JOIN USThe vintage look is all about comfort and having a “lived-in” space that reflects your personality, writes Ruth Dsouza Prabhu.
There are homes that have interiors that are so beautiful that it makes you want sit ram-rod straight for fear of knocking a precious crystal figurine set… and then there are homes that beckon you to sink into that soft sofa or relax on the floor and let all those inhibitions go… such is the beauty of a home with a “lived-in” ambiance.
Technically called the vintage look, it harks back to the 1940s where warmth and comfort were central themes in interior design. It is a look that can work for the house as a whole or just for personal spaces such as the bedrooms, living room, the study, parlour or even your sundeck.
“The main characteristic of this look is that it is ‘spontaneous’, and by extension, ‘mismatched’. An eclectic mix of furniture works best where each piece is sourced from different places, possibly some from garage sales and restored,” says Juhi Santani, a city-based interior designer.
There are numerous features that characterise the vintage look and many ways in which to manipulate it to suit your needs. Preeti Venugopal, an interior designer, believes that a neutral tone with a bold accent can easily liven up a room. She also feels that the vintage look is all about patterns which can be tastefully mixed and matched for wallpapers and fabrics used in interiors, besides other elements.
All of these will have to be balanced in order to create the right amount of visual play.
Laying the foundation
Before attempting to work with any kind of look for your home, it is important that you evaluate your space from the perspective of you and your family. How do you plan to use each space? What are each person’s expectations from their home and its interiors? What functionality and purpose will each room serve and how can you work with these ideas to arrive at a look you are aiming for? All of these will have to be deliberated on before you actually work with your interior designer and create a look.
“To achieve the ‘look’ you need to consider the spaces you have available, i.e. the three surfaces—your floor, your walls and your ceiling. By treating a minimum of two of these surfaces in the suggested manner, you can achieve the result you are looking for,” says Gita Ramanan, principal architect and CEO of a Bangalore-based firm. Choosing good and solid pieces of furniture are the most functional blocks that make up your home, and getting the layout, size, proportions and detailing will affect how you use the space greatly, she opines.
By way of an understanding, the vintage look thrives on looking ‘worn out’, in a nice, pleasant way. Think textured paint, an array of wall finishes - stone, wood, etc, all slightly worn, fabrics, cane, etc. Another strong characteristic would be ‘exposed’. This look mostly does away with false ceilings, large glass partitions, and other such trappings of modern construction. Old-fashioned cornices, cast-iron brackets, railings are most welcome.
Juhi suggests using “clutter” to your advantage in creating this look. “As against the sleek, modern, minimal look, the vintage celebrates ‘hoarding’, mixing and matching. Show off your vast book collection, your mom’s china or the large copper vessel from your granny’s kitchen. Anything goes, so far as it is put together tastefully,” she says.
Cozy, comfy, lived-in
The magic of a particular look for your space can be worked on the walls, the ceiling and the flooring. Choosing any one or two of these segments to work with can give you some great results. Beginning right at the top, with your ceiling, a palette of natural materials coupled with wooden beams and rafters should do the trick, feels Gita. If you are renovating, a complete white finish at a single level so that attention is focused on the treatment you have given to the walls and furniture would be a good idea. If your home has an exposed roof with metal and wooden beams, celebrate it. Keep your walls simple so that the impact of the ceiling is felt.
If it is the walls you choose to go with and you have the provision for it, a brick work fireplace is also another typical vintage focal point that can’t be ignored. “An exposed brick wall as a feature wall speaks volumes on its own, believes Preeti. You can make a difference to its look by white-washing it completely or partially and even by placing a big mirror on the floor at an angle along with coloured cushions. Highlight the brick wall with some diffused light or by placing a large distressed wall light fixture on it. Use the brick wall as a feature to showcase an abstract piece of art or a collage of black and white family photographs. All the while keep in mind that how you treat the walls should be complementary to the finish of your furniture and flooring.
The finishing touches to any space are done by the lighting scheme you choose for it. The idea is to work with even lighting schematics for the entire room, especially when you are dealing with the living room. Utilising the ceiling for this is ideal. “Use simple spotlights to achieve even lighting in a warm-white or yellow finish as opposed to white, meant for task lighting,” suggests Gita. Choose a couple of decorative pieces that stand out and throw light in a manner that accentuates your design scheme. The choice of finishes of the light should complement the natural materials you have chosen for the room.
The key to beautiful and welcoming interiors for any space is the touch of personalisation you can give it. Your home, rented or owned should be a reflection of your personality. When you work with a vintage look, the scope for adding in aspects that reflect you as a person is immense. This results in a look that is unique and definitely not found in any other home.
Box – Revamp to vintage
If you plan to give your home a change in appearance, these interior designers have a few suggestions on how you can give it the vintage touch:
Choose natural materials to work with like brick, stone, exposed concrete, wood, terracotta, and other such natural materials. Let each material be a star.
Use a false ceiling only if you want to cover up your wiring and lighting.
Wooden flooring or a patterned floor rug/carpet creates the necessary impact
A whitewashed chandelier with crystal beads or an eclectic metal piece of wall light works
Large-sized trunk used as a centre table in living space or stacked suitcases used as side tables in the bedroom add character
A hand made quilt on the sofa gives the warmth to the rugged brick wall interiors
Use light cotton fabric curtains for an airy feel or a heavy patterned curtain to give the richness to the space keeping every other piece of furniture neutral
Add in a wonderful statement floor lamp near a single recliner and a lovely table lamp near the cozy pair of chairs to add to the warm-homey look that you desire.