The Glorious , classy vintage years…. A time of expression, fashion and ” History in the making.”

When you stop and reflect upon what the word  “Vintage” really means, the knowledge will present you with an abundance of understanding as well as  guidance to create ‘what could be,’ the dream home that is just waiting to be discovered within your heart… “A Winsome Vintage Home..” You are the creator, designer and decorator ….ENJOY learning and displaying your own signature style …take that vision you have deep inside and bring it forth into reality….whether it is just one room, two rooms or your entire house.  HAVE FUN…and venturesomely begin creating!

According to the experts on the English language, the word vintage  has several meanings…In regarding to a fine red wine, the harvested grapes are placed in a fermentation vat, then the ‘patient and long wait’ begins.When the winemaker knows it is time, the wine is then placed, (in my favorite,) an oak barrel, then goes through a filtering time and is finally  bottled. It is the ‘long wait’ that creates such a five star, stellar, much awaited bottle of wine.     Excellent wine, that is high quality, will have a specific year, vineyard and district of origin upon it’s label. It’s new to me, but I am sure all of you, who are collectors of fine wine,  understand this completely. A vintage red wine, (a 1951 Bordeaux,)   can in no way, be compared to an updated bottle of Toasted Head or Turning Leaf Merlot. (Though they are both great wines.) The Older wine is definitely worth the long wait. That is the same truth with anything Vintage.

The vintage ambiance brings forth a surge of Nostalgia to romance us back to a time where everything seemed so lovely, magical and novel. Through our decor and ageless collectables, we have something that is palpable and touchable, to intensify that ‘created mood’ and  atmosphere in abundance.   The Vintage style brings us a delightfully wrapped present…a touch of our history.   🙂

To learn more about this distinguished word, lets look at Vintage movies, books, artist’s, movie stars, television shows, homes, automobiles and fashion. These are all the REAL THING…not made over to look vintage. ( Which we will get to that area of vintage decor later on in this vignette.)

Old and cherished, exceedingly notable and delightfully made  films are the ‘old movies’… They  just don’t  make them any better than “A street car named desire,” with Marlon Brando. (Who can forget the classic line; “Hey Sella.” ) Alfred Hitch-cock’s renowned Rebbecca. The story of a shy, young woman, unaware of her own inner beauty, falls crazy in love with a  handsome and wealthy socialite. He marries her and brings her home to his mysterious mansion upon the cliffs of the ocean at the Old Manderly estate. Little does Rebbecca know that the house is ‘supposedly’  haunted by his first wife’s presence, (with the help of the vindictive head maid.)  The  movie is spell-bounding as they try to live out their newly married life amongst his rich friends,  the dark mansion, hidden secrets and her doubts of his true love for her. Lastly, one of  all of our childhood favorites, The Wizard of OZ…We adore every minute of the adventurous  journey Dorothy is on to get back to her home in Kansas…(except the flying monkeys…they were a little scary as a child…still are!)  🙂  All of these are  vintage, refined and excellent films.

Antiquated books that you can’t find everyday in Barnes and Noble’s on their new and  best  seller shelf,  are such tales as Moby Dick, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Moll Flanders and the prestigious  C.S Lewis’ notable novellas, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screw tape letters and The Magicians nephew.  (All Keepers!)

What was your favorite TV show as you grew up…(be careful as these answers really date your age.  🙂 Mine was “Father knows best.”  Robert Young could do no wrong in my eyes.  🙂 Other ageless and priceless shows are ‘The Three stooges,’ ‘Tarzan,’ our beloved, “I love Lucy,”  ‘Please don’t eat the daisies,’  ‘Laugh In’ and The Ed Sullivan show. Everything on television when I was a youngster seemed so clean…

Some of the greatest and most noted musicians were Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and  Elvis Presley. I  have yet to hear a match today of any of their  stellar voices …They were ‘one in a million,’ classy, unique and remarkable.  Museums today, host vintage paintings and photographs that cost a fortune, but bring back so many nostalgic memories of the ‘older days.’ Marilyn Monroe’s “Vintage Christmas in Hollywood,”) Monets’ “Impression Sunrise,” and all of the light-some and clever artwork of Norman Rockwell. Old world artwork is not only magnificent and ageless but it sets an exceedingly high standard for artwork today.  It is a difficult pursuit to find the same quality… Often times the ‘old’ is used as a muse for the ‘new.’ Vintage movie stars? There are so many, they are hard to count. 🙂 Judy Garland, Gene Tierney, Jane Russell,Robert Mitchum, Rita Hayworth, James Dean and Dorothy Lamour. How could you ever forget or find even a close match for  Leslie Howard, Vivian Leigh and Olivia De Haviland in the wondrous classic film, Gone with the wind?

