When you think of vintage decorating you may be haunted by the remnants of the wedding presents and decorating inspirations of your parents’ home, circa 1970. However, just because your parents still have their first (orange) kitchen table and are now trying to offload their old yellow curtains as you move into your first home. Well instead of cringing at the ‘generosity’ of your parents for giving you their vintage furniture, fabrics and accessories which they feel will make your new house a home, take and use what you want to create a stylish vintage themed home.

Take a look around at the old curtains your parents have given you, the sewing books and patterns your mother has given you so you can save money making your own clothes, and the style of their home and look at each part separately. Individually, the yellow curtains would not look so glaring, as part of a vintage styled home, as opposed to a home from the same era.

In taking only the styling cues you like from vintage decorating, you have the objectivity to see when there is a bit too much yellow or orange, there is too much furniture, or green carpet is not really what will finish off a room.

Also, don’t discard old books and magazines your mother has given you in cleaning out your old room as not only can you look at a variety of vintage styles, you can use the magazines themselves in your decorating. Frame a series of pages showing rooms in vintage houses, or photos of models from the ‘70s and their hair, clothes and style is what will pull your selectively vintage room together.