Do you ever wonder what the difference between ‘vintage’ and ‘antique’ might be? We see them used interchangeably sometimes, but there is a difference. Vintage describes something from another décor generation. A Danish style credenza from the 1970s is vintage. A Victorian desk from the late 1800s is both antique and vintage. What is interesting about all this is how much our current trends borrow from the past.
One strong trend is vintage items. For Absolutely Fabulous, that means metals, velvets, and Chalk Paint. The metals are showing in two ways. The first is natural looking, as in galvanized, copper or other unpainted finishes. There are trays, wine racks, stands and display pieces in this simple type of non-finished metal. The other type of vintage metal is painted white with black trim. Black and white is a trend that never really goes away; it just keeps reinventing itself! The look is cottage-like, hinting at antique, and is very versatile. Canisters, cake plates, trays, and pillar candleholders are useful black/white neutrals in a decorating scheme. You can add yellows, blues and greens for summer then change it up to red, silver and dark green for winter.
Velvets are the most tactile of today’s vintage items. The popular decorating magazines are showing velvet couches. That may not be a great option for those with pets or small children but you can have velvet cushions. A cushion can add a pop or two of colour to a neutral chair or sofa, and bring seasonal warmth or coolness to a room. We see velvet cushions on beds as well, pulling the colour from the quilt or duvet, and creating that finished feeling in the room. Velvet cushion covers made from cotton can be unzipped, machine washed and dried. The colours are rich and the sheen of the fabric is soft, no wonder it never really goes away.
The most on-trend vintage application has to be chalk paint. It’s been around in England since Annie Sloan invented it nearly 30 years ago. It takes some time for things to ‘cross the pond’ and become as popular here as in the old country. What makes chalk paint vintage is the option we have to paint a new or old piece of furniture or a décor accessory in a trending colour that matches our current décor. Most of us have a dresser or table properly made from wood, solid and functional, just ugly or worn or stained. Perfect. Paint it up to match your bedroom or the open dining/living room and now your dresser or table is attractive and useful. I have a lovely old five-drawer dresser in my dining room, used for storing table linens, bibs, paper napkins and other dining accessories, as I don’t have room for a sideboard. I painted it to match the colours of the Swedish themed table and chairs. It fits in perfectly now and all the scratches, dings, and missing veneer bits are hidden by the soft blue and cream tones. It looks vintage more than antique (it’s both) as the painted finish coordinates with the room.
Vintage is always current as our choices today are influenced by past décor, fashion, economics and even politics. Painting furniture saved money and furniture 30 years ago, and is still a great idea. Velvet weaving techniques were developed in the Far East over 2000 years ago, but were made popular in Italy during the Renaissance. Metals of all colours seem to take turns being on trend, and it is refreshing to see simple galvanized pieces next to simple white painted items instead of everything polished shiny.
Trends come down to one thing; what makes you happy in your home? Colours, materials, textures, painted or not, vintage or antique, or both, fall is a great time to add a little something to your decorating scheme.
*Did You Know? Originally made from silk, velvet was a luxurious fabric coveted by the nobility of Europe from the 12th century on. It was made into clothing, upholstery and even wallpaper.
Cathy Reid is the owner of Absolutely Fabulous in New Minas. Learn more at www.absolutelyfab.ca.
