Without contrast or character, even the most carefully curated interiors can fall slightly flat. While the high street has upped its game with plenty of fun and playful designs, relying exclusively on new pieces can easily tip a home into feeling more like a perfectly styled showroom rather than a space that’s actually lived in.
One of the simplest ways to loosen up your interiors and introduce character that feels uniquely yours is to bring in vintage and antique pieces. ‘The contrast between old and new helps a room feel layered,’ says Annika O’Connor, founder of Fynd Homeware. ‘The addition of vintage pieces suggests a home that has evolved gradually over time.’
The beauty of this approach is that you don’t need much to make a difference. Sophie Salata, head of brand at Vinterior, explains: ‘The trick to using vintage furniture today is restraint. One or two pieces will do far more than an entire themed scheme.’
A single standout item can anchor a room and draw the eye. ‘If most of the pieces in your home are new but you have one amazing 1970s Murano lamp, it can change the mood of the room completely,’ says Lia Briamonte, designer and founder of vintage homeware brand Anemone Interiors.
While it’s worth browsing widely and enjoying the hunt to find something that particularly resonates with you, there are a few failsafe items that will always work effortlessly in a modern interior. We asked the experts for their must-haves.
Statement sideboards
Furniture doesn’t get much more functional than a sideboard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it. Their generous proportions hide a multitude of sins while ensuring they act as a focal point in the room, so it’s worth investing in one you really love. Vintage pieces are a great place to start, offering standout designs built to last.
‘Older styles are so beautifully built and often with wood rather than MDF,’ says Lia. ‘ If you want to personalise it further, you can buy a vintage sideboard and have it relacquered in any colour to add a pop of joy.’
Foxed mirrors
Vintage mirrors bring charm and patina in spades, particularly when you opt for ones with slightly worn frames or foxed edges.
‘These work brilliantly against clean, modern walls,’ says Annika. ‘The frames are often more decorative than modern alternatives, and there’s something for every taste, from ornate gilded designs to carved oak, faux bamboo, real bamboo or wicker.’
Vintage wicker
Weaving is one of the oldest methods of furniture-making, and there’s a reason it has stood the test of time. Whether in willow, rattan, reed or bamboo, the natural ebb and flow of the weave provides instant tactile interest.
‘Wicker is always a good idea,’ shares Annika. ‘Sideboards, chests of drawers, lamps, trays and baskets all work beautifully. Vintage wicker tends to have more variation in colour and be more detailed than modern versions, with scallops, waves and twisted rope designs that add visual interest.’
Artworks
Hanging art on your walls is one of the simplest ways to express yourself at home.
While it’s fine to pick up beloved pieces from the high street, adding a couple of vintage pieces will make it truly unique.
‘Oil paintings add texture, colour and depth and can look surprisingly modern when hung in a contemporary home,’ says Annika. ‘Framed book plates are another lovely option – decorative but still simple enough to work easily in modern interiors.’
Lighting and lamps
‘Lighting in particular is having a real moment,’ says Sophie. ‘A vintage lamp has presence, but it also casts a beautiful softness that modern lighting sometimes misses. For instance, an Art Deco lamp on a very modern console, creates contrast that feels intentional rather than nostalgic.’
As well as lamps, look for statement vintage pendant lights, one suspended above a dining table can help to change the mood or opt for whimsical wall sconces – I've got my eye on these scones from Vantage Living.
Decorative ceramics
These smaller-scale pieces blend seamlessly into existing collections. ‘Studio pottery jugs and vases are easy to display on open shelves or sideboards,’ says Annika. ‘They bring handmade texture and subtle irregularity, which balances the uniformity of newer pieces.’
These low-effort, low-cost additions can bring variety to your shelving and are often straightforward to find on secondhand platforms such as eBay and Vinted. Or turn to sellers like Ratch Vintage, Eesome and Kept London who have already done the curation for you.
Vintage bars and trolleys
‘Vintage freestanding bars are having a moment,’ says Lia. ‘As we’re entertaining more in our homes they've become a fun and functional focal point of a room. A bar, a fun armchair (plus a disco ball) will create your vintage party corner in your modern home.’
If you don’t have space for a full bar, a bar cart offers another way to introduce a vintage touch on a smaller scale. Look for brass styles for luxurious glamour or bamboo for a hint of laidback Palm Beach–style.
