Vintage apartment decorating ideas
Jan 24, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Image from Library of Congress, New Jersey apartment
Apartment living or “modern cliff dwelling” (as it was referred to back in the day) continues to be a popular way to take up residence. However, it is often hard to make your apartment feel like your own and this is not a new challenge. Like most questions in life, sometimes it’s best to look to history for answers and the world of vintage offers a great perspective! We take our inspiration from the Better Homes and Gardens Decorating Book published in 1968. Join us as we review their best advice and provide some helpful illustrations.
Vintage apartment decorating ideas
When it comes to enjoying apartment life, some simple techniques can improve your quality of life greatly. Focus on making excellent use of your space (however limited it may be). In order to do this you are going to have to make some difficult choices: eliminate all your non-essentials; keep only what brings you joy and serves a valuable purpose. (Something the amazing Suzie at Funky Finds echoed earlier). Once you have your accessories and items organized, consider storage and ways to enlarge the space. Let’s walk through some ideas now!
How to make your space feel bigger
There are many ways to trick your eye into seeing a small apartment as a big space. A popular and relatively easy technique is to hang a mirror. If you are able to paint or paper your walls, select a pale color for paint OR choose a scenic wallpaper. (Fun tip: If you want to make a tall room feel cozier, hang wallpaper so that it covers only the bottom half of the wall).
Artichoke Wallpaper by Morris & Co, image by Wetman and Hamlet House from the Library of Congress
How to make an apartment feel like home
We now bring those “tough decisions” mentioned earlier into focus – your personal items show who you are and make your space homey. That poster from your favorite band, the photographs from a recent vacation, or a ceramic platter that was your grandma’s – living in an apartment does not mean hiding away your personal effects.
Image from Library of Congress, Raymond Loewy’s apartment in NYC
Showcase those items against a backdrop of bold colors; make an accent wall to focus your guests’ eyes toward your collection. If you can’t paint your walls, hang your art in a focused way. As you do, always start by hanging the strongest piece first, build your composition around that, and keep in mind that balance is key.
Bring art into the entry way as this narrow hall often feels the least personal. Hang your art just below eye level for best viewing. If you do not have an entry hall, make one. Hanging artwork above a thin shelf takes little effort and even less space. Creating an entry sequence goes a long way in making your apartment feel like a home.
How to arrange furniture
Don’t fear large furniture just because you have a small apartment. Big pieces still have a place in these kinds of spaces, just work with a few things in mind: keep the background simple and airy; evenly distribute heavy and light furniture throughout the room (don’t put all the big pieces on one side); and keep heavy pieces along solid walls and light furniture in front of glass walls.
Fallingwater sitting area, image by Jeffery Neal at the English language Wikipedia
As we also see in the Fallingwater example, you can also use furniture groupings to divide up a room. The stools anchor the seating area, separating it from the main space without completely isolating it from the rest of the room. By using furniture or light-weight screens, you can sub-divide a large room without making it feel too cramped.
Good furniture for apartments
As we mentioned earlier, double duty furniture is very important. Choose something that provides additional storage – like a refinished old trunk for a side table or a coffee table with storage underneath. Consider shelving as room dividers, sofas that become guest beds, or hutches that also transform into desks. Get vintage furniture inspiration here and here!
Cause A Frockus would like to thank their tremendous resources: Better Homes and Gardens and the people who post their imagery to Wikipedia without restrictions.
For our readers: do you have an apartment decorated in vintage style? Tell us all about your favorite tips and tricks below in the comments!