Old things in the interior, whether it’s a city apartment or a cottage, are a popular topic. On the web, you can find many examples when worn-out suitcases, basins or shoes are used as decorative elements of the interior or exterior.
Someone loves old things for their warmth and sincerity, appreciates memories, the embodiment of which are out of fashion items. Others categorically oppose the use of “junk”, believing that its place is in a landfill, and not as an interior decoration.
Design using old things is a delicate thing. It is worth making a small mistake, and in front of you is not a stylish interior, but a set of junk that is not suitable and not interesting. This article is about the “subtle matters” of interior decoration with old things.
Design using old things
Classification of old things
In our “tradition” – to bring to the country all unnecessary, out of fashion or unused things. In part, this is the legacy of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers who suffered from successive wars and periods of chaos. Another reason is the habit of our parents related to the economy of the state.
Today everything has changed: the political situation is calmer, and goods are different in abundance. And things have become different, less durable: they serve exactly as long as it is prescribed in the warranty card or even less. But habit is second nature: to throw away a perfectly good thing, or seemingly so, the hand does not rise. And we continue to bring to the country house everything that is no longer in demand in urban housing.
The interior of the old cottage: stairs to the second floor
As a result, a country house begins to resemble either a warehouse for storing unnecessary things, or an industrial dump. The old things are decorative, first let’s call them.
Antiques
The word “Antiques” evokes strong associations with Louis XV-style furniture, bronze candelabra, church utensils, etc.. But according to the law, antiques are also objects that are much more common than, for example, a Rococo couch.
Antique items are more than 50 years old, they have artistic or historical value, rarity (i.e. rarity), and not mass production. These criteria include, for example, an old grandmother’s closet, a grandfather’s rocking chair or an oak armchair of the vintage era upholstered in “young leatherette leather”.
Perhaps some of these items are antique
An antique piece of furniture – family or purchased – can be used as a component dominant of even a completely modern interior. In addition, antiques are a well—known investment, because every year the cost of such items only increases.
Moreover, the usual furnishings of our parents’ apartments, according to the above criteria, are beginning to approach the antique. Meanwhile, the chairs and sideboard already correspond to another category of old things – vintage.
Vintage
Vintage – things that have not yet become antique in age, but have already ceased to be modern. Vintage items are items belonging to the time of the previous generation, that is, not younger than 30 years. Another criterion is that the subject should reflect the style of the era.
Furniture of the 60s can be attributed to modernism, in English this trend is called mid-century modernism of the middle of the century. It has a good design.
The furniture of that era is familiar, has a light appearance: all items (chests, sideboards, tables) on elegant, thin legs, wooden chair armrests are not massive, and the backs of the chairs are latticed. This furniture was designed for small rooms to take up as little space as possible and not block the light, while remaining comfortable.
So, really, it’s worth taking a closer look at the objects of the almost forgotten era of the old apartment: perhaps this is an excellent basis for creating a vintage country-style interior, light and stylish.
Passion for collections
There are people, and a considerable number of them, who have an extremely respectful attitude towards old and ancient things. These are collectors. Their interests are diverse: some are fond of collecting stamps or coins, others have a collection of dolls, creamers or teapots, while others have a collection of beer mugs or smoking pipes.
Collection of antique porcelain
Consider the cottage as a place to display your collection. A hobby in a small apartment, constantly disturbing and annoying the household, can become a decoration of a country house, displayed on specially arranged showcases or shelves.
Time capsule
American artist, one of the founders of pop art Andy Warhol created time capsules. In a cardboard box that was constantly on his desk, he dumped everything in a month that usually goes into the trash: newspaper clippings, bills, concert tickets, books he read, sketches, works. At the end of the month, the box was sealed, marked and sent to a warehouse rented by the artist.
Old things – Memory capsules
A total of 610 capsules were created, of which only one hundred are now open and sorted. Their contents are now on display in the Museum. Old things are also a kind of time capsule, carrying the memory of an era and a separate family.
