Love the look of vintage door hardware, but not sure how to put this to work in a modern home? Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Mixing modern with vintage styles isn’t always easy, but it can be highly effective when done with confidence.
There’s a common misconception that you have to stick to one era when it comes to decor, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, blending old and new can deliver unique and unexpected results.
If you’re ready to get confident in your interior design skills in 2026, read on to learn how to mix vintage and contemporary styles in your home.
First things first, why do we fear mixing these styles? It’s often down to the fear of getting something wrong. Sticking to a single style can make decision making easier, as you can be confident that your choices will work well together.
The thing about sticking to a single style is that this can quickly become stifling. It can also lead to your home looking like a picture-perfect catalogue space, that is completely lacking in personality or flair.
When it comes to interior design rules, they really are there to be broken. You’re designing a space that works for you and your family, and you’re really the only critic that needs to be pleased by your design choices. So you can afford to be a little brave and bold with your choices.
Here are just some of the ways you can include vintage styles in your modern home.
When designing your home, it’s often not the large pieces that will make your home look more sleek, stylish or expensive. It’s the attention to detail and the finishing touches that make your home elegant and unique.
In the Victorian era, door hardware was often used as a way to show off wealth. Items were chosen not just for their superior quality, but also for their unique design. Being able to afford more ornate choices like brass beehive door knobs was a sign of wealth and exceptional taste.
It would be fair to say that these rules still apply to this day, as popular advice is always to prioritise the items that you’ll touch every day. While it might not be all about showing off wealth anymore, the focus has perhaps shifted towards prioritising quality and unique touches.
Working with scale can help to keep the finished result balanced. What do we mean by this? By introducing vintage pieces as small details and finishing touches, you can maintain the balance of the overall look.
The space may be predominantly modern, but you can introduce small design elements that are unmistakable vintage. A great example of this would be small cast iron details in a modern entrance way.
A minimalist space becomes functional with the addition of cast iron coat hooks. Or you can add vintage door knobs to modern doors for a fanciful twist.
Modern homes tend to lean into monochromatic colour palettes to keep things sleek and stylish. Thankfully, brass happens to pair very well with muted tones like black, grey, white and cream.
Minimalism also lends itself well to natural materials, including raw and unpainted wood. Wood grain looks beautiful alongside our
Sign up to our mailing list for the latest news, offers and Rad inspiration. You can unsubscribe at any time.
