10 Ways to Live a Vintage Life
No. 1 – Decorate your home to look vintage.
This is one of the biggest ways to live a vintage life.
Surrounding yourself with beautiful vintage antiques and things with a vintage vibe will give your home a unique look to add to living vintage.
Like this old antique dresser I use in my dining room in the photo above. Every day I am so thankful to have such a gorgeous antique in my home.
Vintage things to add to your home are:
- Furniture
- Baskets
- Linens
- Dishes
- Silverware
- Candlesticks
- Candelabras
- Lighting
- Mirrors
- White ironstone
- Lanterns
- Old oil lamps that work
- Planters
- Copper pots and pans
- Farmhouse bowl
- Farmhouse batter bowl
When purchasing décor for your home, go thrifting.
The best vintage things I’ve found when decorating my home vintage is from a thrift store.
Goodwill, to be exact.
I recently did a haul at my local Goodwill.
My living room needed some lamps.
So, I checked and found two matching lamps for under $10 each.
With bulbs included.
It was a score!
I will share an inspirational YouTube video here, where I share some of my thrift finds.
No. 2: Wear vintage clothing.
This may seem weird to some.
But I’m not talking about looking like someone dressed for Halloween.
This is an elegant and sophisticated way to live because you’re incorporating pieces like a blouse or some beautiful leather pumps, like these, that have a vintage vibe but are still modern.
I’m linking these gorgeous black pumps because they are so comfy but have that solid vintage look. Like the ’40s.
They can be found at Nordstrom if you can’t find your size.
Vintage clothing can be an easy thing to add.
Amazon has so many cheap vintage-inspired clothing. Do a Victorian blouse search. There are tons of options. Here is a link to the one I’m wearing above.
But my favorite online store to find vintage inspire clothing is victoriantradingco.com.
Their clothing can be expensive, but you can get ideas and shop for similar things for less.
Like at poshmark.com. You may have heard of it.
It’s like eBay.
The clothing is mostly name-brand.
So, if you’re looking for a specific shirt and brand, they might have it.
No. 3: Put old vintage wall art in all the rooms of your home.
This is a cheap but impactful way to live vintage.
When someone walks into your home, the vintage feel will be evident.
Sometimes, it is subtle.
Like a beautiful floral print or a portrait of a Victorian lady or gentleman.
It will complete the look without dominating your home.
If you like a clutter-free home, this is a wonderful way to have vintage style without Knick knacks scattered throughout your home.
Not to say Knick knacks are bad, but not for everyone.
Vintage wall art is an inexpensive way to give your home a vintage style.
The best place to find cheap vintage prints is Etsy.
You can have large prints printed at your local print shop.
Or order online at vistaprint.com.
No. 4: Have gorgeous blooms of flowers in vintage vases.
Place them at the entrance as guests come in.
Or put them on your bedside table.
Faux flowers are wonderful things to have since they last a long time.
But occasionally, I buy fresh-cut flowers from Trader Joe’s to add to my kitchen counter.
It makes my heart happy since I love flowers so much.
Faux flowers can look real and are equally beautiful.
I like to get them from Michaels when they have their Spring or Fall sale.
Flora.com is another place to find real-looking flowers.
Use white ironstone vases or pitchers to put them in.
It’s such a delightful way to bring vintage style by adding gorgeous flowers throughout your home.
No. 5: Vintage needlepoint pillows.
Pillows are so easy to change from season to season.
Needlepoint pillows have a nostalgic look and feel.
Some have scrumptious velvet on the back.
The floral pattern is exquisite to look at.
I’ve found several that were inexpensive on poshmark.com
eBay and Etsy have them.
They are an investment.
But worth every penny to give that vintage look to your home.
No. 6: Use vintage things in your daily life.
Ways to incorporate vintage things are:
- White antique linen towels
- Ironstone teapots, teacups, and saucers
- Ironstone plates, bowls, and serving pieces
- Real silver flatware
- Antique desk
- Vintage pedestal bed
- Antique sofa
- Old linen chair and ottoman
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoons
- Old fashion black iron tea kettle
- Iron skillets
- Copper pots and pans
- Oil lamps to use in the evening
- Mason jars
The list above is things you can use every day.
Like the iron skillet to cook in.
The antique white linen towels to dry dishes after washing by hand or to dry hands after washing them.