 

Vintage automobiles. These are the cars that owners pamper and coddle as they keep them stored in garages, visiting them on occasion while they dote upon them…These motor cars get washed,waxed, vacuumed, taken out for a spin drive, (so the owner can hear the ‘special hum of the engine,’ 🙂 and then, they masterfully get parked just right in their ‘protected place.’  (Until the next reunion with their proud owners)   🙂 You can tell that the Vintage automobiles are their ‘babies.’:)

Lastly, Vintage clothing…Now a days,  you see this fashion all the time in Hollywood and all over the country… It is vintage because it is ‘out of style’ in our 21st century,  yet it is the ‘in craze,’ and is more popular than ever. Go figure!

So, what we have learned is that “Whatever is old, priceless, desirable, treasured, antiquated, old world, obsolete, ageless, timeless, quaint and exceedingly valuable is  Anything VINTAGE!

Then there is always making the New, look like the old for the charm and pizazz of the vintage era. 🙂

With all the modern day architecture, expensive, well made couches, love seats, over sized chairs, fine wood dining tables with hutches and chairs to match, as well as kitchen appliances that can do almost anything but sing…(maybe they to do that by now too,) 🙂  it’s truly amazing to see the high demand for the old world style. Even if the brand new is purchased, it is remodeled and made to look old and antique again. 🙂   Being the magazine and decor connoisseur that I am, one of the most popular and ‘in style’ looks  within homes, Vila’s, estates, cottages, mansions and ranch houses, is a home filled with classic, antiquated and old word decor style. Yes, again, the VINTAGE look is “in”…even in our bathrooms and upon our porches ! We give our old furniture a makeover, ( and perhaps embellish it with decorative stenciling,) or we bedeck our new King Louis XV bed to look exactly like it did in that exciting, opulent time where people socialized at Fancy Balls and feasted upon fine dining in the 17th century, over 500 years ago.  We adore the old kitchen appliances and decor that speaks of our memories when we were young, or the memorabilia of our parents from their childhood. (The Campbell soup kid mugs, the Little Rascals on decorative plates, old antique coffee grinders and china that is painted in a myriad of greens and pinks that aren’t even on the market today.) Our beds have a fair-haired, teddy bear siting peacefully upon the comforter… He can’t be bought with any price,yet he is at least 60 years old and looks like he just came out of the washing machine, (and the Tide detergent didn’t work.) 🙂 My little guy is named Cornelius and he is 36 years old...he has been through everything with me…he has known me longer than my husband. 🙂 If our house were ever to catch on fire, Cornelius would be one of the treasures I would grab and ‘save’ as I was rushing out of the home. 🙂 Of course, my husband and dog Grantham would be first! ) 🙂

It is the same thing with people…Those in our lives that have many years behind them, a bounty of wisdom, enchanting stories from their youth and grey hair, (even though most of them color it,) (hey, we all do what we need to do, to look our very best) 🙂  are fabulously exciting and beautiful people to be around. They  have such a refinement and regal nature about them, likened to a priceless, cherished bottle of vintage wine. These are the people you adore and love to have over for dinner, ask important questions to and make sure there is plenty of fresh coffee in the pot and an abundance of lemon pound cake at hand, so that they have ample time (and refreshments) to share their many tales of yesterday.  I adore the famous saying in the classic movie, ‘Calendar Girls.’ In  Napely, England, there is a close  knit group of ladies, as well as dear friends that belong to a notable and entertaining  book club. When one of the women’s husbands, John, becomes ill and they need money for his medical care, she decides to put on a fundraiser amongst all the residents of the quaint English village. The object of the fundraiser is ‘Calendars.’ They are not just any calendars…They are  photos of each woman, (Over 55,) posing with only  fresh fruits,vegetables,loaves of bread or decorative pastries, etc… and no clothes.  🙂 Believe me, it is a wondrous movie, well made and they don’t  show anything  that is not tastefully done…John has a saying that I enjoy so much; (and yes, it is planted in my notebook of expressive  words and extraordinary phrases.)  🙂 “The flowers of Yorkshire are like the women of Yorkshire, in that, their last stage of growth is the most glorious.” 🙂 I hope my husband feels that way about me when I am in my autumn years. 🙂

These are noteworthy people in our society that are becoming vintage… Perhaps already are as they are older, priceless, desirable, treasured, ageless, timeless and valuable. (I am not going to say they are antiquated.) 🙂 I think most men and women would love to be as healthy, full of vigor, with meaningful lives and an abundance of  loved ones at the ages of these renowned people…72, 94, 78 and 77. The name ‘vintage’ would just be an HONOR.

