7 Vintage Accents for the Modern Kitchen
Spanking new and streamlined kitchens could do with a dose of old fashioned vintage charm
Anne Ellard
4 July 2017
Houzz Australia Contributor. Kitchen designer at Kitchens by Kathie in Brisbane, Australia. I strongly believe that above all else, the most important thing when designing a kitchen is creating something that the client loves!
Houzz Australia Contributor. Kitchen designer at Kitchens by Kathie in Brisbane,... More
The streamlined minimalism of a sparkling new contemporary-style kitchen is one of the most requested looks from my clients. For some, however, this look can seem a bit cold and sterile. Thankfully, there are many ways to add warmth and personality to a contemporary-style kitchen, such as with bright colour, timber and personal belongings.
Artistically blending vintage or traditional elements into a contemporary setting is another sure way to add a charming and homey feeling to the space. The juxtaposition of these two decorating styles makes for a more relaxed and eclectic space. Check out these 7 ideas for how to add some vintage touches to your contemporary kitchen.
Artistically blending vintage or traditional elements into a contemporary setting is another sure way to add a charming and homey feeling to the space. The juxtaposition of these two decorating styles makes for a more relaxed and eclectic space. Check out these 7 ideas for how to add some vintage touches to your contemporary kitchen.
The official definition of ‘vintage’ in relation to home decor is ‘denoting something from the past of high quality, especially something representing the best of its kind’. This isn’t necessarily what we mean nowadays when we use the word. It is commonly used to describe an item that is old, dating back as far as the 1920s, and often a bit rough around the edges.
1. Turn heads with turned legs
The clean lines and sharp contrast of black and white in this contemporary-style kitchen are offset beautifully by the old-world, vintage style of the turned legs on the island bench. The soft curves of the legs are the perfect juxtaposition to the hard, flat surface of the mirror-faced island.
Traditionally, turned legs on dining chairs and tables are solid wood with a natural finish. Here, painting them black instantly integrates them into the rest of the kitchen, ensuring that they don’t look out of place in such a contemporary space.
Browse more kitchens with traditional features
The clean lines and sharp contrast of black and white in this contemporary-style kitchen are offset beautifully by the old-world, vintage style of the turned legs on the island bench. The soft curves of the legs are the perfect juxtaposition to the hard, flat surface of the mirror-faced island.
Traditionally, turned legs on dining chairs and tables are solid wood with a natural finish. Here, painting them black instantly integrates them into the rest of the kitchen, ensuring that they don’t look out of place in such a contemporary space.
Browse more kitchens with traditional features
2. Decorate with crockery
Flowers are one of my favourite ways to brighten up an interior space. In a bright white contemporary kitchen, use vintage tea pots, jugs and teacups to display pretty flowers on the countertop, shelves and dining tables.
Flea markets are the perfect place to pick up some pieces of china with decorative, often hand-painted, floral motifs. Nothing needs to match perfectly; in fact, it’s better if it doesn’t. So when curating a collection of vintage-style crockery to display in your kitchen, aim for mismatched pieces.
Flowers are one of my favourite ways to brighten up an interior space. In a bright white contemporary kitchen, use vintage tea pots, jugs and teacups to display pretty flowers on the countertop, shelves and dining tables.
Flea markets are the perfect place to pick up some pieces of china with decorative, often hand-painted, floral motifs. Nothing needs to match perfectly; in fact, it’s better if it doesn’t. So when curating a collection of vintage-style crockery to display in your kitchen, aim for mismatched pieces.
3. Frame it
Every time I see this kitchen pop up on Houzz I’m instantly drawn to it. Its clean lines make the space feel fresh and open, creating an enjoyable space to work in. For me, the addition of the beautifully framed artwork above the fireplace is the icing on the cake… in a completely unexpected way.
The vintage-style frame, set against a crisp white wall, adds an extra touch of glamour to the space. It ties in well with the more traditional-style plaster cornice, and sets up an interesting contrast that makes this kitchen very pleasing to the eye.
Create a sense of charm and history using large, ornately detailed vintage-style picture frames in wood and gold finishes. Use them to frame family portraits, or even better, frame an old piece of artwork handed down from a grandparent’s home.
Every time I see this kitchen pop up on Houzz I’m instantly drawn to it. Its clean lines make the space feel fresh and open, creating an enjoyable space to work in. For me, the addition of the beautifully framed artwork above the fireplace is the icing on the cake… in a completely unexpected way.
