7 “Old Fashioned” Decor Ideas That Are Actually Super Chic

published Jan 7, 2018
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(Image credit: Style Your Senses)

Blue and white ginger jars have always had a special place in decorators’ (and grandma’s) hearts, but Chinoiserie has had a massive boom in searches on Pinterest lately, meaning it’s going mainstream. And that spike is only part of a much larger trend of old, antique, and retro aesthetics coming back into vogue. Not only are ginger jars having a moment, but so are sputnik lamps, velvet upholstery, and rattan pieces, among many others. Below are modern, chic, and easy ways to incorporate these vintage accents into your own decor aesthetic.

(Image credit: Style Your Senses)

Chinoiserie Accents

Copy the taste of European kings and bring Chinoiserie into your home. If wallpapering a whole room in a blue and white print feels a little much to you, though, you can always downgrade the trend into smaller accent details. Pick up a set of curtains in the delicate design, spruce up your bed or couch with blue and white pillows, or buy a small array of vases like Style Your Senses did here, adding a pop of pattern and color to a cabinet. It looks especially lovely when contrasted against another vivid statement, like all that shiny brass.

(Image credit: Att Pynta)

Velvet Seating

Bring the 1920s into your living space with velvet seating. While powder pink and deep sapphire couches are a tour de force on Pinterest right now, if you don’t have the budget to invest (or reupholster) a whole couch, you can always bring the texture in with a brightly colored ottoman or pouf or a single armchair like this one from Att Pynta.

(Image credit: Rich Caplan )

Sputnik Chandeliers

Make your living room look like a scene out of “Mad Men” with the sputnik chandelier trend. It gives a room a retro punch, and adds a bold detail with a lot of personality, as Spruce Interior Design proved with their redecorated living room.

(Image credit: Amber Hakim)

Rattan Furniture

From headboards to plant baskets to accent chairs, rattan pieces that echo the ’70s are back in. They give a room an instant beachy feel, but if you want to make it feel more luxurious, try draping your rattan ottoman, pouf, or chair with a faux-fur blanket, or popping a faux-fur accent rug underneath your planter or side table. This beautiful peacock chair tableau is in the Rhode Island home of Courtney Webster and Brandon Aguiar and is just one example of how they’ve mixed more vintage styles with their love of mid-century modern and rustic.

(Image credit: Ave Styles)

Mid-Century Floor Lamps

From Target to Etsy, it’s never been easier to find a mid-century inspired lamp. From globe-shaped desk lamps, bright copper pendants, to tripod floor lamps, the small detail brings a retro touch. For example, Ave Styles‘ tripod lamp teases out that 1950s aesthetic in her updated living room.

(Image credit: Style by Emily Henderson)

Patchwork Poufs

Bring some hippie dippy love into your room with a patchwork pouf. Whether you choose faux-leather or pick one out with a kaleidoscope array of colors and fabrics, it will bring a pleasantly loud detail to your room without feeling too overwhelming, as Style by Emily Henderson proves in her setup.

(Image credit: One Kings Lane)

Ornate Brass Mirrors

They look beautiful over a fireplace, leaning on a floating shelf over a couch, or hanging over a bathroom sink. They bring a delicate, antique and vintage touch to a room without feeling too kitschy, as Sara Ruffin Costello shows in her living space.

(Image credit: Rich Caplan)