15 Ways to Enjoy the Charm of Old-Fashioned Clocks
Practical and decorative, clocks are a great way to make a style statement in almost every room of your home
Wall clocks don’t just keep time, they bring flair and style to a room and brighten up plain walls, especially when they are oversized.
Supersize it
Rather than a traditional mirror or the ubiquitous flatscreen TV, this living room has its chimney breast adorned with a spectacularly striking giant timepiece.
If you like this idea but aren’t sure you can sacrifice the TV space, how about a projector clock and a projector for your telly, allowing you to alternate between the two and fill the space when the screen is switched off? You’d need, of course, a pull-down screen or a white wall for either option to work well.
Rather than a traditional mirror or the ubiquitous flatscreen TV, this living room has its chimney breast adorned with a spectacularly striking giant timepiece.
If you like this idea but aren’t sure you can sacrifice the TV space, how about a projector clock and a projector for your telly, allowing you to alternate between the two and fill the space when the screen is switched off? You’d need, of course, a pull-down screen or a white wall for either option to work well.
Style it with skill
The kitchen is a classic place for a good wall clock. This old-style one, together with the contemporary but vintage-style lampshades, retro fridge, midcentury table, old-fashioned tiles and flea-market finds, really helps to cement the traditional feel of this space.
Equally, if you’re aiming for an eclectic effect, you might find a quirky clock is a good starting point for your décor, or that a colourful design may be useful for dictating the palette of a room you’ve yet to decorate.
Shop for clocks
The kitchen is a classic place for a good wall clock. This old-style one, together with the contemporary but vintage-style lampshades, retro fridge, midcentury table, old-fashioned tiles and flea-market finds, really helps to cement the traditional feel of this space.
Equally, if you’re aiming for an eclectic effect, you might find a quirky clock is a good starting point for your décor, or that a colourful design may be useful for dictating the palette of a room you’ve yet to decorate.
Shop for clocks
Plump for multi-functional
Clocks don’t just have to be for telling the time. This contemporary design handily announces the date, too. A monochrome accessory or piece of furniture can often be chameleon-like in an interior and work well to pull things together in eclectic, already colourful spaces – and it’s perfect in this soft, Swedish room, which mixes up its eras and furniture styles.
A dining area is also a great spot for a proper clock – it could help to encourage a no-mobiles-at-mealtimes arrangement without the risk of missing the start of Strictly.
Clocks don’t just have to be for telling the time. This contemporary design handily announces the date, too. A monochrome accessory or piece of furniture can often be chameleon-like in an interior and work well to pull things together in eclectic, already colourful spaces – and it’s perfect in this soft, Swedish room, which mixes up its eras and furniture styles.
A dining area is also a great spot for a proper clock – it could help to encourage a no-mobiles-at-mealtimes arrangement without the risk of missing the start of Strictly.
Go retro
A classic midcentury, starburst-style clock adds real character to the 1960s-tinged flavour of this little loafing and dining spot.
Since these designs are often wood, or warm metal-coloured, and likely to be combined with another wooden period piece – a G-Plan sideboard or Ercol display cabinet, for example – do as these homeowners have done and inject some zingy brightness into what could otherwise become an overly brown scheme.
A classic midcentury, starburst-style clock adds real character to the 1960s-tinged flavour of this little loafing and dining spot.
Since these designs are often wood, or warm metal-coloured, and likely to be combined with another wooden period piece – a G-Plan sideboard or Ercol display cabinet, for example – do as these homeowners have done and inject some zingy brightness into what could otherwise become an overly brown scheme.
Fill a shelf…
Clocks aren’t just for hanging on walls. Look out for a freestanding design – in this case, a characterful antique – and let your timepiece help to create a stylish ‘shelfie’.
This is also a good option for a quiet space, like this reading nook, where you may want to seek out the time rather than have it intrusively ticking away in front of you.