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WE  have a tendency to see growing old as a negative thing when in fact, there is so much beauty and wisdom within people who are older. They have learned all of life’s challenging  lessons, are at a  place of PEACE and acceptance of who they are, (no pretenses)  and are enjoying their retirements and doing the things they absolutely love. Their lives thus far, have earned them notoriety and the prestigious biographies that they posses.

Even cheese gets better with age! 🙂 The list could go on and on…Let’s take a look and see what some wonderful people have to say about the subject of VINTAGE! 🙂

 

DISTINGUISHED QUOTE CORNER

“I don’t do alcohol anymore,  I get the same effect just standing up fast.” 🙂  ~Author unknown! 🙂

“Old age is fifteen years older than I am.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

“Our admiration of the antique is not admiration of the old but of the natural.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Grow old with me, the best is yet to come.” ~ Robert Browning. (That is my new ‘numero uno’ MOTTO! 🙂

“Priceless things  matter not for their value but because they offer us an enduring reminder of stability and permanence.” ~ Barbara Taylor Bradford.

“Age is opportunity no less, than youth itself, though in a different dress, and as the evening twilight fades away, the sky is filled with stars, invisible by day.” ~ Author Unknown

“I think living to be 100 would be great but living to 50 twice, would be better.” ~ Barbara Johnson    (I adore Barbara Jonson and her fabulously, cheerful and happy perspective of living life.) 🙂

“The scary thing about middle age is the knowledge that you’ll soon grow out of it.” ~ Barbara Johnson

“Youth is not a time of life but a state of mind.” ~ Barbara Johnson

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to be a hundred minus one day so I would never have to live without you.” ~ Winnie The Pooh

I will always remember a priceless gift my mom bestowed upon me about aging. When she was in her 50’s, (still a very beautiful woman who had 8 children who simply adored her, 🙂 a few  of my brothers went to her one day and said, “Mom, you have got some wrinkles ‘going on’ in your face…you need to go and get a facelift.”  (If you know any of my five brothers, they will deny they ever said those words…) 🙂 Anyhow, she calmly smiled and said; “To be honest with you boys, I kind of like these wrinkles as they remind me of each one of you, my children.” As she kept smiling, she would point to one of her wrinkles and say; “This  one is Donnie, and this one is you Jim, etc…) My mom was very naturally beautiful and aged without any concern of getting any extra help. 🙂 I am trying! 🙂

Lets face it, growing old is inevitable… No matter how many pounds we loose, (or gain,) the abundance of ‘night-firming cream’ and Revive-a-lift we buy, face lifts, new hair styles to hide our wrinkles, wearing ‘spanks’ and the color black to appear thin, and finally breaking down and buying the ‘next size up’ jeans….Accept it, don’t fight it and keep a grateful heart.(Easy words, I know, but It’s worth trying!)  🙂 I admire the people who in tuning 50, give thanks to God for giving them those 50 years and would be honored to have 50 more…

The one thing no one has to adjust to or accept is a winsome home, bedecked in Vintage decor. 🙂  This style of decor is not only high in demand, but it is stunning, inviting and brings and ‘oomph’ to our lives.  Its a unique, one of a kind theme and brings comfort, gladsome hearts and coziness to us as well as each one of our guests.

Welcome to “your Vintage Home.” Are you ready to get a cup of coffee, some sweet tea,  a bite to eat and get comfy? 🙂 Lets take a look at the architecture of the Vintage home first.

My heart has always been charmed when my husband and I go for a drive in the country and see old, established, historical homes on acres of land.  I find my mind beginning  to ponder, “what memories fill the corridors and rooms of that house?”  What do they remissness  about there?” ” Do they get together for a jubilant family Sunday dinner every week?” (Like we did as a family.)   “Do they hear old creaks in the wooden floors and unexplainable sounds at night, being tempted to think it’s haunted by the ghosts of the original owners? “You have heard; “Every picture tells a story?” I also believe “Every home tells a story.” Vintage Homes make for wondrous and fascinating tales. 🙂

OK, hold your hats, this is not a haunted mansion…It is an abandoned Vintage home and is known as a “Fixer upper”…. Truly it is a beautiful architectural home…it just needs some TLC! 🙂 Some fresh paint, a good landscape team, a gardener and lots of kaleidoscopic flowers to add some life and color. 🙂  A loving family would be nice too!