The vintage-style frame, set against a crisp white wall, adds an extra touch of glamour to the space. It ties in well with the more traditional-style plaster cornice, and sets up an interesting contrast that makes this kitchen very pleasing to the eye.
Create a sense of charm and history using large, ornately detailed vintage-style picture frames in wood and gold finishes. Use them to frame family portraits, or even better, frame an old piece of artwork handed down from a grandparent’s home.
4. Repurposed furniture
This vintage-style cabinet could serve many purposes. I’m guessing its original purpose was as a hall table. Here, positioned at the end of a kitchen, the cabinet can be used to store additional kitchen items, such as table linen and place mats. The cabinet top can be used as somewhere to display decorative crockery, also vintage in style if you choose, and as additional countertop space.
The traditional styling of the vintage cabinet is tied into the clean lines of the contemporary kitchen by the fact that all the cabinets have the same countertop height. This helps the eye to move seamlessly from one piece, and one style, to another.
Repurpose vintage finds for storage
This vintage-style cabinet could serve many purposes. I’m guessing its original purpose was as a hall table. Here, positioned at the end of a kitchen, the cabinet can be used to store additional kitchen items, such as table linen and place mats. The cabinet top can be used as somewhere to display decorative crockery, also vintage in style if you choose, and as additional countertop space.
The traditional styling of the vintage cabinet is tied into the clean lines of the contemporary kitchen by the fact that all the cabinets have the same countertop height. This helps the eye to move seamlessly from one piece, and one style, to another.
Repurpose vintage finds for storage
5. Cohesive colour scheme
This kitchen is the perfect example of how to mix to styles together while ensuring they work well together and don’t jar. The vintage chairs are a completely different style and are from a completely different era to the kitchen cabinetry. Yet continuing the same colour scheme throughout the space makes the chairs belong.
The straight lines of the handless kitchen cabinets are softened by the gentle curves of the chairs, creating an intimate, comfortable and homey feeling,
This kitchen is the perfect example of how to mix to styles together while ensuring they work well together and don’t jar. The vintage chairs are a completely different style and are from a completely different era to the kitchen cabinetry. Yet continuing the same colour scheme throughout the space makes the chairs belong.
The straight lines of the handless kitchen cabinets are softened by the gentle curves of the chairs, creating an intimate, comfortable and homey feeling,
6. Clutter it up
Remove all of the items on display in this kitchen and you are left with an all-white and very contemporary space. The carefully curated collection of eclectic pieces brings a homely, lived-in feeling to what could otherwise could be a cool and clinical area.
Start with a white backdrop. By adding antiques, collectables, op-shop finds, and sentimental hand-me-downs, you can develop a vintage atmosphere in the most contemporary of spaces.
Here, the look remains cohesive and easy on the eye by again maintaining the same colour scheme throughout. This kitchen would feel much more cluttered and almost disorderly if everything was a different colour.
Remove all of the items on display in this kitchen and you are left with an all-white and very contemporary space. The carefully curated collection of eclectic pieces brings a homely, lived-in feeling to what could otherwise could be a cool and clinical area.
Start with a white backdrop. By adding antiques, collectables, op-shop finds, and sentimental hand-me-downs, you can develop a vintage atmosphere in the most contemporary of spaces.
Here, the look remains cohesive and easy on the eye by again maintaining the same colour scheme throughout. This kitchen would feel much more cluttered and almost disorderly if everything was a different colour.
7. Add a chandelier
A vintage chandelier, dripping with gold leaf and sparkling crystals, never fails to add glamour in any room. Here, the ornately detailed chandeliers add a little (much needed) softness to the clean lines of this very contemporary kitchen.
The use of a marble countertops, a material that has been used for hundreds of years for many applications in interiors, particularly more traditional or classically styled spaces, helps to anchor the old-world chandeliers into the contemporary space below.
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A vintage chandelier, dripping with gold leaf and sparkling crystals, never fails to add glamour in any room. Here, the ornately detailed chandeliers add a little (much needed) softness to the clean lines of this very contemporary kitchen.
The use of a marble countertops, a material that has been used for hundreds of years for many applications in interiors, particularly more traditional or classically styled spaces, helps to anchor the old-world chandeliers into the contemporary space below.
TELL US
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation!
MORE
Browse more eclectic kitchens for inspiration
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These interior snap shots are beautiful. Full of unexpected focal points. Luv it!!
Great ideas for introducing warmth a feeling of "stylishly homely" into the modern kitchen
Although I'm not one for an all white kitchen, No. 6 is lovely. Perish the dusting though!