Clocks aren’t just for hanging on walls. Look out for a freestanding design – in this case, a characterful antique – and let your timepiece help to create a stylish ‘shelfie’.
This is also a good option for a quiet space, like this reading nook, where you may want to seek out the time rather than have it intrusively ticking away in front of you.
…or a mantelpiece
This fireplace shelf is a staple in many period homes – but what to display on this prominent little stage? A mantel clock is a traditional centrepiece for this spot, but one that totally stands the test of time.
Pair an original with heritage-hued walls and vintage treasures or family photographs in age-appropriate junk-shop frames – or simply with a vase of flowers, as here – and your styling work is done.
This fireplace shelf is a staple in many period homes – but what to display on this prominent little stage? A mantel clock is a traditional centrepiece for this spot, but one that totally stands the test of time.
Pair an original with heritage-hued walls and vintage treasures or family photographs in age-appropriate junk-shop frames – or simply with a vase of flowers, as here – and your styling work is done.
Wakey wakey (but gently)
A large clock above the bed can make for a nicely minimal wall decoration and be usefully prominent for time-checks while you’re getting dressed.
Having the clock out of your eyeline while trying to sleep, however, could also be a positively relaxing option for those who suffer from wakefulness in the middle of the night. Finding out it’s 5am isn’t always the most helpful information if you hope to get back to sleep. Combine with blackout blinds to complete the mind-trickery and boost your rest time.
10 Way to Make Your Bedroom More Restful
A large clock above the bed can make for a nicely minimal wall decoration and be usefully prominent for time-checks while you’re getting dressed.
Having the clock out of your eyeline while trying to sleep, however, could also be a positively relaxing option for those who suffer from wakefulness in the middle of the night. Finding out it’s 5am isn’t always the most helpful information if you hope to get back to sleep. Combine with blackout blinds to complete the mind-trickery and boost your rest time.
10 Way to Make Your Bedroom More Restful
Pop it in the bathroom
Clocks aren’t commonplace in bathrooms, but, for many of us, this is a perfect spot for one. It’s often in the bathroom that we most need to time-check, judging the minutes available for a shower, checking hair or cleaning teeth before dashing out of the house.
Choose a style that positively complements your space and it’ll also add interest to a room that can be prone to plainness.
Brighten up bathrooms with artwork
Clocks aren’t commonplace in bathrooms, but, for many of us, this is a perfect spot for one. It’s often in the bathroom that we most need to time-check, judging the minutes available for a shower, checking hair or cleaning teeth before dashing out of the house.
Choose a style that positively complements your space and it’ll also add interest to a room that can be prone to plainness.
Brighten up bathrooms with artwork
Get decorative
Are clocks only for telling the time? In the age of using your mobile phone for everything, including time-checks, the humble clock almost certainly isn’t as common as it once was.
Here, the homeowners have chosen a colourful vintage collection to celebrate the form more than the function of these classic objects. This idea probably only works with a number of timepieces rather than a lone non-functioning one, which is likely to confuse everyone.
Are clocks only for telling the time? In the age of using your mobile phone for everything, including time-checks, the humble clock almost certainly isn’t as common as it once was.
Here, the homeowners have chosen a colourful vintage collection to celebrate the form more than the function of these classic objects. This idea probably only works with a number of timepieces rather than a lone non-functioning one, which is likely to confuse everyone.
Add a touch of vintage
Choose an original antique working timepiece, as this one appears to be, over a repro version and you’ll add instant warmth and character to all sorts of spaces.
A genuinely old clock may require more care than a new one – you might even need to wind it regularly – imagine! Clock repairers with experience of vintage pieces may be able to revive lifeless old clocks, or even take out the original winding mechanism and replace it with battery-powered workings if you prefer. Just make sure you find someone you trust before handing over that fragile family heirloom.
A Dozen Ways to Add Vintage Nostalgia to Your Kitchen
Choose an original antique working timepiece, as this one appears to be, over a repro version and you’ll add instant warmth and character to all sorts of spaces.
