FALL-ing for Vintage and Modern Decor – Black and White Living Room

Do you feel it? The cool weather! Are you getting excited to be outdoors, put on a jacket, wear boots??? I am! You know what else I love to do this time of year… hit the outdoor Flea Markets, Yard Sales and do some good old-fashioned Junking! I love finding vintage treasures and giving them new life in our home. I’m joining some of my favorite Vintage Loving Friends for our first FALL-ing for Vintage and Modern Decor Blog Hop. We will be sharing some of our “unique antiques” and show you how we have mixed them in with more modern decor!

Do you ever see a vintage piece or antique and think “Wow, I love that…but where would I put it.” Or maybe you think it doesn’t go with your style because you “don’t do antiques.”

Well, I’m here to tell you that you can make any piece from the past work in today’s decor and guess what…they will be great friends!!!

The best part about a Vintage piece is the character, the history and the timeless style it adds to any space.

When you think of Europe don’t you think of all the history and the stories that each little town or cobblestone street has to tell? That’s how I feel about a good antique or vintage piece. It has a story, a history. When I find something I really like, I try to listen to that little voice inside and go with it…or I end up regretting it. I have had to walk away from a few amazing finds, but I do my best!

Our Living Room is filled with some of my favorite pieces both old and new and I think they work very well together…if anything they make me happy. When our friends come over they always say, “I just want to look for a while”…go right ahead! 😉

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I have pieces sprinkled all over the room like this huge antique window screen. It leans, it’s chipped and it’s gorgeous. I saw it and knew immediately I wanted it for my fireplace mantel. To me, it’s a piece of history every time I look at it. I wonder where it came from and what the house looked like that may have had windows like this.

In front of my old screen is a really old galvanized metal tile. I got it at one of my favorite junking shops. The owner told me they came off an old building and it had the rust to prove it.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it but I loved it. It found a place on my mantel and I think it adds the right touch. I like mixing metal pieces with woods.  Sometimes the little bit of vintage you add is simple and small.

Looking around the room, I have some really cool modern pieces including this beautiful fan Mr. BeesNBurlap just installed for me from Lamps Plus. I love the clean lines, the modern touch and the pop of white in the room, not to mention the great air flow it gives off, something every Florida home needs.

Another way to mix vintage with modern decor is through accessories like pillows, curtains, and rugs. I added a modern cowhide patchwork rug from Rugs, USA under the coffee table.  I love the colors, the unique design and the super soft feel under our feet!

I also added this bold black and white print rug in front of the mid-century modern cabinet. The colors and pattern are perfect for that pop of interest!

So moving around the living room…what better way to distract people’s eye from the big black box we all have but don’t necessarily want to be the focal point of the room? I decided to add a great old ladder. This one came out of an old barn and again, something I had been looking for. When I saw it…I didn’t think twice.

I draped some great string lights around it and they are as pretty during the day as they are at night all lit up. Ladders can be used in so many ways, so keep an eye out for one!

How To Find The Good Stuff!

A lot of people tell me that they don’t know what to look for, or where to go to find good vintage pieces. Google words like Thrift Shops, GoodWill, Antiques, Flea Markets in the area. Also, check local Facebook and On-Line Sale sites…and be sure to keep an eye out for Yard Sales. When the weather is nice and cool, people tend to have more Yard Sales! It’s a fact! 😉

Here are a few tips that help me when junking!

• Think about the pieces you’re looking for i.e. scales, ladders, trunks…make a wishlist!
• Tell your junking partner. The more eyes looking for an item, the better.
• If you’re going alone, write them down or even have screenshots/pictures of items you’ve seen and would like to find.
• It’s a good idea to know what items should cost before buying…you can search on Etsy and Ebay to get an idea beforehand. It makes bargaining a lot easier and you’re more likely to get a good deal!

I know when I hit my favorite Flea Market or a great Yard Sale, I’m like a kid in a candy store and I can get both overwhelmed and easily distracted, these tips help me focus!

Don’t be afraid to reimagine a piece and use it in a different way.

I LOVE to do this. For example, I found this great old mail sorter and I knew if I left it behind I’d regret it. So I did what I had to do…stuffed it in my car and said I’d figure it out later. 😉

I got it home and realized that if I turned it on its side it would fill this awkward wall space I had perfectly! And it did! You know what else…It’s perfect to store other, smaller treasures I’ve found over time. Again, the vintage treasures you add don’t have to be big…start out small. These cast iron door knobs make a cute shabby collection along with my wooden shoe form and I even have a spot to admire my grandmothers’ pearls.

Another great way to mix vintage and modern decor is by adding pieces that are inspired by something vintage, yet they aren’t. For instance, this record player. Who doesn’t love old records? They have a sound that just can’t be replicated. This beautiful piece allows me to have a vintage feel with modern convenience. I was excited to find this one because it was a fraction of the cost of some other popular brands out there.

I also added this incredible floor lamp. It has such a unique style and I feel like it’s something Thomas Edison would have invented or at least wanted. It’s a stunning piece in this corner of the room, don’t you think?

Moving around to the other side of the room are two of my favorite finds of all time. Both of these pieces were a “go with your gut…have no regrets” kind of pieces! I couldn’t let them walk away.

The antique french doors are big and beautiful. They came from an old Victorian up north and are quite old. I didn’t know where I wanted them but I knew I needed them in my life. 🙂 Sometimes I have to let a piece sit there for a while until the inspiration hits. I think Mr. BeesNBurlap thought I was nuts when I said I wanted to hang them from the ceiling. But he did it!! He’s the best!

Because I didn’t want them literally hanging there (they are old you know ;)…gotta be gentle), I was able to prop them up on the cabinet. Worked out perfectly!!!

Then along came Bella! Aahh! That beautiful chandelier. I had never seen one like her. I eyed her for a couple of months I’ll be honest. I kept asking the owner of the shop to reduce the price and he finally did. I wore him down!! 😉 Again I’m so glad I didn’t leave her behind because shortly after I bought it, the shop closed down. Bella would have been gone forever!!!

While cleaning it, I noticed it was marked ITALY. Bella became even more beautiful to me. We hung her in a place of honor and she looks amazing!!

I just recently added this modern style chair to the space. I absolutely love it! The clean lines and the pop of white against all that vintage goodness. Just perfect! Not to mention it’s incredibly comfortable!! Again, mix and match…it works! You will add character and depth to your home.

I could go on and on talking about this and sharing more treasures. Maybe I will have to do another post. 😉  If you have questions on anything in the photos comment below.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and be sure to sign up here on the Blog for all my posts! I’ve included sources for some of the items below and you can always click on Shop The Hive.

I can’t wait to grab a jacket and hit the road in search of more treasures! Thank you so much for joining me, I hope you’ve enjoyed it…please continue through the FALL-ing for Vintage and Modern Decor Blog Hop by clicking the links below.

Now, I’d like to share some fellow bloggers I know you are going to enjoy!!

 

Visit Melisa from The Inspired Room [here]

Visit Tammy at Tammy Damore [here]

Visit Natalie at My Vintage Porch [here]

Visit Shannon from Fox Hollow Cottage [here]

Lastly, Make Sure To Visit Kelly, at Kelly Elko [here]

 

Products Mentioned 

• White Ceiling Fan , Lamps Plus
• Vintage “like” Record Player
• Antique Brass Magnifying Floor Lamp , Lamps Plus
• White Leather Chair , Lamps Plus
• Cowhide Patchwork Rug ,  Rugs, USA
• Black and White Runner , Rugs, USA
• Gold String Lights

 

See ya soon!