5 Tips For Mixing Designer Furniture With Vintage Style

Mixing today’s designer furniture into your vintage style decor can be tricky. I have a few tips to keep your home looking fresh and up to date.

You may be thinking of energizing a tired room or updating your home with a different feel. It’s certainly not necessary to give away all of the family pieces, but there are are key elements to consider that feel appropriate for the times.

designer furniture vintage french tufted sofa

Mixing Designer Furniture With Vintage Style

1. Find A Focal

Every room should have something that draws your eye in as you enter the space and set’s the tone. In my home it’s the mantel in the living room and the vintage furniture is arranged around it. In this shot from the elegant Kensington Hotel where we recently stayed in London, the well appointed mantel draws you in. A focal point doesn’t need to be a mantel and can be perhaps a large antique painting, a pair of antique shutters or a free standing floor mirror as well.

tips for mixing designer furniture with new shabbyfufu.com

2. Mix Old With New

To really give your home character and make it look like no one else’s mix old pieces with new. Vintage pieces are a unique addition and that’s where you can add in your bequested favorites. In my home tour that was published by Better Homes and Gardens several years ago you’ll find plenty of vintage pieces styled alongside new. As time goes on and tastes change, I’ve scaled back and kept only the pieces with meaning. Your home is your’s to decorate and tastes change over time. Adding in a few key pieces of designer furniture like this credenza that I spotted on the Design Blogger’s Tour will never go out of style. You could just as easily mingle in vintage pieces on top to blend styles.

designer furniture Bernhardt modern credenza

3. Repurpose

Take that something old and turn it into something new and perhaps unexpected. An oversized antique photo frame has been turned into a mirror and will add that vintage charm when mixed with new finds or florals. Find the instructions HERE.

antique photo frame made into a mirror

4. Find The Modern

In my own home I’m mixing in more mid-century modern with a tropical touch of bamboo. YES, it’s perfectly fine to combine styles and periods as long as you have a good flow of color. This past weekend I found a dresser the same as the one below and I’ll be painting it soon. It’s going to replace the dated and worn chest in my dining room and has a designer furniture feel. Find this one HERE.

designer furniture navy blue painted bamboo chest

5. Make It Count

Finally, cut down on the clutter and tchotchkes that can make a home look dated.  “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful” (William Morris). Less is the new more, so make each piece count and work for you if possible.

What direction do you see yourself going for in terms of mixing styles in the months to come? I’d love to know and would be more than happy to answer any questions in the comments!

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36 Comments

  1. Dear Janet,
    Excellent tips, great examples with photos!
    I greet you with friendship, Mia

  2. My house could use your decorating touch in my house! You have some great ideas here! It looks beautiful!

  3. I would have never thought of mixing these two designs together although I did love the Couch a lot with dogs and children, it wouldn’t fit into my home.

  4. I’ll keep this in mind. I am pretty horrible with decor. I never know what I’m doing when I set up a room.

  5. Your decor style is different from mind but the concept still works of course. I do like how light and bright everything is and how you anchor the room with beautiful rugs.

  6. Your home reminds me of mine a lot of charm. You do have some great pieces and your ideas are so good, I will try and declutter some of my little collections.

  7. I really enjoyed reading this post. These are really helpful tips. I love incorporating vintage in our home.

  8. I absolutely love shopping vintage! I have a beautiful vintage couch in my living room that I always get compliments on. I love to check out what vintage sellers have available before I buy anything brand new.

  9. Thanks for all these great tips! I really like the mixing old with new idea!

  10. I am not really good with decorating so this helps a lot. I like your furniture pieces, they are beautiful;!

  11. Awesome tips for everyone! I’ve always been more of a modern style fan but this is really lovely. I think vintage is beautiful and it’s an awesome theme for any home.

  12. Really neat idea to re-purpose a photo frame as a mirror! Thanks for the tips 🙂

  13. These are great tips. I love a well designed, yet comfortable room that has personality and uniqueness. These vintage items look wonderful.

  14. I love these tips. I love incorporating vintage pieces into my home. I feel like mixing old with new is the best way to add character and express yourself through decor.

  15. I really like the neo-Victorian style. It is really gaining popularity too!

  16. I’ve always liked a vintage styled room but it’s not possible yet. The tips will come in handy in the future!

  17. I think it’s definitely possible to mix old and new and make it beautiful, if done right. I love these examples.

  18. Great tips! I wish I had vintage furniture or good furniture to mix and match. Maybe once my kids are bigger, but these are wonderful tips I can for sure use!

  19. I love the idea about mixing new with old. The vintage flair of the older furniture adds a unique perspective to the overall look of the area.

  20. Great tips. Modern decor is easily my favorite, but a splash of the vintage look would help make it stand out more.

  21. Wow, I love how simple yet very elegant looking it turned out. I hope I could do this in the future. When I own my home already it the time for me to try something like this.

  22. Vintage has a charm that will never grow old in my opinion, and I absolutely love mixing pieces of a lost era with new furniture, it makes all spaces feel warm and cozy! Thanks for the great advice!

  23. Thanks for these great tips! I love the idea of taking a photo frame and making a mirror out of it. Also, it’s really good to think about only keeping furniture or items that you use in a room; it’s something that we tend not to keep in my minds a lot.

    1. I love repurposing old things for new uses and so glad that you liked the post Katie!

  24. I love all of these tips, especially the last one. Being efficient about your space is always important, especially when using designer and vintage furniture.

    1. Getting rid of clutter is a huge help in space efficiency. I’m on a mission over here!

  25. I love the look of vintage mixed with modern, I try and do that in every room that I design!

    1. It really makes rooms have personal style Bella…so glad that you agree!

  26. Great ideas! I’m super excited to look through some consignment furniture pieces tonight and scatter some vintage gems around the house!

    1. Always on the hunt for vintage pieces too…it makes a home unique to mix them in!

  27. Ever since a grade school project where we had to re-purpose an old piece of furniture (a small one), I’ve loved the look of vintage. It fits everywhere!

    1. I’ve always loved vintage…and have passed that love on to my daughters! Really makes a home unique.

  28. Great insights! You have re-kindled my love of repurposing vintage furniture! Beautiful pieces!

    1. That’s just great to hear Melina…yay!!

  29. I love your ideas! I am stuck what to do with our antique gold couch with 2 matching chairs, we repainted the chairs years ago in gloss black and recovered it. I Love the chairs but unsure about the couch,
    Any suggestions?
    Thanks

    1. Without seeing it’s hard for me to say Liz, but maybe pick up one of the major colors in the chair print and do a solid of it for the sofa?