Lastly, my mom’s childhood, vintage home in South Carolina. It no longer stands, but wow, was it awesome! (On boy, the stories I have heard about that house, could be a bestseller for sure!) 🙂 (I still have not decided what genre the novella would be written in, yet.)  🙂

 

Here are some gorgeous Vintage Porches.  Even if your home’s architecture is not Vintage, if you have a porch, you can bring a little “old world” decor onto your veranda, thus enhancing the charm and potpourri of color, texture and the personality of your home.

This piazza is beautifully feminine…  I adore all of the pastel colors amidst the soft whites.

 

 

Upon entering the home, the first room we see is the Living room. Remember, just as you have witnessed with these diverse porches, there are all different extremes of bedecking your home with the vintage style. Any decor that has antiques, old school furniture, home decor that is obsolete and carries that ageless, timeless ambiance, is a vintage style home. Many people mix their themes and styles, perhaps combining vintage with country cottage or shabby chic decor. The most important thing to keep in mind as you create your signature style home, is the rule I share on every decorating blog… Pick your style, decor theme and color pallet, then fill your home with the things you love, that  reflect who you are.  Be comfortable and enjoy creating each room the way you desire it to look.

 

Your Vintage look can be made up of all sorts of old world, timeless and classy  decorative items. Pick up your theme through aged colorful fabrics, antique furniture, throw pillows, pictures or paintings, oriental rugs, antiquated china, bowls  and vintage books. Anything that you can think of to bring forth that desired look, dauntlessly place it out in your room and see if its a fit for you. 🙂

This living room is old word, a little shabby chic with a hint of maritime life, which all blends in so well together…Not only is it charming, inviting and cozy, but it’s light and ethereal.

Again, this quaint, old school living room has a nautical hint to it, but is also undeniably  vintage and rustic. (Pleasingly patriotic as well!) 🙂

This sublime and stunning  book case filled with vintage books is a conversation piece as well as a strikingly picturesque addition to any room.  Old books bring ” an aged caliber.”  Maybe add a few photographs of your grandparents or a vintage family home, placed within a few choice and ornate, ‘old world’ picture frames to embellish your collection of ageless writings.

There is one word for this Vintage look...STELLAR!  It’s my favorite look of all…romantic, yet augustly antique. (They do not make mirrors like they used to anymore,  or fireplaces for that matter! 🙂

 

The aged and antiquated bedroom is not only eccentric, unique and romantic but  it is magical, creating a  fairy-tale like ambiance where you can sneak off and rest, read your novel, write an overdue letter or just listen to your favorite classical CD. This  is your special room to be pampered and coddled in…Light a candle, enjoy and revel in all the beauty that surrounds you!

Wrought iron, brass and old, weathered wood are perfect for a bed with the Vintage appeal. This bed room has an antiquated tin ceiling rescued from a New York City Movie theater, that no longer is in business.  How eye-catching, clever and creative!

The designer of this vintage room, excelled in their artful display of multicolored greys, greens and golds with creating a weathered look, amongst fauz painted walls,diverse fabrics and linens that blend together perfectly for an old world, nostalgic and  prolific ambiance. This bed room is very impressive.

 

In creating your vintage style home, you may chose to make every room this delightful style or just a few of the rooms. One of my  most cherished rooms in the house is my kitchen. Here are some charming vintage kitchens…This  antiquated and memorable decor style will surely be a “topic of discussion” with friends and family, when your room or rooms are completed. 🙂

I adore the brick in this kitchen…This kitchen looks liven in, cozy, welcoming and FUN!

A perfect kitchen for the connoisseur of fine wine and you already know how much I adore “chefs,” (In any shape, size or color.) 🙂  Aren’t they so classy?

This antique kitchen has a combination of Shabby Chic and vintage throughout the room. These two decor styles are refreshingly alluring when mixed together… It is a room filled with charm, a fairy- tale like ambiance and is creative and inviting as well.

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For my tastes, there is nothing more charming, nostalgic and inviting, than a combination of old brick and antiquated china. The dark, rich woods amidst the brightly colored flowers add a fabulously warm and cozy touch to this Kitchen.

