Decor Style: Vintage Living Room Ideas

Looking to stylise your living room? Here are vintage living room ideas that will transform your space.

Vintage Coffee Table Ideas

In most living rooms the coffee table area is the focal point – where the eye goes to first. This is because everything is arranged around it – the seating, the TV, and area rugs. So this would be a good place to focus your styling efforts.

For the coffee table itself, some vintage ideas include going with a French style one like in picture (2) or a lane coffee table. Chipped painted tables look good too, in white or mint (3). A great DIY project would be to turn a reclaimed glass and wooden window into a coffee table seen here. Another good idea would be to have a vintage trunk coffee table (4) – which can also be used for storage.

Some ways of decorating the coffee table would be to use painted candle stands and a doily table runner (5). There are a ton more decor ideas in the Decor Accessories section below. A pastel colored, and or chevron patterned area rug placed under the table will help frame the table in the room.

The Seating Area

Another focal area of the living room is the seating area. The go to choice here would be a French style couch just like in picture (6). Or an upholstered couch with a nice vtinage style fabric. If getting a new couch is not an option, then other ways of decorating the couch in a vintage style include: having throw blankets with floral vintage motifs, or pillows with a vintage style fabric or DIY graphic transfer.

Another Dimension – Lighting

Barn lighting (pancake dishes) looks good for hanging pendant lights. So do pastel colored paper lanterns, and how about a wrought iron chandelier? On the walls, a goose neck lamp fits into the style just right. And when it comes to table lighting – you’ll want to go with a traditional cone shaped lamp shade.

Good Looking Storage Ideas

The storage containers you use will also style the room. Especially if you display them out on open shelving or on a side table or coffee table. Here are some great looking storage ideas:

Wicker or Wire Baskets, and Galvanised Buckets: These can be used to hold magazines, store kid’s toys, throw blankets and pillows in (7), store fire logs, or as planters (8).

Vintage Glass Bottles: Ideas include using the glass bottles as elegant planters, candle holders or mugs. Look at my post here for more ideas Home Decor Ideas: Using Vintage Glass Bottles.

Other small vintage storage ideas for the living room include using enamel containers, copper bowls, and French style hat boxes.

When it comes to the cabinets, the shabby chic style of pastel colors and chipped (or not chipped) paint would be the style to go for. Another style would be more raw wooden cabinets – depending on the vintage style you are going for.

Wooden Crates: These make for great modern vintage DIY storage. They can be stacked to create your own shelving. For more ideas have a look at my post here: Creative DIY Ideas for Living Room Shelves.

For some added table space – take a look at old vintage TV trays just like in picture (9).

Decorating Ideas for The Walls

When it comes to the colors of the walls, white is always a classic choice. Then there are light pastel shades like mint that would look good for a vintage inspired living room. Or if you want to get more decorative then opt for a patterned wallpaper – like using anaglyptic paper seen in picture (10). For more vintage style wallpaper ideas have a look at my mood board here.

Curtains also help decorate the walls. Materials and styles to use include frilly fluffy curtains, lace (11), or white curtains with a vintage pastel colored print. A great way to tieback those curtains is to use vintage door knobs seen in picture (12).

Vintage Living Room Decor Accessories

Once you have the main areas of the living room figured out and styled just the way you want it, then comes the time to add in those vintage decor accent pieces for the finishing touch. Here are some ideas:

A clock with an antique face
Bird cages – these can be used to house plants, candles, or store books. Check out my post here for more ideas on using bird cages as decor pieces: Home Decor Ideas: Using Bird Cages.
Black and white or sepia photos
Use vintage style clothes pegs to hang up photos on string
An antique looking globe
A watering can
Old books – the ones with the simple elegant covers
A French style mirror – this will also make your living room feel larger
Skeleton keys in a shadow box frame
Wall Art Ideas: French signs, subway signs, metal wall letters, vintage maps, and botanical prints
Mason jars can be used for a number of things like candle lanterns, planters, or photo frames. Look at my post here for images and more ideas: Home Decor Ideas: Using Mason Jars.