One of the fun things about decorating your home is choosing your interior design style. Whether you want to go with traditional or contemporary, rustic or modern, your style can say a lot about who you are and how you want to express yourself. Sometimes, however, it’s about more than just finding a style that fits your personality—it’s about taking care of an older piece that means something to you.

If you have an item in your home that has been passed down through the family or is just something that you’ve always loved, but it doesn’t quite fit your current aesthetic anymore, don’t get rid of it! Try one of these vintage decor style ideas we’ll share below!

How to Decorate Vintage Style

If you love the qualities of vintage, antique items, but you want a bit more modern style in your home, you’re in luck. Here are ways to decorate with vintage pieces while still maintaining a clean, contemporary look.

Don’t Clutter Too Many Vintage Pieces

One of the most common mistakes those who love vintage decor make is over-cluttering with these pieces. If you have too many vintage items in your home, it can be outdated or even messy. Instead, pick out only a few pieces with special meaning to you, for example, a DIY sandglass filled with sand from memorial beach trip and use them as accents throughout your home.

Mix Vintage with Neutral Colors

You can also use neutral colors to offset the aged look of your vintage items. For example, if you have a table with a lot of character and history, paint the frame a neutral color like white or gray to create some contrast and balance the look of your home decor. You could also paint other furniture in your room a neutral color so that everything doesn’t stand out as much because it’s all vintage.

Traditional Vintage Decor

Traditional vintage decor is the most common type of vintage decor, and it’s designed to give the viewer a sense of nostalgia through the use of familiar images and objects. This is the style that most people are familiar with when they think about decorating in a vintage style, even if they don’t know exactly what it’s called. You can achieve a traditional home decor look by incorporating items from your past or your mother’s or grandmother’s past into your home design.

If you plan on using a traditional vintage style in your home, be prepared to dedicate a lot of space to this particular project. There are many different options available for designing a traditional vintage-style room. For example, some people choose to use antique furniture in their rooms, while others prefer modern furniture. Some people even combine both styles for an eclectic look that combines old and new elements.

Mix Antiques with Contemporary Pieces

Many interior designers now use vintage items as accents for more modern rooms. A mix of antique and contemporary furniture creates an eclectic look that’s great for those who like both styles but don’t want their homes filled with antiques. Try using vintage items as conversation starters around the living room—an old sand clock on top of a bookshelf or a antique hourglass timer on the desk are both great ways to start a conversation about your home’s design aesthetic, whether it’s meant to be casual or formal