Before upcycling, thrift store sorting and diving through Grandma’s linen closet became trendy, London interior stylist Emily Chalmers had her finger on the pulse of all things vintage.
She is always adored sorting through people’s “crap” and finding a gem. The interior stylist, design consultant, writer and shop owner says helping people with their insides has shown her that everything holds a home together is the owner’s sense and ownership of fashion. “Be true to your taste,” she states. “Your own personal style and brushstroke is going to be the very thing that holds all the different bits together of your home together.”
Curious on how best to incorporate your favorite vintage treasures to your home? Chalmers shares five of her beloved professional styling tips that will assist you get that personalized vintage look.
Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
1. Mix designs from various occasions. Your private space is not a place of fear, so don’t be afraid to mix things up — but include things one at a time.
Despite the variety of styles, this contemporary vintage living room works. Chalmers recommends a bit of “mixing and jiggling” from various eras. “However, as you coating, maintain your design ethics,” she states. “This scene would feel totally different if that vintage letter were hanging out on the floor somewhere. But on the upper shelf, the letter brings everything together with its absolute size and positioning.”
Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
2. Drapery can add that magic touch. Chalmers enjoys the way the curtains in this hallway suggest a division of distance. “The drapery looks great even if it’s just hanging there, rather than physically doing a project or partitioning,” she states. It gives the space color and pattern, linking with the tones of this artwork on the wall.”
The drape is two sided, giving the opportunity to add a very different geometric pattern on the opposing side. “Hallways can frequently be overlooked, however they’re just as important as every other space in the home,” she states, “so utilize every inch — and design opportunity — you’ve.”
Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
3. Use vignettes to add visual interest. Carefully arranged groupings add interest to any surface, be it a kitchen window ledge, a mantelpiece, a sideboard or even the surface of a bathroom cabinet.
Not you to take makeup lightly, Chalmers suggests placing a lot of consideration into thing groupings. Rather than trying to put whatever you love on screen, choose a screen corner and carefully edit different choices to decorate your property.
Chalmers is extravagant within this homeowner’s sideboard collection. “Notice the various heights of the items and the color dab in turquoise. The lamp is tall and lovely and has a fantastic texture. Additionally, note here the addition of a tasty holly berry brooch into the lampshade, which provides a quirky finishing touch; it’s so straightforward but very effective,” she states.
Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
4. Be cautious when mixing and matching prints. When it comes to patterned cloths, turn your eye toward scale, size and variety to make sure that the different components don’t compete with one another.
“This contemporary vintage look shies away from Grandma’s bedroom since there’s a robust and contemporary color palette at play of reds, pinks and blues. Additionally, there are some great background colours to calm down everything — lotion wool onto the throw and cream sheet on the cushions. This works well with the soft grey background color of the background,” says Chalmers.
The stylist highlights the positioning of the artwork on the wall: The bits hang quite high to permit a “breather” between them and the strongly patterned bed area.
Ryland Peters & Small | CICO Books
5. Take some time to make your nooks cozy. A nook needs to be at a place you’d want to spend some time in. There’s just no point in studying a nook to a spare corner unless there is a draw to this area.
A nook could be in a dark corner near a heater (it surely does not need to be soaked in sun), however a quiet place by the window, as in this picture, is especially beautiful.
Chalmers points out that the relaxed, worn linen cushion covers and playful mix of shapes combine to make a welcoming feel.
“This really is a fantastic example of something being easy and effective. Fabric has been stapled across the foam seats pads, and the cabinet nearby is stripped and joins in with the overall distressed surrounding timber. There’s enough length on every bench to lie back a bit and put your feet up,” says Chalmers.
Emily Chalmers | Caravan Style Ltd..
Chalmers knows how easy it’s to just get a lot of vintage pieces without putting much thought into them. “Pulling off a contemporary vintage look that’s relevant for a home now is not quite as easy as it seems; it takes some time and a great deal of consideration and care to make the look appear effortless,” she states.
Her favorite design trend at the moment is that the crochet pattern. “It’s on trend right now, and the vintage crochet look is bang up-to-date whilst still being totally accessible to people,” she states.
More:
Vintage Modern: What Exactly Does it Mean?
Vintage Modern Studio in Sweden