Cause A Frockus

Vintage Home Decor Tips

Nov 8, 2013 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns

As we’ve seen this week, vintage home and furniture design is ripe with inspiration. Decorating your home is a great way to establish your personal sense of style, but figuring out how to start this process can feel heavy. We turned to Suzie at Funky Finds who offers us some expert advice on how to tackle your home décor, one retro piece at a time.

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Suzie has been sharing her love of vintage with the Des Moines community for years. Walking into her shop it’s easy to see the pride she takes in the items she curates. What makes her so loyal to the vintage movement?

“This is the stuff I grew up with, lived with, and loved. These pieces are an extension of who you are and what shaped you as you grew.”

Funky Finds Vintage & Retro
515 18th Street Des Moines, IA 50309
515.777.0667
www.funkyfindsvintage.com

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Suzie’s Top Three Tips for Vintage Décor

• Consider functionality first. Observe how people really utilize the space and plan out what pieces might best fit into your lifestyle and habits.
• Live what you love. If you find a piece that you love, go for it. An industrial item and a 1950s piece can play well togther; don’t let rules impede your decorating efforts.
  • You can strictly follow formulas, but as Suzie says “who wants to live in a showroom?”
• Your forever pieces may not come into your collection immediately. As you grow into your style, the good ones will come along. These are the pieces you want to make the extra investment in so be careful to not rush this system. Locating and incorporating each piece is half the fun of your creation.

What to do if you need to re-finish a piece

• The great thing about vintage is that every blemish tells a story. For example, Suzie had a dresser with a stain on the top and down the side. (Years ago a young girl had spilled her mother’s perfume while playing dress up). After sharing this tale with the new owners they decided to keep the dresser in its original state because they didn’t want to change its history. Vintage is an additive process and its very rewarding to know you are now part of the long lineage of memories.
• However, if you find a piece that needs some TLC it is best to find a furniture repair specialist who is well-versed in vintage eras and techniques.
  • When it comes to re-upholstering, be sure to ask if you can provide them with your own fabric/textile selections.
  • If the damage is severe enough, sometimes paint is the best way to revive an older piece; but you will want to have an expert assess the damage before you cover over the original finish.
  • Suzie refers all her clients to Austin Van Laar and Angela Griner of http://snag-blog.com/. Here you can reach out for advice as well as find pictures of before and after restoration.

What makes for a successful space

Suzie gets invited into many clients’ homes and she has wonderful advice for crafting stunning interiors. So what makes a home “work?” For her, it’s when people make living spaces an extension of who they are and you can know all about them when you walk in the door. With that being said, consider what you want to tell the world and make it uniquely your own. Vintage lends itself to eclecticism so get ready to reveal who you are through your space!

Four fabulous rules from the 1968 Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book

• Create a point of interest – this can be a painting, a window with a great view, or a wall painted a unique color.
• Know your color wheel and don’t be afraid to create unexpected combinations of furniture and color. Keep in mind that pale colors recede, while bold colors advance.
• Plan it out – grab your sketchbook and consider traffic patterns so you can make intimate conversation zones without disrupting the space’s natural use.
• Make the most of small spaces
  • Quiet colors will make it feel bigger
  • Small scaled items fit best, but if you keep large pieces – it’s best if they are simple for visual balance
  • Invest in some multifunctional furniture

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Cause A Frockus would like to thank our tremendous resources: Suzie from Funky Finds, Better Homes and Gardens, and the wonderful people who put their images up on Wikipedia Commons without restriction.

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