fitting.
Take it all the way with retro appliances.
Traditional fridges with rounded corners and chrome handles are regaining popularity, but they aren’t cheap. You likely want the retro look without the old innards, which means getting one that merely appears to be made in 1952.
Matching stoves and washers that feature the same curved forms and dazzling chrome handles are also available. They are not inexpensive, but they provide a distinctive effect in any kitchen and are less expensive than full-scale remodeling.
Conclusion
You can choose and replicate the aesthetic that suits your personality and home, from country farmhouse to mid-century wealth. It doesn’t have to be extremely expensive. For example, a large, smokey mirror encircled by a gold-leaf frame, a bar station complete with frills, a ceiling mural, a chaise lounge, and pale brown walls can convert your lounge room into a Roaring ’20s entertainment center. You may also achieve a farmhouse look by using antique China plates, tapestries, Mason barrels, a rustic wood wall, and old wooden furniture. All you have to do is be creative.
