Mixing styles is always fun and surprising, but it can also be tricky. Especially when mixing modern and vintage because they are literally opposites. However, that’s also what makes it so interesting. If you want to mix these styles, but you’re a little nervous about pulling it off, we have some tips that may help.
DO use a unifying color palette
Have certain colors in mind that you want to incorporate in both your modern and vintage decor. Colors will visually tie your space together, even with the different shapes and styles of furniture and accessories. That’s not to say you can’t use a pop of color or a bold statement, but just make sure it fits with the theme of the room.
Via Decoist
DON’T forget principles like scale, color, and balance
If you have one giant vintage dresser in the room and then tiny antique accessories here and there, you may not get the balanced look you’re going for. Try to keep an even mix of modern and vintage throughout your design, using both large and small scale elements of each. Use design principles to your advantage (repetition, scale, balance, color, focal point, etc.) as you bring modern and vintage together.
Via Homedit
DO find new products with vintage flare
Just because vintage or antique decor was made decades ago, doesn’t mean there aren’t modern products being made with the same styles. Anything from lighting to furniture to accessories and window treatments can be made with inspiration from vintage shapes, patterns, and materials.
DON’T split your room in half
If you can draw a line down the middle of your room (from any angle) and one side looks completely modern and the other side looks completely vintage, you need to do some rearranging. Keep the opposite styles in close proximity to each other. Don’t shy away from the contrast–make a statement with it! The more mixed the room is, the more natural it will look.
Via Houzz
DO use the same style when you can
Styles have a way of coming back around, reinvented and updated. For example, mid century modern is all the rage right now. If you can find MCM decor from the 50s and modern furniture or decor with MCM flare, most of the work is done for you! This will also create a super cohesive look, with more subtle differences in style. This room has Old Hollywood flare, in both the modern and more antique pieces.
DON’T pick just anything
Be selective about what you choose. When you go antiquing you can find some crazy cool stuff, but sometimes that piece you really want just doesn’t fit in your design. We all wish we could have a designer in our pocket to slap our hand away from the things we don’t need, but you’ll have to find a way to edit yourself. Think about the overall style in your room–the colors and shapes you’re using and the existing elements in the room. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. Be honest with yourself and be selective with your decor.
Via A Life’s Design
DO use art to your advantage
Art is an easy and interesting way to mix styles in a room. While vintage and modern art don’t always work well side by side, it does mix well with the opposite style of decor. Put antique portraits next to a modern chair or an abstract photograph above a vintage claw foot tub. This is one of the most eye-catching ways to make a statement about your mixed decor.
