The 5 vintage homewares you need in your home now
Why vintage?
It really does seem that vintage homewares are having their 15 minutes of fame at the moment. In fact, it’s predicted by those in the know to last a lot longer than that. With sustainability a huge concern now due to the climate crisis, buying vintage and antique is one trend that Millennials and Gen Z, in particular, have embraced as a greener way of furnishing a home. Buying vintage, antique and upcycled pieces that have their own stories to tell is set to remain the norm. “We are looking for upcycled, antique or used furniture which has a story to tell”, says Ben White, design and trade expert at swift home.com, “not only does its origin create great conversations, but it’s a greener approach to furnishing the home."
As well as being a kinder option for the planet, buying vintage pieces can make your home stand out from the crowd. Adding a mid century sideboard or a bamboo sofa can give a space a more personalised ambience. This chimes with the ongoing trend for making our homes a place of sanctuary away from the uncertainty of the pandemic.
To get you started on your vintage journey, I've rounded up 5 items of vintage homewares that you should be able to source fairly easily and that you need in your home right now.
1. Mid century coffee tables
If you don’t yet own a mid century coffee table then this is a perfect way to begin to make your home a reflection of your green credentials. Useful and beautiful, every home needs one! Stack some coffee table books, add a plant or five, scatter some coasters and you’ve the perfect place to pop your vintage teacup and saucer. From low level 60’s beauties with stunning legs to cool, circular 70’s glass-topped pieces, these are iconic design pieces that thankfully are quite easy to pick up today.
2. Vintage bamboo furniture
What home is complete without a bamboo sofa, piled high with cushions and throws? Or some bamboo/rattan shelves to home your ever-growing houseplant collection? Vintage bamboo and rattan furniture adds to the ‘bringing the outside in’ vibe that we are embracing in our interiors at the moment. Throw in some houseplants in macrame holders, add some oversized shells and decorate in a muted, natural palette of terracotta and pale greens to blur the boundary even further between indoors and out.
3. Milking stools
You really cannot have enough of these sweet little antique French milking stools in your home-take my word for it! In the lounge, kitchen, bedroom or bathroom they make a perfect plant stand, or a place to pop a towel and toiletries in a walk-in shower.
4. Mid century coffee sets
Nothing says 60’s and 70’s retro more than a stylish mid century coffee set. You’re spoilt for choice here. Choose from iconic Hornsea in brown, green or the rarer blue. Vintage Portmeirion offers the stunning Greek Key or Magic City designs, amongst others. Check out Meakin Studio for colourful 70’s floral patterns that will bring joy to your table and lift your spirits every time you use it.
5. Tureens
A staple of the retro dining table, tureens fell out of fashion as eating off your lap in front of the TV became the norm in the 80’s. With a return to entertaining family and friends post-pandemic, we are seeing a resurgence of ‘how to set a table’ articles and blogs. The tureen comes into its own for entertaining. Pyrex, Poole or Portmeirion, a tureen is indispensable for keeping your veggies warm and will add a cool retro vibe to your dinner table.
Read about vintage trends
Read interior experts’ blogs, such as Kate Watson-Smyth’s madaboutthehouse and Lisa Dawson’s award-winning styling blog, for roundups of vintage trends and where to purchase them. Publications like Red Magazine and the Financial Times weekend supplement regularly feature small business who source vintage pieces.