Skip to Content

How To Add Vintage Flair To Your Modern Apartment

Nowadays, it seems nearly impossible to find an apartment that isn’t cookie-cutter.

With older buildings filled with character and history (and, sure, cockroaches) being torn down in favor of massive modern apartments, the natural charm of our apartment options is dwindling.

How To Add Vintage Flair To Your Modern Apartment

It can be hard to figure out how to capture the magic of vintage style while living in a modern apartment, but these five things will surely point you in the right direction!

Curtains

Rip down those terrible slatted blinds!

They are NOT welcome here. Burn them if you can. (Or, just put them in a closet.)

This simple act is going to open you up to a whole new apartment — literally!

Of course, you’ll still want your privacy, so we suggest buying some nice curtains.

Gauze, natural-light filtering, or blackout: it’s up to you!

As long as you’re buying curtains that make you feel like you just stepped into a French film from the 60’s, you’re all set.

Fun hint: tying them in the center of the window frame to let in light, rather than opening them up on either side, adds a cute style!

Curvy Furniture

Most modern apartments are all sharp corners and ninety-degree angles.

The key to breaking up that pointy monotony is to buy furniture with smooth edges or curves.

No straight legs for your coffee table: you’re going to want accent tables with round tops and bear claw feet.

Add curvy accent furniture like ottomans, or maybe even a globe or bar cart!

Wall Art

The art that we put on our walls is a direct reflection of what we truly love.

This is your chance to go full-out with vintage flair.

Go thrifting or attend auctions to find just the right stuff, like an antique mirror or screen!

For those who would rather stay home, you can find the most incredible vintage movie posters online.

I know, you’re probably thinking: “movie posters? What am I, ten?” These aren’t just any movie posters: these are gorgeous printed pieces of art, sometimes first editions of your favorite movies!

If you want your apartment to look like an iconic film set, this is the way to go. Long story short: avoid the art section at Target.

Light Fixtures

It’s time to say goodbye to generic lighting fixtures and hello to vintage fabulousness!

Unscrew that depressingly blank bowl on your ceiling and replace it with a statement piece like a small chandelier or a fixture of exposed Edison bulbs!

Lighting is everything: don’t let your landlords wash you out with fluorescence.

Fun fact: if you detach your boring lighting fixtures and store them in a closet but then put them back up when you move out, you won’t lose money on your deposit!

Carpeting

As The Dude once said, “that rug really tied the room together.”

A tasteful throw rug or area carpet can take your apartment fully back in time to the stylish era you’re going for.

A wild pattern or funky color can really boost the personality of your apartment.

Liven it up with a pattern that playfully but intentionally clashes with your furniture.

The bold might even spring for a shag!

As long as you’ve got a vacuum on hand to keep it clean; no one likes a dirty carpet.

With these five things in mind, you can take your apartment from modern “meh” to va-va-voom vintage!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.