Room-by-Room Inspiration for Decorating with Vintage Home Décor
- America's Antique Mall
- Jun 30
- 8 min read
Let’s face it. The only thing that feels better than hearing “I love that, where did you get it?” from a guest is getting to respond with “thanks, it’s vintage!” From dinner party place settings at the table to collectible knick-knacks on the mantle, there are a million ways to feature unique décor around the house. It’s just a matter of thinking outside the box.
Whether you’re shopping for a few subtle accent pieces for your gallery wall or looking to renovate your entire apartment from top to bottom, hearing expert design ideas will help you create your dream home. Get inspiration for each room and start shopping for vintage finds today!
The Difference Between Antique and Vintage Home Décor
Though the two terms are often used interchangeably in Melbourne vendor malls and collector forums, they have one difference that sets them apart. To qualify as vintage home décor, the item must be at least 20 years old, while antique decorations are always at least 100 years old. The exact year something was made can affect its value greatly, so it’s always worth making the distinction!
Vintage Home Décor: Trendy or Timeless?
We’re here to set the record straight—vintage designs never go out of style. The unique décor made decades ago is timeless, durable, and versatile, and with the right styling, it can effortlessly elevate any space you choose.
As the sustainability movement gains traction, more and more people also turn to antique malls and thrift stores to give used designs a second chance at life. While it may seem easier to turn to popular retailers whenever you need a new picture frame or vase, shopping for vintage décor is often cheaper and better for the environment.
Vintage furniture is also built to last. In past decades, tables and chairs were designed with high-quality wood and dedicated handcraftsmanship. That’s something you don’t see often nowadays! Investing in a piece of vintage furniture means you won’t have to buy a replacement, because it isn’t likely to break anytime soon. Can you say the same about your favorite modern furniture maker?
Popular Types of Vintage Home Décor:
Vintage home décor is here to stay, so you might as well get on board! When you shop at an Algonquin antique mall, you’ll see a wide variety of decorations and vintage furniture, including:
Mirrors
Wall art
Rugs
Bookshelves
Desks
Record crates
Vintage glassware
Linens
Various tchotchkes
Follow These 3 Important Steps Before Shopping for Vintage Home Décor
Anyone can browse the aisles of the largest Indiana antique mall, but these simple steps will help set you up for success:
Step 1: Start By Finding Your Home Décor Style
First things first, identify your desired style. Having a good idea of the interior design you’d like to accomplish will help you determine precisely what unique décor and vintage furniture you should be looking for at the vendor mall. Shop based on your preferred aesthetic to make the whole experience go off without a hitch.
If you spend your days on Pinterest pining after houses in the country and slow living, you’ll love the romanticized cottagecore aesthetic. Were you dreaming of a more whimsical setting for your everyday? Try embracing the magic of Fairycore instead.
Leaning into the modern trend of minimalism is still achievable with vintage home décor, but many collectors prefer the eclectic vibes of maximalism. If you collect enough unique décor, it only makes sense to want to show it all off!
Step 2: Research the Design Eras for Vintage Home Décor
Before you head to an Illinois antique mall, it’s important to understand the different eras of design. Vintage items were crafted between the years of 1925 and 2005, and take it from us—there have been plenty of design movements in the last hundred years:
Art Deco: flourished from the ‘20s to the ‘30s, includes stylized motifs, luxurious materials, and bold shapes
Mid-Century Modern: ranging from the ‘30s to the ’60s, incorporates bold accent hues, functional designs, and organic shapes
Space Age: within the ‘60s and early ‘70s, inspired by the Space Race, with vibrant hues and innovative designs
Bohemian: primarily in the ‘70s, uses natural materials and prioritizes comfort
Postmodernism: set within the ‘80s and early ‘90s, embraces bold colors and geometric patterns
Minimalism: a product of the late ‘90s, uses clean lines and simple color palettes
Y2K: started in the year 2000, inspired by high-tech elements and futuristic aesthetics
Step 3: Set Your Budget for Vintage Home Décor Shopping
When it comes to decorating your house with vintage furniture and unique décor, there’s no need to break the bank. While some vintage home décor designs are on the higher end, especially if they’re considered rare or collectibles, the majority of items are fairly attainable to the average budget.
Before you shop, decide how much you’re comfortable spending to make your home as beautiful as you deserve. Lucky for you, Indiana antique malls like ours are filled with amazing finds at a variety of price points to ensure there’s something for everyone!
How to Decorate Every Room of the House with Vintage Home Décor
Now that you have your intentions set, it’s time to get to brainstorming! The best way to make your home feel like a cohesive reflection of you and your style is to decorate with your favorite vintage home décor in each room of the house. Get inspired with our top-tier suggestions:
Welcome Guests in with Unique Décor in The Foyer
Whether you have a separate room or a tiny landing, the entryway is always worth decorating. As the guest’s first impression of your home, the foyer is the key to setting the tone for the rest of your house. Finding functional and fun vintage home décor is the best way to make your space reflect your style.