Mixing bowls to make homemade cookies or fresh bread.
Mason jars are great for making kefir, or the bigger ones work for sourdough starters.
Not to mention the practical use of having them for drinking glasses.
Oil lamps have been a useful thing to use at night.
It gives a wonderful glow and is a comfy way to end our night.
I will share more on that in another post.
Using ironstone teapots for coffee.
And those beautiful teacups and saucers can get brought out to pour a nice cup of tea or coffee.
I love using mine every day.
My favorite antique is my writing desk.
My husband bought it for me as a birthday gift this last year.
Sitting in the matching chair and feeling the old wood is such a highlight of my day.
I love old things like that.
No. 7: Slow down and drink tea.
If you’ve ever watched Victorian movies, you probably heard, let’s have tea, in most situations.
When there was a dilemma, they’d ask if anyone wanted tea.
If there were a celebration, they’d have tea.
At elaborate parties, tea was served.
For break time after a long day at work, they’d have tea.
Or, in the middle of work, they’d somehow stop for a spot of tea.
It was a huge part of that era.
With all the hustle and bustle of everyday living, it can be exhausting.
Taking time to sit for a moment and drink a piping hot cup of tea brings our hearts to rest.
Even for a moment.
The aroma of bergamot in Earl Grey or the calming feeling of Chamomile tea has a wonderful effect on bringing us to a place of slowing down and enjoying life.
I think that is what draws us to a vintage lifestyle.
It’s permitting ourselves to enjoy the beauty and simple life that once was.
We need that nowadays.
No. 8: Invite guests over for lunch or dinner.
Back in the day, they had parties.
They would dress up in their best clothes and have the best food.
And when they went through impoverished times, they still would put on their best dress and cook what they had.
Music was played, be it a violin or a guitar.
Maybe someone would play the piano, and there’d be dancing.
It didn’t matter what was happening in their world, they would celebrate life and live in the moment.
As should we.
Inviting a co-worker over for dinner or having a ritual of Sunday dinner with the family around the table.
Whatever that looks like, enjoy the moment we have and live life talking and visiting.
There is something magical that happens when families eat around the table.
Kids grow up having been able to voice their concerns and share what’s going on in their life.
It’s amazing how a dinner date with a significant other, even if it’s at home, can bring two people together.
Maybe it’s been a forgotten tradition.
But it can become a new one when living vintage.
No. 9: Grow a garden.
This has been something I’ve desired to do.
To have fresh vegetables on the dinner plate seems so appealing.
But there is a process to it, and it doesn’t happen overnight, to my dismay.
Having a partial black thumb makes growing a garden a little more challenging for me.
But it is a vintage way of life to grow your food.
Be it herbs on my window sill, which I am proud of by the way.
Or a large garden that has all you can imagine.
As our world changes, fresh unaltered food without added chemicals or injected with vaccines is more precious to preserve.
Taking lessons from our forefathers who toiled and labored with their hands to grow food for thier families.
Even if we don’t want to do it, we know it is possible.
And to incorporate a vintage life and growing an organic garden is a great way to do it.
No. 10: Write a personalized handwritten letter or card.
That moment when you read a love letter from your spouse at Christmas time or birthday sets into your heart an echo that repeats every loving word.
Writing a letter or a card is one of the oldest traditions from bygone days.
I remember my great Aunt would send beautiful cards with her beautiful handwriting.
She came from an era when handwritten cards and letters were common.
We now have keyboards and text.
A special way to bring joy into a loved one’s life, be it a friend or family member, is to write a personal letter.
One way, as tradition has it, is to get stationary with your initials.
Or whatever ones like this or plain like this.
Handwritten notes are also a wonderful thing to add to your vintage life.
Like a folded paper with, I Love You, written inside.
Give it to whoever you want to bring a little cheer into their life.
I hope these 10 ways to live a vintage life inspire you to incorporate these ideas to make your life more fulfilling.
After all, wanting to live a vintage life only means you’re wanting to bring old traditions back that give value to your everyday life.
We all want simplicity.
And hopefully, turning back the clock and looking into the olden days can inspire us to enjoy life to the fullest.
At least we can try.
For more inspiration, I share how to live like a Victorian Lady here.
Plus, if you want some DIY ideas, go here.
Thanks for coming by Victorian Lane Farms.