Decorating
Turn Vintage Pieces Into Practical Storage
Op shop finds and garage sale treasures don’t just look pretty, they can be pretty useful, too
Shopping for one-off, vintage finds to add into your home can lead to unique and timeless style. But don’t let your quirky antiques and well-worn accessories just sit there looking pretty – they should work hard for you too. Arrange pre-loved furniture and eclectic props in any room of the house, from the hallway to the kitchen, to help you declutter or organise your space, or use them to display other beautiful things. Vintage should be treasured for the soul it brings to a space, but it should also be practical.
Put an old bench to work
The owners of this kitchen have gone for an over-sized industrial workbench, which doubles up as a kitchen benchtop as well as a dining table. Antique industrial benches or long trestle tables make fantastic focal points in large rooms where you need lots of space for dining, but don’t fancy having to clear the surface every mealtime. Simply move crayons and colouring books or laptops to one end while you dine at the other.
The owners of this kitchen have gone for an over-sized industrial workbench, which doubles up as a kitchen benchtop as well as a dining table. Antique industrial benches or long trestle tables make fantastic focal points in large rooms where you need lots of space for dining, but don’t fancy having to clear the surface every mealtime. Simply move crayons and colouring books or laptops to one end while you dine at the other.
Boost bathroom storage
In this bathroom, the multi-drawer vintage wooden apothecary chest provides a spacious surface for two large basins, as well as offering plenty of character-filled storage.
Repurposing a unit like this would require careful remodelling of its interior to incorporate the plumbing and pipework, so talk to your designer or building professional to ensure the drawers could still be used.
In this bathroom, the multi-drawer vintage wooden apothecary chest provides a spacious surface for two large basins, as well as offering plenty of character-filled storage.
Repurposing a unit like this would require careful remodelling of its interior to incorporate the plumbing and pipework, so talk to your designer or building professional to ensure the drawers could still be used.
Swap in an old and lovely piece
Modern vanity units can be functional and a little bit frumpy, so add soul to your bathroom by picking a well-worn piece of furniture to add character and provide much-needed storage.
It could become the basin unit, as seen here, or imagine this same piece used for stacking beautiful white fluffy towels next to the shower or bath. For instant lived-in loveliness, a curtain could be added to the lower section to disguise clutter.
Modern vanity units can be functional and a little bit frumpy, so add soul to your bathroom by picking a well-worn piece of furniture to add character and provide much-needed storage.
It could become the basin unit, as seen here, or imagine this same piece used for stacking beautiful white fluffy towels next to the shower or bath. For instant lived-in loveliness, a curtain could be added to the lower section to disguise clutter.
Display architect’s drawers
In this open-plan scheme, a vintage architect’s plan chest forms the base for a zinc-topped kitchen island, adding drawer storage for cutlery, tinned goods, kitchen tools and household paperwork.
The use of such a lovely non-kitchen piece, facing out into the dining area, also smooths the transition between the kitchen and dining spaces. In this case, the vintage chest was painted in a shade that complements the kitchen units to make it feel part of the family.
In this open-plan scheme, a vintage architect’s plan chest forms the base for a zinc-topped kitchen island, adding drawer storage for cutlery, tinned goods, kitchen tools and household paperwork.
The use of such a lovely non-kitchen piece, facing out into the dining area, also smooths the transition between the kitchen and dining spaces. In this case, the vintage chest was painted in a shade that complements the kitchen units to make it feel part of the family.
Stow laundry in style
Who says you need to toss your laundry into an Ali Baba basket or stash it in a bag at the bottom of the wardrobe? Make washday easy and stylish by adding a vintage drawer underneath a daybed, window seat or divan to house your washing machine-ready clothes.
Design it to be easy to pull out – or you could simply add cladding to a standard bed box on wheels and slip it under your bed. Beautiful vintage wood would be both super-useful and gorgeous.
Who says you need to toss your laundry into an Ali Baba basket or stash it in a bag at the bottom of the wardrobe? Make washday easy and stylish by adding a vintage drawer underneath a daybed, window seat or divan to house your washing machine-ready clothes.
Design it to be easy to pull out – or you could simply add cladding to a standard bed box on wheels and slip it under your bed. Beautiful vintage wood would be both super-useful and gorgeous.
Factor in factory shelving
Freestanding metal shelving, probably once used in an industrial environment, creates a fantastically useful feature in this kitchen, with lots of cool vintage style. Here, it’s used to store small appliances, such as the toaster and coffee machine, which have equally stylish retro good looks, and keep them from taking up too much space on the worktop.
Shelving like this can also be used to show off glassware and a great collection of wine bottles and spirits, creating a relaxed bar area within the kitchen. Stacking this kind of shelving with multiples of the same accessories will make a stunning focal point.
Freestanding metal shelving, probably once used in an industrial environment, creates a fantastically useful feature in this kitchen, with lots of cool vintage style. Here, it’s used to store small appliances, such as the toaster and coffee machine, which have equally stylish retro good looks, and keep them from taking up too much space on the worktop.
Shelving like this can also be used to show off glassware and a great collection of wine bottles and spirits, creating a relaxed bar area within the kitchen. Stacking this kind of shelving with multiples of the same accessories will make a stunning focal point.
Make a feature of your filing
This desk area proves that home office storage need never be dull. Not only is this vintage unit tall and full of amazing storage, it’s also discreet and practical: the name cards on the front of each drawer make finding things inside really easy.
This kind of unit can store home office clutter, but could also be used for overflow clothing or shoe storage. In this room, the desk and chair are also vintage in style, but sleek modern furniture would be great for contrast too.
This desk area proves that home office storage need never be dull. Not only is this vintage unit tall and full of amazing storage, it’s also discreet and practical: the name cards on the front of each drawer make finding things inside really easy.