When you’re browsing a Highland vendor mall, keep an eye out for thin entryway tables in the vintage furniture section. On it, you can feature a small Tiffany lamp, catch-all bowls for your keys, and a few family photos in elegant frames to give the space a lived-in look. Complete it with a comfortable wooden bench and stylish coat rack, and voilà!
Use Vintage Home Décor to Elevate The Staircase
Though the staircase is technically not a room, it is considered one of the most important spots in the home when decorating. If you have steps leading up to the second floor, don’t leave the walls and banisters blank—spruce them up with unique décor to match the rest of your house!
To transform your staircase from basic to beautiful, consider adding vintage wallpaper and a stair runner rug. You could also add vintage sconce lights and antique artwork to create your own little gallery wall. Around Christmastime, don’t hesitate to embrace the vintage home-for-the-holidays look and wrap garlands and ribbon around the railings.
Create a Cozy Living Room with Vintage Furniture
The living room is a part of what makes a house feel like home. Every single detail you add should focus on comfort and style, from the cool vintage furniture designs to unique décor and trinkets.
Start by checking out the vintage furniture booths at your local vendor mall. There, you’ll find a wide variety of coffee and side tables, couches, armchairs, TV stands, and more from different design eras. Once you have the bones of your living room set, you can start adding in smaller types of unique décor, such as throw blankets, baskets, lamps, record players, and more, until the living room feels worthy of movie marathons, board game nights, and every day in between.
Lean into Past Decades with Vintage Furniture in The Dining Room
Whether it’s specifically reserved for formal dinner parties or used every day by the family, the dining room remains one of the most cherished spots in the home. Finding unique décor is the key to creating the most inviting dining and entertaining areas possible. The next time you’re at a Melbourne antique mall, look for vintage furniture so you can upgrade from the same-old retail designs everyone and their mother seems to have.
When looking for vintage furniture for your dining room, search for signs of exceptional craftsmanship. All dining tables and China cabinets should be durable and made to last you years of decorating.
If you can’t find a matching set of chairs, don’t worry! Unleash your creative side and mix and match various pieces to create a set of your own. Add a few finishing touches with vintage linens, dinnerware, and eye-catching vases from the unique décor section, and you’re all set!
Design Your Dream Bedroom with Vintage Home Décor
Everyone deserves a bedroom that’s as one-of-a-kind as they are, and vintage home décor is the key to making that happen. We recommend focusing on cozy, functional, and stylish pieces, so you can lie your head down at night and love what you see.
Whether you dream of finding a mid-century modern bedframe or are searching for unique décor and wall art, rest assured, your local antique mall will have plenty of vintage furniture for you to sort through. Once you have the large vintage furniture chosen for your bedroom, you can focus on the fun accent pieces, such as rugs, canopies, wall art, and colorful throw blankets and pillows.
Pro tip: Don’t forget about the guest bedrooms when shopping for vintage home décor! If you have multiple bedrooms in your home, you’ll want to find at least a couple of pieces of vintage furniture and unique décor to give the whole house a cohesive look.
Can You Find Vintage Furniture for Kids’ Bedrooms?
Any parent can tell you how expensive it is to continuously find furniture and décor that keeps up with your growing child’s size and interests. Instead of buying a new big girl bed when your daughter grows out of her crib, head to the Highland vendor mall and search in the vintage furniture section for a beautiful twin bedframe. You can also find unique décor for their walls and handy storage options to keep toys organized.
Transform Your Kitchen with Unique Décor
The kitchen is often called the heart of the home. From enjoying your morning cup of coffee to setting the breakfast nook, every little moment throughout the day deserves to feel special. The unique décor found at vintage stores makes that possible!
Believe it or not, there are plenty of ways to update your kitchen with vintage furniture and décor. Find retro high-top stools and vintage placemats to give your kitchen island an inviting feel. When dishes break, swap them out for vintage dinnerware designs and hang the plates on the wall for textured and functional artwork! Make sure to keep a lookout for vintage kitchenware appliances as well—who wouldn’t want a colorful refrigerator?
Don’t Forget to Add Unique Décor to the Bathroom
When it comes to decorating the bathroom with vintage home décor, the tiniest details matter. You don’t need to renovate the cabinets or sink to capture a retro feel—just a few key pieces of unique décor!
Grab a few small dishes to corral perfumes, lotions, and toothbrushes on the bathroom counter. And don’t forget about linens! Take your time searching high and low for fun shower curtains, bathmats, and hand towels at your favorite antique mall to turn your bathroom into something out of a 1960s catalogue.
Can You Use Vintage Décor Outdoors?
The short answer—yes! Vintage home décor can absolutely be used outdoors! As long as they’re made out of the correct materials, certain vintage furniture designs and accent pieces work as well outside the home as they do within! Here are a few of our favorite kinds of unique décor to place on the front porch, patio, and lawn:
Suncatchers
Bird baths
Iron benches
Wooden swings
Watering cans
Antique signs
Anyone can redecorate their home with the vintage furniture and unique décor found at antique malls. Whether you’re replacing items in your home piece by piece or starting your collection of vintage home décor from scratch, you’re always welcome at America’s Antique Mall.
