One of the things Sally and I get asked most is, ‘can I add vintage furniture to my home even though my house is modern?’ The answer? Absolutely! We’ve got some great top tips on how to start with vintage furniture that we wanted to share with you.

Work out what kind of vintage style you like by picking out small vintage accent pieces. An antique clock is a small way to add a strong rustic look, place it as a standalone piece on your wall or integrate it into a gallery wall. Another great starting point is to pick out pieces that are useful and serve a purpose – this steamer shipping trunk not only makes a great vintage statement but is also perfect for stashing away toys or storing those bits and bobs we don’t want on show!

If you’re not feeling daring enough, just keep it really simple with small accents like candle holders, vintage bell jars filled with fairy lights, antique jugs or something like these vintage chopping boards which add character grouped together in a dining room or kitchen. We’re also big fans of antique mirrors at Home Barn and you can start small and prop a mirror up on top of an existing cabinet or sideboard.

Whatever you choose, just make sure you really love it – does it tell a bit of a story about you?

Remember, not everything in your room has to be vintage. Having one key piece of vintage furniture as a starting point, is a great way to build out your vintage style.

We love a vintage cabinet or a vintage chest of drawers at Home Barn as they can be so versatile and used in so many different rooms in the home. This vintage industrial cabinet is a great example, we could see this working in  a bedroom, hallway, office or dining room, and styled with a few key pieces it could make a real statement.

If you’re serious about diving in to vintage, why not dive head first into it. Go for a bigger, more imposing piece of reclaimed furniture that can be decked out with other vintage pieces like this rustic elm dining table. A dining table will instantly transform the room and can be dressed up for formal dining and also dressed down for casual family dining. Style with a few other vintage pieces, candles and a linen runner for the ultimate vintage style. 

If you don’t feel like you’re an interior designer, take heart! Find something you truly love and always go with your gut on a vintage purchase. The beauty of this is that it’s up to you what you do. So shake things up a bit and get creative!

Sarah and Sally x