A genuinely old clock may require more care than a new one – you might even need to wind it regularly – imagine! Clock repairers with experience of vintage pieces may be able to revive lifeless old clocks, or even take out the original winding mechanism and replace it with battery-powered workings if you prefer. Just make sure you find someone you trust before handing over that fragile family heirloom.
A Dozen Ways to Add Vintage Nostalgia to Your Kitchen
Aim for elegance
Slimline, modern, monochrome – this timepiece could equally have been a piece of art chosen by the owners of this pared-back, pale and elegant dining room.
The point here is that you should take as much care with your clock choice as you would any other accessory. The oversized nature of this one gives it prominence as a decorative piece in its own right.
Slimline, modern, monochrome – this timepiece could equally have been a piece of art chosen by the owners of this pared-back, pale and elegant dining room.
The point here is that you should take as much care with your clock choice as you would any other accessory. The oversized nature of this one gives it prominence as a decorative piece in its own right.
Let little ones learn
A big, working clock in a child’s room makes for an easy way to help them learn to tell the time – analogue style. Choose a large, easy-to-read design with clear numbers to help their skills along.
A big, working clock in a child’s room makes for an easy way to help them learn to tell the time – analogue style. Choose a large, easy-to-read design with clear numbers to help their skills along.
Nestle it amid your artworks
As already seen, clocks are far more than functional accessories, and this Scandi-style living room really celebrates that fact.
A gallery wall is an art form in itself, and inserting an object that’s different in form or shape is a nice touch that can add interest to your display. Be careful not to pick a design so striking it dominates, drowning out your careful artwork curation. This design is suitably sleek and wall-coloured, making it a complementary feature rather than the feature.
As already seen, clocks are far more than functional accessories, and this Scandi-style living room really celebrates that fact.
A gallery wall is an art form in itself, and inserting an object that’s different in form or shape is a nice touch that can add interest to your display. Be careful not to pick a design so striking it dominates, drowning out your careful artwork curation. This design is suitably sleek and wall-coloured, making it a complementary feature rather than the feature.
Put bells on it
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Reach for your mobile to turn off your alarm, and immediately get online to check your Instagram likes? It’s not the most restful way to start the day – and if you’re a sucker for your phone’s snooze function, possibly not the quickest, either.
If you’d like, instead, to jump out of bed, ready to face the day with a clear head, you might consider an old-fashioned-style bell alarm clock like this one. They certainly look sweet, and if you’re brave enough to handle its loud, jingling brrrrriiiiiiings, it could be the start of a whole new brisk morning regime. (Be sure to look out for non-ticking versions if you’re not the sort to get used to that kind of noise at night.)
TELL US
What sort of clocks – if any – do you have in your home? Tell us in the Comments below.
MORE
More Than Just a Pretty Face: Decorative Clocks With Timeless Appeal
What’s the first thing you do when you wake up? Reach for your mobile to turn off your alarm, and immediately get online to check your Instagram likes? It’s not the most restful way to start the day – and if you’re a sucker for your phone’s snooze function, possibly not the quickest, either.
If you’d like, instead, to jump out of bed, ready to face the day with a clear head, you might consider an old-fashioned-style bell alarm clock like this one. They certainly look sweet, and if you’re brave enough to handle its loud, jingling brrrrriiiiiiings, it could be the start of a whole new brisk morning regime. (Be sure to look out for non-ticking versions if you’re not the sort to get used to that kind of noise at night.)
TELL US
What sort of clocks – if any – do you have in your home? Tell us in the Comments below.
MORE
More Than Just a Pretty Face: Decorative Clocks With Timeless Appeal
This pretty pastel landing doesn’t need any more sweetness. Instead, a flash of black, which might initially feel counterintuitive amid such softness, works a treat, anchoring the arrangement so it doesn’t float away into whimsy.
This clock design is confidently chunky and utilitarian, too, and the result is a pleasingly clean, Scandi-tastic space.