Comfortable and sturdy
Old things, maybe, will not seem beautiful to someone by modern standards. Sometimes their design looks funny and a little ridiculous. But, as a rule, they are durable and continue to properly perform their function. An update and modification can give them a modern look.
Restoration of old furniture
Objects created at the dawn of the industrial era are distinguished by attention to detail: even simple tables or stools can have decorative elements that cannot be found in their modern rectangular counterparts.
Often they are made of natural materials, which, unlike soulless plastic, eventually acquire not a shabby look, but a noble one. Many modern objects are stylized as “antiquity”, coloring in a special way or covering with various compositions. The cost of such new “old” things can be very high.
Take a closer look: perhaps some of your items have the natural texture of beautiful old, half-faded paint. They can become a decoration of a country house, its highlight.
A new look at old things
If the item does not reach the title of “Antique”, and since vintage does not fit into the interior, an upgrade or alteration is a great idea. Old things are durable and quite suitable for further use. And an unsuitable old-fashioned appearance can be easily updated to meet modern requirements. Often a simple repainting makes an object unrecognizable.
Restoration and alteration of the old chair
Decorative painting of old furniture will not only update the wardrobe or chest of drawers and make them correspond to the style of the interior, but also create a real piece of decorative art.
Upholstered furniture can be restored by replacing the old interior and upholstered with a new fabric. In many cases, such repairs can be carried out independently, in particularly difficult cases, you can seek help from professional masters in the tightening.
Old things in interior design: from Provence to steampunk
The subject environment in interior design, in my opinion, is crucial. Things – furniture, decorative items, paintings and sculptures, lamps, textiles and various trinkets — “create” style. There are interior solutions in which old things are not just successfully used or made “antique” — such styles simply do not exist without such items.
Country
Country or rustic style is a rustic style. There is no big difference between “country” and “rustic”, rather, they are different names of the same concepts. But it is believed that the rustic style is too rough, and the country style suggests a more subtle finish of surfaces and details.
Rustic country house interior
Each country has its own village with its own national characteristics and features. Therefore, anyone can choose those national traditions that are more sympathetic to him: an American ranch or a house in the Tuscan spirit, a traditional Japanese village house minka or in the style of Provence.
To create a rustic (rustic, country) style in a country house, old things are a godsend. They will create the atmosphere of a family nest, remembered by more than one generation – such a welcome home comfort with the smell of fresh pastries, family tea. Antique objects emphasize the slowness and regularity of the holiday.
Provence
Provence is one of the most popular and recognizable styles in which things with a history are widely used. This is a style that imitates the rural life of the province of Provence, located in the south of France. Being one of the varieties of country style, Provence is the best fit for the interior decoration of the cottage.
The decor in Provence style
For interior decoration in this style, simple wooden furniture made of light-colored wood or painted in pastel colors, sometimes with perfect paint, is suitable.
Provence is characterized by an abundance of accessories: old bird cages, framed photographs, ceramics and porcelain (for example, figurines depicting children or animals). Old metal dishes and utensils (jugs, galvanized watering cans and buckets) in this case will be absolutely useful.
Porcelain figurine
Textiles are of great importance: curtains and drapes with a floral pattern, striped or checkered. If you have old grandmother’s lace tablecloths and napkins, then in the interior of the garden in the style of the French countryside, this wealth will be most welcome.
Shabby chic
The style of shabby chic is unthinkable without old things, it appeared thanks to them, and the name speaks for itself. This style is very similar to Provence, the same techniques are used in the decor. But if Provence is still a rustic style, then shabby chic is a “shabby shine”. Shabby chic furniture and decor items are more elegant and expensive.
The interior in the style of shabby chic
To clearly understand the difference between this style and Provence, imagine what your grandmother’s house looked like. Just imagine that you have two grandmothers: one is rural, the second is urban.
The style of shabby chic is the style of old noble estates.
