Intentional home | Vintage home decor on a budget

As a new homeowner, I have been through the struggle of achieving vintage home decor on a budget. I admit that looking at the beautifully orchestrated photos of French-inspired decor on Pinterest, brimming with one-off furniture pieces from old Laura Ashley catalogues and French flea markets, left me feeling deflated.

Truthfully, achieving the vintage style home decor on a budget felt overwhelming, especially with a whole house to furnish. Now, I’ve realised that achieving it wasn’t as complicated as spending £1,000 on a set of vintage drawers – that’s just the way I thought it had to be done.

“Offering to exchange an unwanted vintage item for a pot of tea and a slice of cake at the garden centre is a worthwhile bargain, in my opinion.”

Making your home vintage

I have never been drawn to the modern styles dominating the kitchen design booklets and show homes of newly built apartments. When me and my boyfriend, Tom, were looking to buy our first home in London, I was adamant that it had to have character – even if it was falling down. A particular highlight of the properties we viewed was the idyllic flat on top of a greengrocer in Greenwich with the collapsing roof – it’s safe to say that Tom wasn’t as keen as I was!

Anyway, we secured a 1930s terraced house in a suburb of London and I became fascinated with vintage finds. When I walk into a room that’s filled with unique furniture and one-off trinkets from years gone by, I feel comforted by their history. In terms of style, I have always loved the country cottage look of rose and gingham prints on upholstery, paired with distressed, white-washed wood. It’s ironic, living in the capital of England where most things are sleek and chrome, that all I wanted to fill my home with was vintage items from a country cottage.

Of course, buying vintage home decor can be expensive. I’m sure I’m not alone in walking into a vintage shop and walking back out with disappointment at the eye-watering prices, especially in the capital. But rest assured, vintage home decor on a budget is easier than it seems when you have a few tricks.

What is considered vintage in home decor?

To start, there is a lot of dispute about what constitutes a “vintage” item. Items over 100 years old are certainly considered antique, but a vintage item could be anywhere from 20 or 50 years to 100 years old. Personally, I don’t put a date on a vintage item and go by sight – if it looks like it was made in the olden days, I’m happy.

Where to buy vintage decor

As mentioned, vintage shops can be expensive because a professional dealer knows the value of an item. If you live in the UK, I’m sure you’ve watched Bargain Hunt – the TV show where teams visit antique malls or fairs to locate the best money-making antique items. If you know the show I’m referring to, take inspiration from this method and apply it to finding vintage items in other locations.

Facebook Marketplace

For us, Facebook Marketplace has been the number one location for buying vintage home decor on a budget. From finding my dream dressing table and matching set of drawers for free, to a quaint bureau that was stuffed in someone’s garage for £15, we have truly taken advantage of people’s spring cleaning to furnish our home without the need for a credit card.

Vinted

A recent boom on the vintage scene in the UK is Vinted. I was late to the party, but have recently found it to be a great source of home decor on a budget. It’s the channel for decorating ideas and finishing touches in your home. For example, I recently bought two vintage Laura Ashley cushions for under £4.

My advice for using it without getting overwhelmed would be to search for a brand you love – in my case, Laura Ashley – and filter the search results by the category, ‘Home’. You can ‘Favourite’ items as you browse based on your instinctive reaction, and once you’ve finished browsing, go through your ‘Favourite’ items and shortlist your choices based on their condition, price and suitability for your home.

Charity shops

Charity shops, also known as thrift stores, are home to vintage home decor items. This method isn’t as easy as shopping on Facebook Marketplace or Vinted, as it does require you to physically visit the shops on a semi-regular basis. But, you can get lucky. I bought a quaint cream lamp with a floral pattern on it for £2 when passing the charity shop on my local high street.

People you know

Ask friends, family, colleagues or connections if they have vintage pieces they no longer need. Albeit not vintage, I claimed a Fortnum and Mason decorative basket from the office when I moved house and a spare table from a family member that suits the corner of our kitchen perfectly. I understand that it can feel invasive to ask, but from my experience, people are often delighted to lend a hand. Maybe you can do something nice for them in return, too. Offering to exchange an unwanted vintage item for a pot of tea and a slice of cake at the garden centre is a worthwhile bargain, in my opinion.

Upcycling vintage pieces

Vintage furniture pieces can be charming when left in their original state. But, for furniture that has suffered a bit more wear and tear, upcycling can give them a new lease of life and effortlessly blend them into your room decor. The £15 bureau I mentioned had a few cracks and scratches, so I upcycled it from dark wood to a cream and floral design.

If you’re not sure whether to upcycle a piece of furniture, sit with the decision for a month by putting the item in the desired location in your home and leaving it. It takes a lot of elbow grease to return the piece to its original state after upcycling it, if you change your mind. Truthfully, I’m starting to wonder whether my upcycled bureau has lost the character and charm it had in its original state. A little goes a long way, and sanding and wax are often all that’s required to bring a vintage piece up to standard.

Regretting a vintage purchase

Vintage shopping isn’t always a case of brag-worthy bargains and Instagram before and afters. A few years ago, we purchased a pre-loved cuddle chair that, until we’d brought it home, hadn’t realised was being used as a dog bed. After cleaning it five times over, the emotional turmoil the chair caused us meant that we parted with it for less money than we bought it for. So, trust me, a vintage purchase doesn’t always work out.

If the vintage item wasn’t as advertised, you can raise it with the seller and communicate to arrange for its return. If it was as advertised but doesn’t suit your vision, sit with it for a month and if it still doesn’t give you a good feeling, upcycle it or pass it on to a new owner, and think carefully about how your next vintage purchase will fit that vision.

We picked up a free coffee table from Facebook Marketplace with plans to upcycle it, but decided to part with it two months later as it didn’t fit our space as well as we’d hoped. The lady who had taken it from us upcycled it and sent me a photo, and it made me feel great to know that it had been given a new lease of life by someone else.

Remember that decorating takes time

Getting vintage home decor ideas and shopping for your desired decor on a budget requires patience. There’s no guarantee that the perfect item will appear on the month of your house move. Plus, making rash purchases that don’t quite fit your needs or budget to match timescales can result in disappointment and regret. Hang in there – the perfect mirror, clock, cabinet, table or whatever you’re looking for will show up.

Don’t be afraid to blend the old with the new, either. Not all of my house is filled with vintage furniture pieces. Recently, we bought a traditional rug from Amazon, of all places, similar to this pink rug. It fits the room perfectly and although it’s not vintage, it carries the vintage feel. I always encourage shopping second-hand, where you can. But, if you’re struggling to find a particular vintage item at the price point you’re looking for, buying new shouldn’t be out of the question.

Want to help our sisters with finding vintage home decor on a budget? Share your best vintage purchases for inspiration in the comments or by contacting me.