This kitchen is so felicitous and amiable, I would love to spend a day here just cooking and baking the hours away…over a pot of fresh coffee of course. 🙂

 

 

These next photos of the Vintage bathroom are very warm and creative. There is absolutely nothing like a real claw-foot bath tub. Once you experience this luxurious experience, it will be hard to go back to the regular tub that most of our homes are equipped with. (I have got to remember to write this ‘claw-foot tub’ as a ‘must have’ in my Dream Home – Wish book.) 🙂   

 

How about the one place that you can relax, (right about the time the sun is gloriously setting through your windows and glass doors?)  Yes,your Dining Room.  It’s time to sit down with a delicious dinner, accompanied by a glass of chardonnay, perhaps a roaring fire, soft candle light and good friends, sharing superb cuisine and wondrous fellowship. These antiquated dining rooms are ‘bonny.’ (As the British would say.) 🙂

 

Here are some photos of beautiful Vintage china and tables settings to inspire you!

I  am going to share this ambrosial corn casserole recipe (below) with you in my  “Unforgettable Recipes” category. 🙂

 

 

Decorative accessories are a ‘must’ in creating your new look. In the following photos , I hope you find some great ideas and inspiration. 🙂

This is a vintage set of the “Winnie the Pooh” collection. Don’t you just love it? Piglet is just to cute. 🙂

I adore these ornate, old candle stick holders. They are very rich as well as festive.

This august, winning book vintage bookcase brings not only a wealth of ‘history to your haven,’ but an abundance of charm, color and beauty!

This Garden planter is absolutely breathtaking. I would love to have two of them on my front porch! The Vintage shed below, would be such a wondrous addition to your ‘Old world’ style garden. I think that it is about as “Vintage” as a piece of furniture could  be. 🙂

I love this antique mirror…It’s not only ornate, but classy and refined. I have many friends who display antique purses as a decorative addition to their room…hung on a petite hutch door, placed inside a glass dining room cabinet, or set out on their comfy bed, (next to their ‘antiquated teddy bear,’) to add color and style to their decor theme. Great idea!

In closing, I want to leave you with a few magical ideas for a “Vintage Christmas.”

“The perfect Christmas tree? ALL Christmas trees are PERFECT.” ~ Charles N. Barnard

I love the creativity this woman has used in decorating her dining room table.  The apples placed within the crystal goblets, mason jars filled with miniature Christmas scenes and the animated , winter white napkins adorned with red berries are already motivating me for the Christmas season. 🙂

For Christmas, it is hard to beat a fresh , winter white celebration!

I have never seen a Vintage train set like this one before. This would make any little boy, (or big boy) 🙂 happy on Christmas morning.

A very merry, colorful and  traditional, Vintage Tree. It is Perfect! 🙂 (Like Charles’ quote expressed above!)

A fancy and formal Christmas table fit for a king! I adore all the gorgeous , old silver and glistening candle light amidst all the soothing butter cream whites. (The confections don’t look to bad either ) 🙂

What is more ageless and timeless than a nativity scene displayed on a hutch or side board? It’s is one of my very  favorite Christmas decorations.  I love my original Nativity set as it was a gift from a very special lady. I was so sad when I unpacked it one year and  baby Jesus’ hand had broken off.  For the life of me,  I could not find that hand anywhere… so after going on my “creative – treasure – hunt”  around my home,   I discovered a miniature, decorative red heart and placed it where baby Jesus’ hand would be.  It fit perfectly. This little red  heart has the word LOVE written upon it. ) Now my nativity is not only “really original,” 🙂 but a great reminder of what this joyous season is all about.” 🙂

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know the Vintage home as much as I have. It has more meaning to me now that I understand why they call it Vintage decor. I hope you feel inspired and have obtained some great ideas. If you don’t want to go out and buy a new piece of vintage furniture, don’t forget, they have vintage slipcovers for old couches and chairs that have tares or frayed areas upon them. Stores as well as online shopping, also have a bounty of specialty paints to  ‘make your modern day furniture look old.’ Have a wonderful time planning, going to thrift stores, boutiques and garage sales looking for some extra items you may need to make your decor changes.  Enjoy CREATING and adding more BEAUTY to your life as well as the lives of your family.

PHOTOGRAPHS: In placing your computer mouse upon any of the photos or graphics, it will display where the picture originated from.