Boho
Another interior style that allows you to successfully attach old things in the country style is boho. The name comes from the words “Bohemia” and “Bohemians” (the so-called Gypsies in Europe). It is ideal for those who prefer creative disorder, perfectly adjusted order, who are close to the hippie worldview and their love of bright colors.
A boho-style interior implies a set of things that at first glance do not fit together. Therefore, if you have accumulated old furniture from different eras, paint it in bright colors and complement it with patterned multicolored fabrics in the form of curtains, draperies, bedspreads and decorative pillows: the boho-style interior is ready.
Boho decor
The cottage is a great place for such experiments: it is difficult to solve with a city apartment, it is easily realized in a country atmosphere relaxing from everyday stiffness. In addition, the creation of interior items in the boho style can attract the whole family — painting cabinets and chairs will not require the skills of an artist. The main thing is that the bright colors are great and the mood is good.
Boho style is a good solution for a festive party
If you are still not ready to radically change your preferences regarding the design of your own home, boho decor is a good solution for a festive party. Use pieces of different fabrics to create an outdoor tent, and colorful pillows will be suitable as furniture.
Loft
Loft style is not often used for cottage decoration. It is more associated with fashionable expensive city apartments.
A classic American loft is a production or warehouse converted into a living space. In the European sense, a loft is a residential attic (loft in English “attic, dovecote”), an attic. The conceptual basis of the style lies in its origin. Both in the American and European versions, lofts were originally dwellings, marginal elements used as a studio studio of a poor artist.
Open old communications – stylish loft-style lamps
The specificity of the classic loft is the absence of the usual decorative finishing: brick and concrete, open communications and structural elements, old mismatched furniture or boxes adapted as furniture and other structures are viewed. Today lofts are elite housing, and a single style has been added to the interior design, which impressed free-thinking creative natures.
Industrial loft
Loft is a unique opportunity to create a stylish interior if you were building a country house, and the financing at the finishing stage was “eaten up” by the economic crisis. While you are saving money to continue construction, you will have a stylish space that is quite suitable for living. It is only necessary to cover concrete structures and brick walls with special varnishes so that there is no dust, and add furniture that is ideal for old furniture. Against the background of the walls, antiques harmoniously coexist with sofas of modern design.
Steampunk
Another style that old things are used to embody is steampunk. However, old things can be used quite specifically here — porcelain figurines and lace napkins are unlikely to fit.
In interior design, especially country, this is a relatively recent trend. Steampunk is a subculture originating in the fantastic works of H.G. Wells. The name comes from the English steampunk, formed from the words steam — “steam” and punk — “garbage”.
Installation steampunk
The idea of steampunk is a simulation of the future, in which civilization has gone not towards cybernetics, but towards the development of mechanics and the use of steam engines. The aesthetics of steampunk is a mixture of the Victorian era and antique mechanisms.
For an interior in this style, constructions made of parts of old machines and mechanisms, metal water pipes, decorative panels made of spare parts of watches and other metal objects are ideal. As well as old typewriters, spyglasses and telescopes, clocks and barometers: any outdated mechanisms will decorate the interior in steampunk style.
Panel in the style of “Steampunk”
If the era of Victorian England is close to you, the idea of the novels “People like Gods” or “Time Machine” and you have accumulated enough old water pipes, gears and other pieces of iron, it will not be difficult to assemble a steampunk lamp.
Lamp in the style of steampunk Chinese production
When you don’t want to mess with metal junk, you can buy an interior item in this style: Chinese citizens, feeling the growing popularity of this style, quickly reacted to the situation on the market. The lamp is made of scrap metal, and LED lamps in the form of classic Edison lamps can be easily purchased.
From the above it can be seen that old things can be used in the interior design of a cottage in a variety of ways and in different styles. And we have not yet touched on the colonial style, ethnic, stylization under the “old cottage” or “noble manor”, the use of old materials as decor, the creation of art objects from scrap metal or options to age or alter furniture and household items.
Old board as a finishing material
In general, the cottage is an amazing place! Here you can unleash your creative potential and at the same time usefully use what is not used in everyday life — old things.