Today's interior often embraces a number of styles: an eclectic collection of furniture amassed over the years, souvenirs of travels and pieces one can't be without, whether for practical or emotional reasons. Eclectic is cool - no worries there, but how can you be sure the overall effect works?
Here are 10 ways to get the balance right when mixing modern and vintage, so that the end result is neither fuddy-duddy nor soulless and cold:
Make clutter look chic: use unexpected pairings of modern and vintage accessories to get that 'modern vintage' look. If you have any design classics, they'll straddle the two eras and make the old and new cohesive. Or pick a theme and collect similar pieces to create your own display.
Harness the power of textiles: Fabrics add warmth, color and interest, and can be used anywhere in the home. Textiles can soften hard-edged modern and conversely add a splash of contemporary to the more traditional homes. Let's face it: textiles transform a house into a home: quilts, thick blankets, piles of cushions and flowing curtains add character for sure, but also add coziness.
Give me room: Both modern and vintage pieces that can wow should be given the space to bask in the limelight they so rightly deserve.
Opposites attract: By the very fact that the things in your home are yours, chances are they reflect your taste so they will work together. Embrace the contrast of some of the things you have picked up along the way: pair modern with vintage, traditional with contemporary. To achieve visual harmony in this, look for a shared design ethic to pull it together.
Source from the high street: Many of the chic-retro reproductions hailed on the high street will help highlight your vintage finds.
Personalise: If you like something but it needs tweaking, don't be afraid to change it to meet your needs. You'd be amazed at what a new coat of paint or a new slipcover can do! Check out our Design-It-Yourself series for ideas and inspiration. If that's a step further than you are willing to go, pair heavy, dark vintage pieces with chrome or galvanized steel to get that urban cool look.
Find new uses for old things: You may have some pieces that have been around a while. Look at them with new eyes: can they be used for something other than they were intended? I recently decided that an old antique Asian cabinet that used to house glasses would store my shoes!
Books and nooks: Instead of settling on the predictable shelf, pile books on the floor or intersperse them with ornaments and other decorations. Quirky, difficult nooks and crannies are ideal for this. And embrace any other ready-made curiosities in your home, such as exposed brick, old peeling wallpaper and paint (very hot right now thanks to the King's Speech!). Balance the old with the new for the right modern vintage decor.
The power of light: Create symmetry by pairing opposites - chrome lights with floral shaded side lamps, industrial with retro. When the different details come together they just work!
Color me beautiful: By picking a color theme that features or matches both your modern and vintage details can hold the whole look together.
Credit: Elle Decoration, May 2011 Issue; Adapted & photos from Modern Vintage Style by Emily Chalmers; Photos also from Bemz
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