Modern Design with a Vintage Twist

Who says you have to stick to one style when designing your home? If your style is a little bit modern and a little bit vintage, it is possible to create a sleek, modern home that also has a touch of old-world charm. If you’re looking to add a vintage twist to your modern design, keep balance and proportions in mind, and you’ll end up with a truly unique look. Here's how.

Build a strong foundation

When you're designing a room, arrange your large focal-point pieces first, such as your couch in the living room or a bed in a bedroom. Once you know what you’re working around, you can place smaller vintage pieces around the room — perhaps an old steamer trunk repurposed as a bench at the end of the bed, or a vintage rug to warm up crisp lines in an all-white living room. Find the perfect foundation pieces at the DDD’s 20c Design.

Mix it up

Whether or not you plan on mixing styles in a room, it's always a good idea to avoid being too matchy-matchy. While your room does need a sense of cohesiveness, it can look boring and lifeless if all your decor and accessories match too perfectly, leaving the eye with nowhere to go. Think about placing two different vintage end tables on each side of a modern couch, for instance. If you keep the table heights about the same, you can feel free to mix and match for a visually stimulating look that's not too erratic. For one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, be sure to check out Again & Again.

Follow the 80/20 rule

The famous 80/20 rule works as well in design as it does in life. If you keep about 80 percent of your design modern and sprinkle in about 20 percent vintage items, your room will look both pulled together and visually interesting. Even if you’re incorporating a large item, like a vintage dresser, keep the rest of the room modern and tie it together using a similar color palette. If you're on the hunt for a fabulous vintage statement piece, check out Wolf Hall Antique Collective.

Add a little patina

One of the many appealing aspects of vintage pieces is their timeworn look, or patina. Choose a piece with a little patina and contrast it with clean, modern lines and both soft and rough textures. Hang worn brass-framed mirrors on a hallway wall above a sleek table topped with a white bowl filled with decorative twine balls. Or offset a clawfoot tub in the bathroom with industrial pendant lights and a concrete sink. Check out Uncommon Market to find just the right patinaed antiques and more for your home.

With a little forethought and attention to detail, your modern-vintage home will perfectly reflect your eclectic aesthetic. As always, the shops and showrooms at the Dallas Design District are here to help you bring your vision to life.