This kind of unit can store home office clutter, but could also be used for overflow clothing or shoe storage. In this room, the desk and chair are also vintage in style, but sleek modern furniture would be great for contrast too.
Tidy away tiny shoes
Vintage pieces often lend themselves to shoe storage and these old cubbyholes, which may have once been used in a post office sorting room, are perfect for the job. Children’s shoes look cute and quirky stored like this, and these cubby holes, either floor- or wall-mounted, would be ultra-useful in a hallway or close to the front door, as well as in a nursery.
Vintage pieces often lend themselves to shoe storage and these old cubbyholes, which may have once been used in a post office sorting room, are perfect for the job. Children’s shoes look cute and quirky stored like this, and these cubby holes, either floor- or wall-mounted, would be ultra-useful in a hallway or close to the front door, as well as in a nursery.
Display your heels
Forget taking Polaroids of shoes and sticking them onto white boxes – instead, have your most gorgeous shoes on display at all times. A vintage glazed shop unit works wonderfully in this bedroom, where it’s been repurposed as an amazing display for shoes. It makes choosing what to wear stress-free too, since you’re more likely to find what you’re looking for in a hurry than if you were rummaging around in the bottom of the wardrobe.
A glazed bookcase would do the job equally as well, as would a vintage armoire, where you could remove the panes of glass and add an industrial see-through mesh for a more urban look.
Forget taking Polaroids of shoes and sticking them onto white boxes – instead, have your most gorgeous shoes on display at all times. A vintage glazed shop unit works wonderfully in this bedroom, where it’s been repurposed as an amazing display for shoes. It makes choosing what to wear stress-free too, since you’re more likely to find what you’re looking for in a hurry than if you were rummaging around in the bottom of the wardrobe.
A glazed bookcase would do the job equally as well, as would a vintage armoire, where you could remove the panes of glass and add an industrial see-through mesh for a more urban look.
Raise the bar
A vintage hostess trolley will instantly transform into the coolest mini bar when you add an ice bucket, wine cooler, cocktail shakers and glasses. This tray on wheels has been styled beautifully in a retro way for the living room, or it could be pulled up to the bed as a quirky side table. Alternatively, use it to house bath and beauty products in a bathroom.
How to give your home vintage flair
A vintage hostess trolley will instantly transform into the coolest mini bar when you add an ice bucket, wine cooler, cocktail shakers and glasses. This tray on wheels has been styled beautifully in a retro way for the living room, or it could be pulled up to the bed as a quirky side table. Alternatively, use it to house bath and beauty products in a bathroom.
How to give your home vintage flair
Revive vintage equipment
Use old kitchen paraphernalia to display fruit, vegetables, herbs or old-fashioned sweets for guests to happily snaffle into their pockets.
Old weighing scales, as seen in this rustic kitchen, along with jars and enamel flour buckets not only look great, but make for practical storage when stacked on shelves or on the top of dressers and island units. The bowl on this set of weighing scales is crying out for a pile of autumnal apples or festive walnuts.
Use old kitchen paraphernalia to display fruit, vegetables, herbs or old-fashioned sweets for guests to happily snaffle into their pockets.
Old weighing scales, as seen in this rustic kitchen, along with jars and enamel flour buckets not only look great, but make for practical storage when stacked on shelves or on the top of dressers and island units. The bowl on this set of weighing scales is crying out for a pile of autumnal apples or festive walnuts.
Love your linen
The scent of freshly laundered sheets is one of life’s simpler pleasures and it seems a shame to hide all your lovely linens behind closed doors.
Take inspiration from this bedroom, where a stunning glazed vintage cabinet has been repurposed into a practical linen cupboard. Crisp white pillowcases, sheets and bedspreads are stacked in a relaxed way. But be aware, its appeal depends on the contents being uniform in colour – in this case white – as well as reasonably tidy!
The scent of freshly laundered sheets is one of life’s simpler pleasures and it seems a shame to hide all your lovely linens behind closed doors.
Take inspiration from this bedroom, where a stunning glazed vintage cabinet has been repurposed into a practical linen cupboard. Crisp white pillowcases, sheets and bedspreads are stacked in a relaxed way. But be aware, its appeal depends on the contents being uniform in colour – in this case white – as well as reasonably tidy!
Stash your smalls
A handsome vintage tallboy, with its pleasing patina and smart inset brass handles, brings warmth to this otherwise pared-back bedroom. Perfect for smaller items, such as underwear, make-up and other bits and bobs, it certainly ticks all the vintage style boxes.
TELL US
How have you made practical use of a vintage piece in your home? Share your tips or photos in the Comments below.
A Dozen Ways to Add Vintage Nostalgia to Your Kitchen
9 Salvaged Cast-Offs Reinvented as Storage
Storage Dos and Don’ts for Your Home
A handsome vintage tallboy, with its pleasing patina and smart inset brass handles, brings warmth to this otherwise pared-back bedroom. Perfect for smaller items, such as underwear, make-up and other bits and bobs, it certainly ticks all the vintage style boxes.
TELL US
How have you made practical use of a vintage piece in your home? Share your tips or photos in the Comments below.
A Dozen Ways to Add Vintage Nostalgia to Your Kitchen
9 Salvaged Cast-Offs Reinvented as Storage
Storage Dos and Don’ts for Your Home
Behind the twin beds in this guest room are bedheads made of reclaimed wooden boxes, which double up as shelves for guests’ mobile phones, books and morning mugs of coffee. As an added bonus, if the boxes had a lid and were deep enough, you could use them to house spare bedlinen.
A vintage tallboy would also work here, as would bookshelves, although you would have to block out the section behind the pillows to create a solid back rest.
Find out how to boost your bedroom storage