For the design novice, the idea of mixing styles, let alone eras, can be quite daunting. Fear not! Here is your ultimate guide to mixing modern with vintage in the kitchen.
The first thing that you’ll want to do is pick your eras. Modern and vintage can be quite broad terms. While modern generally refers to clean lines and often monochromatic colors, vintage can refer to anything more than 20 years old that accurately represents its era. Pick an era, such as the 40s or the 60s, and think about what colors and designs represent it. You’ll want something with the practicality of a modern kitchen but the feel of a vintage one.
Theme is similar to era, in that it encapsulates everything in a defining style. Theme, however, allows you to be even more specific with your design choices. For example, the 40s era could have a classic theme. This would include the kind of rich woods and decorative glass that could have been seen in the upper-class homes of that time.
When choosing the era and theme that you want, you’ll need to remember that the kitchen should flow with the rest of your home. It should be able to make a statement on its own but still appear cohesive with the rest of the house. Consider the colors that are common in other rooms, including the color of faucets and door handles.
Once you have your era and your theme down, you can start on the fun part – designing your kitchen. As great as it would be to start with a blank canvas, the current size, shape, and structure of your current kitchen will determine what you can do with your new one.
Let’s start with the basics: furniture and windows. These are often the most difficult things to change as there may not be a lot of room to move around. While you can change the look of your furniture easily enough, the shape and size will remain mostly the same. A good option, if you can afford it, is to have furniture custom built. If you want legitimate vintage pieces, be prepared to pay even more for that perfect piece. Achieving a vintage-modern mix for an affordable price isn’t impossible though, as many retailers offer vintage-style furniture, especially now that this style is coming back in full swing.
Windows can’t easily be moved, so it’s a great idea to incorporate them into your theme. Tier on tier shutters have been popular in many eras, so the choice of color could be all it takes to tie it in.
Color is one of the most recognizable features of each era. If you look at photos of your desired era, you will notice common color groupings. These colors can be brought in not only through the furniture but also through personal touches and accessories. Color is the perfect way to mix modern with vintage; it allows you to have the clean lines and modern appliances that make life easy, while having the recognizably vintage look you’re going for.
Go ahead, design your dream modern-vintage kitchen; it’s not such a daunting task as you once thought.