How to mix vintage and new furniture in your home

One of the most requested topics from my Instagram community is how to successfully mix old and new furniture. It’s a tightrope walk, you want character, but you don't want a museum.

Please note that these tips are not the ultimate, universal truth; they are just my personal vision and the rules I use in my interior design projects!

Here are my top tips for blending vintage charm with modern design.

Tip number 1: Do not over do it.

I think this tip is kind of a tip for life in general tbh hahaha. If you put a 100% vintage furniture in your house, it’s tough to bring harmony, and it can easily look like an antique shop. The same goes for new furniture or IKEA stuff. A room that is 100% new will look cold and lack personality.

My recommendation: stick to a good 60-40. Meaning 60% new stuff, paired with 40% vintage. You can make it 70-30, or if you are an amazing curator you can master a 50-50 and more! A few well selected pieces can bring the vintage vibe you need in an instant. I am thinking especially of designer lamps or a burl wood chest of drawers.

But I’m pausing here to say: it doesn’t need to be from a designer to look great. I’ve found amazing cheap pieces in a fleamarket that bring a strong energy to my home. What matters the most is the material. Aim for strong, solid materials that get a patina over time. For instance, I like rustic farm stools. They kind of instantly “dress down” the room and give charm at the same time. It’s like wearing your jeans jacket on a cocktail dress, you see?

Tip number 2: Buy soft furniture new and hard furniture vintage.

This one is probably the easiest one to follow. By soft furniture, I mean things like a couch, a carpet or a headboard. Vintage foam can crumble and fabric can be quite damaged or just dirty and smelly. Except if you have a trusted upholsterer that can help you out!

I also tend to buy carpets new. I know there are great vintage carpets out there, but I prefer a new handmade woolen berber rug that only my feet have touched.

Hard furniture like tables, chairs, sideboards, desks etc are often from a much better quality when they are vintage. It’s no surprise that with the skyrocketing prices of wood, every single new piece of furniture seems to be either extremely pricey or just not made out of solid wood (and thus less durable).

Tip number 3: Mix leggy and blocky.

Some of the vintage furniture you’ll find will be rather leggy, meaning up on thin legs and therefore visually intense for your eyes. Visualize little legs everywhere.

Counterbalancing these legs (I feel like I am talking about spiders haha) with let’s say a chunky couch that is lying directly on the floor will bring more calm to your room. Same with a leggy desk: balance it with large new bespoke wardrobe from floor to ceiling. Play around with the contrast!

Bonus tip: If you feel overwhelmed at fleamarkets, start small!

Look for accessories made of natural and solid material. Buy a brass chandelier, an old mirror with asperities or an antique frame for your art and pictures. This will bring life to your home instantly, without committing to bigger pieces if you feel unsure.

PS: If you are planning to renovate your flat or just a room, take a look at my services here. You can choose between simple consulting or a full interior concept (with or without project management).