A classic trend is back in style again, one that even sleek modern lovers and contemporary fans both adore. Vintage style is full of charm, grace, and classic touches.
Retro design and style has a special and unique dreamy, ethereal, and charming feel. The romantic nuances in vintage elegance are not lost. With its ornamental details and clever appeal, vintage flair has another major selling point: its durability. This classic, gilded-age style trend revels in durable fabrics and materials like wood, cotton, velvet, silk, brass, and even silver and gold. For that alone, real vintage furniture or inspired designs will last lifetimes.
What does vintage style really mean by definition? Truth be told, vintage style is a generic and broad term that can span decades and a plethora of individual trends from across the globe. While that can seem a bit overwhelming, there’s actually lots of freedom and variety there, which is perfect for any homeowner who enjoys various trends, color palettes, and trends for their space. As a starting point, an item such as decor or furniture can be between 20 and 100 years old to be considered vintage. The item should also easily and quickly reflect the design period it represents, such as 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s decor trends, for example.
Vintage flair and decor is already popular with homeowners across the board. With Mid Century Modern furniture and designs seeing a resurgence, other styles and eras of days gone by are also gaining momentum. With retro-style appliances and living room furnishings dotting homes across the country, why not incorporate this design style into your bedroom? With sound systems, end tables, mirrors, and even kitchen gadgets like radios and blenders adding more vintage flair, the bedroom is an excellent sanctuary to decorate in this aesthetic trend.
Check out our tips and tricks below on how to add dreamy retro charm to your bedroom right now.
How to Mix-In Vintage Style to Your Bedroom
First things first, there’s quite a bit of actual vintage treasures and vintage-inspired goods on the market . But, don’t get discouraged. How can you start incorporating retro trends and styles into your bedroom while keeping it relaxing and totally-you? Research past trends from decades you admire and gravitate to, and from there, pick classic and popular colors of your decade of choice for optimum pomp and flair.
With trends and color palettes in mind, choose a few neutral hues that can add to your overall sense of design. Neutral vintage items also add a spark to any space, particularly the bedroom. From there, dive deeper into famous accessory trends, fabrics, and even, pop culture phenomenons like music, art, records, and films that were the height of any decade you desire.
As for how many vintage modes you add to your bedroom, the choice is up to you. High or low, changing a bed frame, adding wall art, a record player, and even mirrors from decades past, dramatically transforms a space. Whether you want a little or a collection of vintage touches in your bedroom, peruse these options below to get the perfectly retro style full appeal and allure in an equally relaxing and restful bedroom.
1. Play with patterns.
Florals and ornamental design are strong tenants in vintage motifs. Wallpaper is an easy option for an instant retro upgrade, and it doesn’t have to cover the entire bedroom. An accent wall adds glamour without the heavy lifting of a complete renovation.
If wallpaper seems like a large undertaking, patterns can also be easily incorporated with accessories such as trays, pillows, rugs, and event upholstered accent chairs.
2. Splash in vintage colors.
Depending on your decade or style in mind, color can vary across eras. Neutrals are timeless and full of charm, but depending on your vintage preference, color is impactful, splashy, and an instant mood relaxer. From butter yellows and deep mints to vivacious reds and charming pastels, there’s a bevy of color options to peruse.
Color doesn’t have to control your room in a maximalist sense, either. For color shy homeowners, keep your bedroom walls and bed furnishings neutral but add in vintage color trends with wall art, candles, nightstands and accessories, books, rugs, throws, and even plant accessories like pottery and stands.
3. Weave in contrasting textures.
It’s easy to get stuck in one specific style trend or era, so create a sense of individuality with texture and fabric. For example, if Mid Century Modern is your bag, you might be adding in lots of sturdy wood grain furnishings like credenzas and another wood frame. To break up that monotony and make the furniture spark, don’t forget textured wool throws, linens, shaggy rugs, and even solid pottery to add contrasts in raw materials.
4. Source actual vintage items.
Mixing contemporary modern with actual vintage pieces will amplify a sleeping space. From flea markets and vintage stores, keep on eye on the web and social media, too. There’s plenty of secondhand shopping-based apps where you can score a magnificent deal or two. Consider Poshmark, Mercari, dePop, and the gold star eBay for sourcing once-loved and hard to find pieces.
5. Let your imagination run wild.
Make moodboards, use social media sites like Pinterest for inspiration, and even look up vintage magazines in the public domain to get your creative juices flowing. Many vintage pieces are one-of-a-kind and your bedroom should feel like a unique oasis.
6. Start with small touches.
Revamping a bedroom to reflect your aesthetics can get costly, so add in small items and touches to get start. Vintage movie posters are a strong and bold starting point. Or, go to a vintage record fair and buy a few album covers that speak to you from the dollar bin and pick up a few album frames. You can add in these simple but effective touches for less than $20!
7. Don’t be afraid to refab an item.
Got gifted a nightstand that’s easily 40 to 50 years old? Add a personal touch to it with a few simple tweaks such as painting the object in a bold color (teal, turquoise, and mint are good ideas!), or switch out the hardware for something striking and modern. Your vintage item will have lots of appeal, without looking stuck in the past.
8. Art and decor go a long way.
Vintage art is not hard to find, whether these are delightful hidden gems by unknown artists at a flea market, or gorgeous prints of famous artists. For modern lovers, Andy Warhol has plenty of reproduced prints with major retailers from the Museum of Modern Art to the Met.
9. Use vintage to transform a small space.
Cozy digs? Vintage can add depth and space, while keeping the atmosphere chill and restorative. Large mirrors with molding details heighten a space and make it appear larger. Even if a bedroom is small, don’t shy away from bold and big art pieces. Large art and textured, oversized items like thick rugs, side tables, lamps, and large porcelain vases or pottery can give a small bedroom a touch of chic without feeling crowded.
10. Use the bed as a vintage-style focal point.
Not sure how to give the right oomph of retro charm to your bedroom? Go straight to bed. A bedframe can tie an entire sleeping area together while adding in an inviting and slowed-down relaxed mood. Whether it’s a romantic brass frame with etchings and carvings of yesteryear, a delightful wooden frame, an ethereal four poster bed, or even something 1960s glam and mod, the bedframe will transform the tone and atmosphere of the room, while the accessories and trinkets support the rest.
Stephanie Valente is a Content Director and Editor in Brooklyn, NY. She’s previously held writing and social media positions at Barkbox, Men’s Journal, and currently works at a full-service advertising agency. She’s a self-confessed home and design enthusiast. Stephanie is an award-winning poet and fiction writer. When she’s offline, you can find her taking a yoga class, running, hanging out with her rescue dog Pepper. Find her on stephanievalente.com.
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