'Old World Glam'

Vintage style anyone?

People spend a fortune trying to inject the kind of vintage glamour you might find in a Parisian flat situated near Montparnasse.

There's no reason to.

Vintage glamour is easy as sifting through a garage sale for a $30 wrought iron sofa and adding new cushions. It beats finding a used sofa and reupholstering. The homeowner (see photo above), in this particular case, placed a serving tray on top of a used an industrial trolley as a mobile coffee table.

I know that I’ve suggested this before, but incorporate vases of different shapes and sizes in your home. Apothecary jars are not only good for storing jam, but for holding flowers and little odds and ends.

Discovered at Better Homes & Garden, I think I might take this idea home. Use chalkboard paint to write messages on your refrigerator doors in response to family photos.

Old World become New World love

Romance comes sweeping in the use of Old World draping technique (see photo above). The curtain rods are positioned higher than the window panels and hang loosely from hooks strung onto the rod. The mega-long curtains, edged in ruffles, fall gracefully over a slip-covered sofa. An arrangement in the center balances the look of the drapes.

Bathroom gone vintage

I personally admire styling that looks effortless. And in the case of this bathroom, vintage glamour is achieved by using a beaten up wood table, birdbath to hold jewelry, flowers in a glass jar and free-standing mirror. The arrangement is so nonchalant, one would wonder how long it took the designer to select and arrange all the pieces.

Use old lockers bought at a thrift store to hold groceries in the kitchen.

From old hutch to living room centerpiece

If you’re lucky enough to find an old hutch in good condition, make it a centerpiece to your living room. Throw on some blue paint and you now have an antique piece to show off your collection of plates and silverware.

When it comes to vintage glamour, who needs a Parisian flat? With an expert eye for style and finding a good bargain , you are already halfway there.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of bhg.com